Destination weddings · Lonavala & Khandala
Weddings in Lonavala & Khandala
Location: Maval taluka, Pune district · Sahyadri ghats, about 600 m up · roughly 90 minutes from Pune, two hours from Mumbai
The closest hill-station wedding to both Pune and Mumbai. Guests drive up the Expressway after work on a Friday, the ghat views do the decorating, and the resorts are big enough to keep a whole wedding on one property. This guide compares the six luxury venues couples shortlist most, explains how Lonavala and Khandala differ, and sets out how Tejaswini plans bridal makeup for a ghat wedding.
- Six luxury venues, each with a guide
- About 90 minutes from Pune
- Best season: October to February
- Bridal price page for the ghats
Pune-based, ninety minutes awayTejaswini Gote has done Indian bridal makeup for 14 years. She is based in Pune and travels across India and abroad for weddings; for Lonavala the team drives up and stays on site before any morning function.
8 bridal reelsTwin hill towns
Lonavala or Khandala?
They sit about five kilometres apart on the same ridge above the Bhor ghat, and most people use the names interchangeably. For a wedding, the difference is mostly about views and traffic.
| Lonavala | Khandala | Khopoli (foot of the ghat) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | The bigger town: market, chikki shops, resorts spread out towards Tungarli, Kune and Tiger Point | Quieter, perched on the edge of the ghat with long valley views | Flat land below the ghat, next to the Imagicaa theme park |
| Luxury venues | Della Resorts, Fariyas, Rhythm, The Fern | Athiva Resort & Spa (formerly The Dukes Retreat) | Novotel Imagicaa |
| From Pune | About 90 minutes | About 1 hour 45 minutes | About 2 hours |
| From Mumbai | About 2 hours | About 1 hour 45 minutes | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Weather | Cool, pleasant winters; one of the wettest monsoons in Maharashtra | Warmer and more humid than the hill towns | |
Drive times are approximate and assume the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. Saturday mornings and long weekends can add an hour in either direction.
Because the towns are so close, a wedding can comfortably use two properties: guests at Rhythm or Fariyas, for example, while one function is held at Della’s lawns. What decides it is usually the room count, not the lawn — more on that below.
The venues
Six luxury wedding resorts, side by side.
Lonavala has hundreds of resorts and only a handful that run a full multi-day wedding at a luxury standard. These six are the ones couples from Pune and Mumbai shortlist most often. Each has its own page with spaces, capacities, published costs and our planning notes.
| Venue | Where | Rooms | Largest space | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Della Resorts | Kunegaon, Lonavala | 240–298 (sources vary) | Yatha-Ahu-Vairyo ballroom, about 800 | Big, design-led weddings with an adventure park next door |
| Athiva Resort & Spa, Khandala | Khandala, on the ghat edge | 147 | Lotus lawn, about 500 seated | Valley views and a long wedding track record |
| Fariyas Resort | Frichley Hill, Tungarli | 163 | Main lawn plus the Galaxy banquet | A classic five-star close to town |
| Rhythm Lonavala | Gold Valley, near the Expressway | 84 suites | Maple Lawns, up to about 1,000 | All-suite stays with a very large lawn |
| The Fern Lonavala | Near Valvan dam, off the Expressway | About 80 | Lawn and poolside together, about 600 | Mid-sized weddings with an eco-hotel feel |
| Novotel Imagicaa Khopoli | Khopoli, next to Imagicaa | 287 | Pillarless ballroom and lawn, up to about 1,000 | The biggest room count in the area |
Room counts and capacities come from the hotels, travel and meetings directories and wedding platforms, checked in October 2026. Where sources disagree, the venue page says so. Confirm current figures for your dates.
Read the venue guides
Bridal makeup on the ghats
What a Lonavala wedding asks of the makeup.
Lonavala is lower and closer than Mahabaleshwar, but the ghat still has its own weather. This is what we plan for.
- Humidity, even in winterThe ghat holds moisture long after the monsoon. Bases are built in thin layers and set properly, so the look stays fresh through a long evening on a lawn rather than slipping by the second hour.
- Close enough to tempt a day trip — we don’tNinety minutes from Pune makes it tempting to drive up on the morning. For any function before noon the team stays at the venue the night before; Expressway traffic and the ghat section are not something a muhurat should depend on.
- Fog on winter morningsIn December the valley fills with mist until mid-morning. Photographs look beautiful and the air is damp, so hair is set and pinned for humidity, not just for wind.
- Evening light falls behind the hillsOn the Khandala side the sun drops behind the ridge earlier than the clock suggests. Couple portraits are planned for the hour before, with the bride finished well ahead.
- Big resorts, long walksDella, Fariyas and Novotel are spread out. We ask for the bride’s room near the main venue and plan touch-ups around the walk as well as the function.
- A second room for the familyMothers, sisters and cousins need looks too. A second well-lit room lets our team work like a small studio and saves hours on the wedding day.
The bridal portfolio
Looks we would plan for a ghat wedding.
Chosen from Tejaswini’s portfolio for the functions Lonavala resorts host — lawn ceremonies, poolside mehendis and indoor receptions on a cool night. All of it is our own work from weddings in Pune, Mumbai and destination venues; none was shot at the resorts on this page.
The reels
Watch Tejaswini work.
Eight short reels: transformations, multi-function weddings and the team behind the scenes. Tap a cover to play it on this page; nothing autoplays.
When to marry
The Lonavala wedding calendar.
Lonavala’s busiest tourist months are the monsoon — and they are the worst months for a wedding. Plan around the rain, not the crowds.
| Months | What it is like | For a wedding |
|---|---|---|
| October–November | Green after the rains, clearing skies, warm afternoons | Very good; Diwali weekends book early |
| December–February | Cool, dry and clear, with misty mornings | The best months for lawns and outdoor pheras |
| March–May | Hot days, pleasant evenings | Fine for evening functions; keep the daytime indoors |
| June–September | Very heavy rain, fog and waterfalls everywhere | Indoor halls only; weekend traffic to the waterfalls is severe |
For pre-wedding shoots, Tiger Point and Lion’s Point catch the best valley light, Pawna Lake works at sunset, and the Karla and Bhaja caves give a stone backdrop that suits a traditional look. Go on a weekday; weekends are crowded.
Booking us for Lonavala
Bridal makeup for Lonavala and Khandala.
Our bridal rate for Lonavala, Khandala and Khopoli is ₹45,000 per look. The team’s travel and stay are added and quoted separately, based on your functions and days.
Bridal look
Family member look
Travel and on-site stay
The full breakdown, with a worked example, is on the Lonavala bridal makeup price page. For a traditional Marathi ceremony, see Maharashtrian bridal makeup in Pune.
What the venues cost
Public wedding listings put vegetarian catering at roughly ₹1,200 a plate at Novotel Imagicaa, ₹1,400 plus taxes at Fariyas and from about ₹2,800 at Athiva in Khandala. Rooms are priced by season and almost always form the bigger part of the bill. Each venue page lists the figures we found and where they come from.
More weddings near Pune
Questions
Lonavala and Khandala wedding questions, answered.
Venue facts come from the hotels and public listings, checked in October 2026. The makeup and timing answers are ours.
How far is Lonavala from Pune and Mumbai?
Lonavala is about 65 km from Pune, roughly an hour and a half on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, and about two hours from Mumbai. Khandala is a few kilometres further towards Mumbai. Weekend and holiday traffic, especially in the monsoon, can add an hour.
What are the best luxury wedding venues in Lonavala and Khandala?
The resorts couples shortlist most are Della Resorts, Athiva Resort & Spa in Khandala (formerly The Dukes Retreat), Fariyas Resort, Rhythm Lonavala, The Fern Lonavala and, just below the ghat, Novotel Imagicaa Khopoli. Each has its own guide on this site.
Which venue suits a very large wedding?
For big guest lists, Novotel Imagicaa has 287 rooms and spaces for up to about 1,000, Della has a ballroom for about 800 and 240 to 298 rooms depending on the source, and Rhythm’s Maple Lawns is listed for up to about 1,000. Check how many guests can actually stay, not just how many the lawn holds.
Which venue suits a smaller, intimate wedding?
Rhythm Lonavala, with 84 suites and smaller courtyard and lawn spaces, and The Fern, with about 80 rooms, both suit mid-sized and intimate weddings. A full or near-full buyout is realistic at either.
When is the best time for a Lonavala wedding?
October to February, with December to February best for outdoor functions. March to May works for evening events. June to September is the monsoon, when outdoor spaces are impractical and weekend traffic is heavy.
Is Khandala different from Lonavala for a wedding?
Khandala is smaller and quieter and sits right on the edge of the ghat, so the views are wider. Lonavala has more resorts and is closer to the Expressway exits. Many weddings use both, with guests staying in one and a function held in the other.
Do you travel to Lonavala and Khandala for bridal makeup?
Yes. Tejaswini is based in Pune, about 90 minutes away, and travels across India and abroad for weddings. For any morning function in Lonavala the team stays at the venue the night before. Travel and stay are quoted separately from the bridal price.
How much does bridal makeup cost in Lonavala?
Our bridal rate for Lonavala, Khandala and Khopoli is Rs 45,000 per look for HD or airbrush makeup, hairstyling and draping, and Rs 20,000 per look for family members. Travel and on-site stay are quoted separately. The price page has a worked example.
Can we do a sunrise or early-morning muhurat in Lonavala?
Yes, as long as the team is on site the night before. A full bridal look with hair and draping takes about two and a half to three hours, so a 7 a.m. muhurat means starting around 3.30 to 4 a.m.
Does the monsoon humidity affect bridal makeup?
It does, and the ghat stays humid well into October. We prep for humidity, build the base in thin layers, set it carefully and keep blotting and touch-ups planned between functions.
Where can we do a pre-wedding shoot near Lonavala?
Tiger Point and Lion’s Point for valley views, Pawna Lake at sunset, Karla and Bhaja caves for a heritage backdrop, and the resort grounds themselves. Weekdays are far quieter than weekends.
Lonavala & Khandala bookings
Marrying on the ghats? Send us the date.
Tell us your wedding dates, your venue and which functions you are planning, and you will get a written quote with the team’s travel and stay shown separately.
