In a country where weddings power an industry worth nearly £100bn and the uber-rich spend millions celebrating a single union, a counter-trend is quietly gaining ground: young urban Indians are paying to attend “weddings” where no couple is tying the knot and where the only promise is a night of music, dancing and spectacle.
These fake wedding parties mimic the atmosphere of a traditional Indian one, complete with marigold garlands, shimmering sarees and lehengas, and Bollywood playlists – but without the rituals, the family drama and the financial burden. What started as a novelty in the capital Delhi earlier this year quickly spread to Bengaluru, Hyderabad and beyond, transforming into one of the year’s most talked-about social phenomena.
