Leela Kovalam

The Leela Kovalam sits on a clifftop above Kovalam Beach and the Arabian Sea, about 16 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. The resort spreads over 68 acres, with direct access to the calmer parts of the beach and a looked-after area with loungers, umbrellas and lifeguards.

It is set up for destination weddings, with a good spread of spaces. Chess Park is an open-air lawn for 400 with sunset views, and the Pandhal is a Kerala-style venue of about 6,600 square feet near the beach. Maya Hall holds around 80 to 100, and the conference centre takes 750 to 900, depending on layout.

Chess Park is the outdoor option for a large ceremony or reception as the sun goes down, and the Pandhal gives you a covered, traditional setting close to the sand. Maya Hall suits a smaller dinner or a rainy-day plan. The resort also lists the Royal Palace Lawns for grand receptions and a ballroom for large gatherings, but does not publish capacities for them, and mentions beachside spots for sunset ceremonies.

For the evening, The Terrace sits beside the infinity pool, The Tides serves seafood and Jazz and Blues is the cocktail bar. The beach is listed for up to 900 theatre style, so ask the team about ceremony spots on the sand, menus, music and the finish time.

The resort has three pools, two of them infinity pools, a spa with 12 treatment rooms and its own yoga studio, and two gyms. Ayurveda programmes last 7, 14 or 21 nights, which makes it easy to stretch the wedding into a longer trip. There are 188 rooms, suites and villas, including 41 villas with sea or garden views, so ask the team how many you can hold.

Beyond the resort, guests can climb the 36-metre Vizhinjam lighthouse for views along the coast, or take a catamaran trip. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is about 20 minutes by car, while Cochin is about 250 km away, around six and a half hours by road.