There’s nothing quite like an Indian wedding. The week-long celebrations are a symphony of emotions, traditions, and more often than not, extravagance. While some traditions are evergreen, each wedding season brings a new set of trends in terms of fashion, hospitality, photography, food, and more. And now, with the boom of social media, couples are always on the lookout for unique elements that will make their wedding stand out. We sat down with a few experts from the wedding industry to talk about the latest wedding trends, what modern brides want, and more.
Punit Balana
Designer Punit Balana, whose first flagship store launched in Dhan Mill Compound Delhi recently, believes that bridal fashion trends are certainly changing. “I have seen a dramatic change in the colour palettes. Brides are choosing ivory and pastels now. Just for one day, everyone is smartly spending their money. They are conscious. They want to dress up but be fuss-free and look happy,” he says.
Balana is a big fan of Indian weddings. “Our culture, history, and weddings are so beautiful. The cultural diversity we have in India is so great that each tradition feels special,” he says.
Devika Narain
Devika Narain, Founder and Creative Director of Devika Narain and Company, has some interesting insights to offer as India’s leading wedding planner and event stylist. “I love that families are experimenting and willing to travel for weddings. The fact that weddings are being viewed as holidays for the family has made the process of choosing a destination so much more exciting!”
She also believes that you shouldn’t chase trends. “If you keep your wedding personal and create it around things you and your family like, instead of following “trends”, you can never go wrong,” she says.
Vishal Punjabi
Founder & Director of The Wedding Filmer, Vishal Punjabi prefers timeless classic choices to ones that come and go with a season. “A marriage stands the test of time and that’s what the wedding should symbolise,” he explains. He observes that the size and length of weddings has evolved over the years. “Weddings have gotten more intimate and drawn out and that makes them more special. It’s nicer to spend more time with 150 people over three days instead of a 1000 people over a night,” he adds.
On being asked which wedding tradition he would like to popularise, he said, “I like it when different cultures mix. I am not sure why inter-caste or inter-faith marriages are usually frowned upon in India. Mixed weddings have more culture and colour— they make the world a smaller place and the global gene pool sexier!” he says.
On the wedding trends he personally loves, he says, “I love outdoor destination weddings! They give me the opportunity to see the world and it’s the greatest family holiday money can buy.” He further adds, “I am all for sustainable eco-friendly weddings, because the world desperately needs that right now. Micro weddings are something I really enjoy and they make so much sense!”
Siddharth Sharma, House on the Clouds
Being in the wedding photography business, Siddharth Sharma of House on the Clouds gets to witness the hottest wedding trends. “They are all special in different ways and we are very thankful and grateful that we are in a space like this, where it’s difficult to pinpoint the best trends. For us, trends are people wanting us to capture them in their most raw and real self and we love that, and that’s something that couples come to us for. And it’s great that they can put their trust in us and let us do what we do best,” he says.
When asked which wedding trend he’d like to popularise, he says, “One thing we’d like to popularise or want to see more of is exchange of vows, which is VERY personal to each couple.This is something that is beautiful to encounter,” he says.
A wedding trend he loves is when people choose to get married in their homes or backyards, which makes the experience a lot more personal.
