Wedding Hunger Games Begin: Inside India’s $130 Billion Extravagant Wedding Boom

Why Indian Weddings Are Becoming More Expensive: Trends Driving the $130 Billion Industry

KAKALI DAS

In India, there seem to be only two main seasons in a year now: the summer season and the wedding season.

Who even calls it winter anymore? In India, winter has long been synonymous with a riot of colours, a parade of embellished designer jewellery, lehengas and mekhela chadors, and an all-out war of lavish buffets, quite literally.

It’s akin to the Wedding Hunger Game—a true survival of the fittest. While the happy couples embark on the daunting journey of planning endless guest lists, visiting countless stores, and splurging on extravagant feasts, it’s no less of a high-pressure season for the attendees.

From adults to howling children, everyone shuttles between cities, meticulously plans a series of outfits, and shows up for the multi-day extravaganzas—not just to celebrate the couple but also to critique the wedding feast.

Of course, the one topic rarely discussed openly is money. Yet, it’s no secret that in India, there’s no business quite like the wedding business. With an estimated worth of $130 billion, Indian weddings form the second-largest wedding industry in the world—trailing only behind China’s $170 billion industry.

India is expected to surpass this figure by next year, which shouldn’t be surprising. Two key reasons for this: First, India hosts the highest number of weddings in the world—10 million every year. Don’t believe me? Just refresh your Instagram feed—every time you do, another wedding reel appears.

Second, Indian weddings are extravagant affairs, with people often spending beyond their means. On average, Indians spend twice as much on weddings as they do on education—a statistic that’s hardly commendable, yet undeniably reflective of reality.

The average expenditure on an Indian wedding is $14,000 (around 12 lakh rupees), which is three times the average annual income of an Indian household and nearly five times the per capita GDP. And remember, this is just the average.

Indian weddings are nothing short of extravagant—and that’s putting it mildly. Inspired by Bollywood and fuelled by rising disposable incomes, they continue to grow bigger and grander.

Between mid-November and December this year, India hosted around 5 million weddings, generating $70 billion in business—an increase from $55 billion in 2024. Among these, approximately 50,000 weddings had budgets exceeding ₹1 crore each. That’s an extraordinary amount too.

So, where is all this money going? For starters, it’s pouring into photoshoots—pre-wedding, post-wedding, and now even honeymoon photoshoots. Thailand is likely witnessing a new Indian trend: the trio of husband, wife, and photographer.

Jokes aside, around 10% of the wedding budget is allocated to the location, largely due to the rise of destination weddings. The share of the budget dedicated to this has grown from 18% in 2022 to 26% this year.

If you’re not yet in the know, here’s the scoop: Oman and Portugal have become the new hot spots for international weddings, while Goa, Udaipur, and Kerala are the top choices for those opting to “Wed in India,” according to recent surveys. Clearly, location is taking up a significant portion of the budget.

Next comes catering, which consumes another 10% of the budget, contributing to the annual $14 billion in food wastage. Additionally, 6% of the budget goes toward music and sound, ensuring that elderly guests can’t hear their own thoughts while giving young guests the chance to showcase their unpractised dance moves.

Then there are other beneficiaries, like the retail and jewellery markets, and even social media planners. They’ll curate your wedding looks and churn out wedding reels within hours because a wedding video posted a month later is so last season.

Planning an Indian wedding is not for the faint-hearted. Yet, despite all your efforts, your guests may still find something to complain about. But don’t worry—the Indian economy will thank you, as Indian weddings are big business and only continue to grow.

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