New Delhi: The time when organising a wedding was more of a chore for the family than a celebration of the love between the pair is long past. The bride’s mother was working in the kitchen, her brother was constantly on the road, and the bride’s relatives were busy choosing outfits. The bride’s side used to experience a comparable situation. However, there have been significant changes over time.
Nowadays, hosting a wedding is more akin to hosting a celebration where relatives mingle, have fun, and preserve the memories through photos and videos. This typically takes place for a few days while the family is away from home, where the tasks are delegated and they are free to simply enjoy the time. That is priceless. Some families take it a step further by holding weddings in the metaverse, a virtual world.
Let’s understand three ways how weddings have evolved in India over the years:
Hosting destination weddings at Resorts: It has been quite some time now that people have started embracing the idea of hosting weddings at resorts and palaces. Rajasthan, especially, has been a hotspot for many such weddings. Vichin Sehgal, Vice President of Rajasthali Resort and Spa, Jaipur, says, “I believe that such weddings are becoming more common in the present day. Post Covid, the conception of having larger-than-life weddings has trickled down towards curating more unforgettable memories with loved ones. This provides us with the opportunity to organize more heartfelt moments for the newlyweds-to-be.”
“Weddings in our country are an emotional affair. It is not only about the couples coming together but also their loved ones who partake in the celebrations and are keen on curating forever memories with them,” he added. A couple who recently got married at Rajasthali was awestruck by its verdant accommodations and luxury function spaces. The bride, who wanted to remain anonymous, said, “It was like a dream come true for me when my pheras happened just at the time of sunset in front of the Aravali Hills. Earlier, we were thinking to have a wedding in my hometown but then the idea of having an intimate wedding in Jaipur stuck with us and we just went for it.” Similarly, Bindiya Ahuja, who had her wedding in a resort in Gujarat, feels that the wedding is mostly a one-time gig and she wanted her and her family to make the most of every moment instead of tiring themselves with all the arrangements.
It’s a series of events: “One of the major trends in keeping with such weddings is curating more unforgettable memories for the family during the celebrations. Other than making weddings a more intimate yet grand affair, the trends shall be kept towards personalizing the experiences spread across days.” Sehgal believes that the wedding industry is as versatile as it is varied and certainly newer things might certainly add more charm to the entire wedding industry and steer towards newer trends.
Hosting a metaverse wedding: Talking of new trends, one of the newest trends in Indian weddings is hosting a virtual wedding in the metaverse. Metaverse is a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. Last year, Dinesh Kshatriyan had his wedding reception in the metaverse. Similarly, Abhijeet Goel and Dr Sansrati tied the knot last year and became India’s first couple to get married on a 3D Metaverse. As per reports, the wedding market in India is set to grow at a gigantic scale this decade, with revenue reaching Rs 3.68 lakh crore and the new trend of metaverse weddings is set to be a part of it. Prayag Singh, the co-founder of blockchain-based social media platform SOCLLY, believes that going forward, we may see a rise in the number of couples opting for virtual wedding ceremonies, as they can be hosted in the comfort and safety of their homes. “Additionally, they can be attended by friends and family located in any part of the world. However, metaverse weddings may not be able to replace traditional weddings, as they lack the personal touch. As such, the two forms of weddings will likely co-exist in India.”
Another popular trend is that people are now hosting weddings all year long rather than adhering strictly to saayas, or astrologically recommended dates. Therefore, this article can no longer be viewed during the wedding season. Every season is bridal season!
IANS
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