The wedding industry in India is one of the biggest in the world. Honed for grand celebrations, A Big Fat Wedding is often an attraction for many overseas. Weddings account for the fourth biggest industry in the country according to some estimates, second only to banking, infrastructure and finance. A staggering 1 crore of weddings take place in India every year. The wedding industry is growing at 25-30% annually, and India is estimated to have about 40 crore weddings in the next 15 years. “Big fat weddings will always be a part of our industry, it’s just that people are more conscious of the experience they want to create today,” said Anika Dhawan, Founder, Rani Pink and Rani Pink Gifts. While the wedding industry accounts for around 15-20% of the overall clothing industry sales, weddings constitute around 60% of jewellery sales and for cosmetics companies, it is the most crucial period. According to a survey by WeddingWire India in August the per month earnings of nearly half of its wedding vendors (42.5%) have gone up in 2022 as compared to 2019 and around 31% of vendors in the wedding industry have increased their charges due to high product and labour costs across categories. In light of the pandemic, guestlists are getting smaller, ensembles are getting more wearable, and sustainability is being championed above all for some; and for others, Big Fat weddings continue to be the way to go. “The incredibly restrictive nature of the pandemic sparked a wave of small and intimate weddings. Celebrating BY ARUSHI SAKHUJA Looking at how the Big Fat Indian wedding has evolved post the pandemic. Are intimate weddings here to stay? JW Marriott New Delhi Under a flower canopy Photo Courtesy: Beyond Photos 8|L U X E B O O K|O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 WEDDINGS 2.0 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 |L U X E B O O K| 9
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