Top wedding planners reveal trends that wedding industry is going to witness in 2023 & reckon off-season weddings, personalisation décor will take lead in big fat Indian weddings.
Food has always been the centerpiece of the big fat Indian wedding. It is often used as a benchmark for a memorable wedding and it continues to remain so but with an interesting twist. Explained Rajiv Jain, MD & Founder, Raashi Entertainment, “It is no more about a quick grab and go lunch or dinner at wedding. It is now a well-thought curated experience for the guests and family.” According to him, sit-down dinners are finding more favour among clients. “A whole restaurant set-up is now being created at weddings as people are willing to spend up to five hours at the lunch or dinner table celebrating their big day. They go with a minimum five-seven course meal where food has to be unique and unforgettable,” he stated. This food fetish is not just limited to weddings! The anniversary celebrations are also thinking big when it comes to food. “At my own wedding anniversary celebration recently, we had curated an exquisite avocado station for our guests among many other cuisines,” he shared.
BIG IS BACK
“Small and intimate is out, big fat is in! With COVID mostly behind us now, we are seeing a surge in larger gathering sizes and demand for more elaborate wedding celebrations. This includes requests for more luxury wedding venues, elaborate food and beverage requirements, wedding decor and more meticulously detailed weddings,” said Nanki Chawla, Wedding Planner, Nanki Chawla Events. Echoing similar sentiments, Jain said, “The whole experience needs to be mega magnificent nowadays. From budgets to expectations, big rules the checklist for a grand wedding celebration.”
PERSONALISATION
The imprint of bride and groom on every aspect of their wedding celebration is the key focus nowadays and this is achieved with the help of personalisation. “A big trend here is couple personalised theme-based stationery, which includes entire story-based invites. An element which ties the couple together, their common interest or something they both relate to. Even hangover kits are personalised,” revealed Minnat Lalpuria, Founder & MD, 7Vachan. Besides stationary, the décor has to be personalised. “Couples prefer personalisation of various elements at functions such as event furniture, table scapes, bar designs, among others,” agreed Chawla.
OFF-SEASON WEDDING
“Off-season weddings or non saaya weddings are catching up with the new generation. One of the key advantages of picking an off-season wedding date is attractive discounts at desired venues (resorts/hotels). The costs are more competitive on non saaya dates. Availability of hotels, photographers, planners, decorators, among others is less of a challenge and therefore allows you the flexibility of going with who you want instead of having to settle for someone or someplace due to non-availability,” stated Arpita Gandhi, Director & Co-founder, Weddingline. Off-season offers a better scope of negotiation, agreed Lalpuria, “We are in a demand supply game when it comes to pricing. So, the off season is beneficial, even for flight tickets. The only thing you are probably compromising is on the weather, which you can compensate for by choosing a different destination,” said Lalpuria. Moreover, a discounted rate at hotels makes it an attractive option. “City hotels tend to charge a 15 to 20 per cent premium during the wedding season. The lower spend at the hotel, gives the couple the additional monetary benefit which could be used towards their honeymoon travel or setting up their new home,” stated Nihal Kurian, Director, Sales and Marketing, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel.
Top Wedding Destinations
- Domestic
- Jaisalmer
- Jodhpur
- Udaipur
- Mussoorie
- Darjeeling
- Dehradun
- Goa
- Mamallapuram
- Kovalam
- International
- Oman
- Qatar
- Bahrain
- Vietnam
- Portugal
- Turkey
- Thailand
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Abu Dhabi
