Planning from abroad
Planning a Kerala wedding from the UK
From the UK the wedding is a long-haul trip and a real piece of annual leave, so the dates have to be settled early and the planning done at a distance.
What is the time difference between the UK and Kerala?
GMT, late October to late March: Kerala is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead. British Summer Time, late March to late October: Kerala is 4 hours 30 minutes ahead. Kerala runs on Indian Standard Time all year, with no daylight saving.
Which month are you looking at?Send the month or the muhurtham with your name. We reply on WhatsApp with what is open and what the venues are quoting.
| Where you are | Kerala time |
|---|---|
| GMT, late October to late March | Kerala is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead |
| British Summer Time, late March to late October | Kerala is 4 hours 30 minutes ahead |
When to hold the planning calls
Weekday evenings in London land close to midnight in Kerala. A Saturday or Sunday at 9 am in London is 1.30 pm in Kerala in summer and 2.30 pm in winter, which suits a venue walkthrough in daylight.
A 6.00 am muhurtham in Kerala is 1.30 am in London in summer and 12.30 am in winter. Write the wedding-day schedule out in both time zones and send it to everyone who will watch from home.
Holidays against the Malayalam calendar
The Christmas holidays fall in Dhanu, roughly mid-December to mid-January, which Kerala keeps clear for Hindu weddings. The Easter holidays often land across the second half of Meenam and into Medam; Medam is used. The summer holidays from late July run through Karkidakam into Chingam, which opens roughly mid-August and is used. The month-by-month calendar is on when Kerala marries, and the busy dates for the next two seasons are on wedding dates 2026–27.
Money and the rupee figures
Rupee figures on this site convert at ₹1 = £0.0089 (indicative, Aug 2026). A per-plate rate of ₹2,500 is about £22. Venue per-plate ranges for the whole book are on what a Kerala wedding costs. Agree a written payment schedule before any advance is paid, and ask for a receipt for each one.
Getting everyone there
Plan the route before the venue shortlist is final: a venue near Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode or Kannur airport saves guests a long drive at the end of a long journey. Check the current schedules for connections from your nearest UK airport. Guests travelling on a foreign passport need an Indian visa or an OCI card, so tell them the date early enough to apply.
Registering the marriage
Kerala registers marriages through K-SMART with video KYC, so the paperwork does not need both of you in the state at the same time, but the memorandum still has a 45-day window. The registration guide has the rules and the documents.
The overall approach, video calls, one trip and decisions in writing, is on planning from abroad. Planning from somewhere else? Read the page from the Gulf or from the US and Canada.
Questions from the UK
What is the time difference between the UK and Kerala?
GMT, late October to late March: Kerala is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead. British Summer Time, late March to late October: Kerala is 4 hours 30 minutes ahead. Kerala runs on Indian Standard Time all year, with no daylight saving.
When is a good time to call Kerala from the UK?
Weekday evenings in London land close to midnight in Kerala. A Saturday or Sunday at 9 am in London is 1.30 pm in Kerala in summer and 2.30 pm in winter, which suits a venue walkthrough in daylight.
Which months can a family in the UK marry in Kerala?
The Christmas holidays fall in Dhanu, roughly mid-December to mid-January, which Kerala keeps clear for Hindu weddings. The Easter holidays often land across the second half of Meenam and into Medam; Medam is used. The summer holidays from late July run through Karkidakam into Chingam, which opens roughly mid-August and is used.
Planning from the UK?
Your name and WhatsApp number are enough. Add the month you are aiming for and the city you live in, and we will reply at a sensible hour for you.
What happens after you enquire
- A call within one working day. From the planning team, to hear the date, the numbers and the community the wedding follows.
- A written scope and a fee band. What we would do for this wedding and what it costs, before you decide anything.
- A video walkthrough if you are abroad. Shortlisted venues walked on camera in your evening, so the single trip to Kerala is spent deciding, not looking.