Millennial couples in India are opting for more intimate wedding celebrations, but costs for food, venues and decorations remain high.
Indian weddings are big business. But some of them may not be quite so big this year as they once would have been.
The celebrations are famously known for being week-long extravagant affairs filled with elaborate religious ceremonies, glamorous outfits, singing and dancing, and of course lots of jewelry.
Many couples in India get married from November to February, which is viewed as an auspicious period in Indian culture.
According to Nikkei Asia, trade body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimated that 3.2 million weddings would happen during November to December of last year.
Celebrations in that month would have generated 3.75 trillion rupees ($46 billion) for businesses in the wedding industry, a steep increase from 2.5 trillion rupees in 2019, Nikkei Asia reported based on data from CAIT.
It’s therefore no surprise that lavish Indian weddings often draw up to 1,000 guests — and that comes with a hefty price tag.
However, the mindsets of millennials in India have changed, and many are starting to believe that less is more.
Couples are moving away from “big, fat” Indian weddings toward intimate celebrations with a slimmer guest list, said Tina Tharwani, co-founder of Mumbai-based wedding planning company Shaadi Squad.
They have chosen to give guests a more personalized experience at the event, rather than making it a competition with their peers on who can throw a biggest wedding, Tharwani told CNBC.
Smita Gupta, founder of Delhi-based wedding planner Wedlock Events, agreed.
