The big fat Indian wedding has always had a fan following of its own. Multiple ceremonies, innumerable rituals, and a deeply entrenched system of dowry get this billion-dollar industry going.
However, the real deal-breaker in these nuptial ceremonies is the guest list, sometimes even exceeding the headcount of a small European city. The invitation list in India works as a means to exhibit the social rank of the two families involved in the wedding.
Why Are Indian Weddings So Expensive?
Like any other country, a wedding in India is a significant social affair. But unlike the first world countries, Indians do not have a lavish lifestyle in general. People in India tend to have a higher propensity to save, as is common in any other developing nation.
Also, marriage is considered to be the most consecrated institution in India as it is a means to perpetuate family legacy.
And then somehow, it becomes the duty of the breadwinner of the family to organize an event as momentous as a wedding to the best of their abilities. Therefore, it does not really remain a personal get-together to celebrate the union of two people who are in love.
It eternizes the cliche, ‘Yahan shaadi do logon mein nahi, do parivaron mein hoti hain’.
Moreover, in India, particularly in Hinduism, the ‘kanyadaan’ or giving away one’s daughter is considered to be the holiest virtue of every girl’s father. Beliefs and practices like this continue to add to the ritualistic importance of the wedding.
The cherry on top of that is our eternal affinity to the west. We don’t take much time to ape to the west. And that has significantly contributed to the addition of several pre-wedding events like engagement, cocktail, and bachelor’s party.
Last but not least is Bollywood. It is responsible for extending an unnecessary element of hype and romanticism into weddings.
Making Money At Your Wedding Is A Thing Now!
But now, as we move into today’s ultra-modern society, marriages are no more just about expenditure. Couples and their families have found to be earning a lot more than they end up spending on these extravagant ceremonies.
Also Read: Is Same-Sex Marriage Going To Be A Reality In India?
You must have heard the song ‘Nehu Da Viah’ by Neha Kakkar on YouTube or her Instagram page by now. The song, in association with Desi Music Factory, has garnered around 28 million views within just two weeks.
For celebrities, it is more than mere money-making as they have the same in plenty. Allowing the audience to be a part of something as personal as their espousal strengthens and expands their brand name as well as loyalty.
Nevertheless, we must remember that we are nobody to judge how a person decides to conduct their wedding service.
This phenomenon is, however, not only limited to superstars and socialites. Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok allow us to upload and promote our content pretty inexpensively.
Nowadays, professionals are hired for marriage videography. These videos, therefore, are not only a part of the family’s souvenir, once uploaded and monetized, they also become a section of a much larger virtual family that exists on the internet.
Therefore, what was earlier done by a few super-rich couples has now become the norm of at least the upper-middle class.
Many of the modern-day couples have way before detached themselves from their wedding paraphernalia. They don’t mind indulging in the resale of their wedding gifts, thanks to the upcoming classified advertising websites and apps.
The enormous guest list in Indian weddings ensures a substantial amount of profit for the married duo from the gifts itself.
In today’s age of commercialization, sponsored weddings are another way to make a fortune at your wedding. There are companies that would fund some part of the ceremony in exchange for displaying their signature items at the function.
What Lies Ahead Of Us?
On one hand, it is perpetuating a culture of commercialization and Bollywoodization, which is extremely dangerous because of its unsustainable nature. On the other hand, we have no right to tear apart that one dream out of hundreds, which is less likely to get crushed, that a bride/groom-to-be aspires for.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: Medium, DNA, YouTube
Find the Blogger at: @soumyaseema
This post is tagged under: nehu da viah, marriage, wedding, big fat Indian wedding, bollywood celebrities, billion dollar industry, earn from your own wedding, commercialization of marriage, bollywoodization, middle class Indian, aspiration, expensive wedding, kanyadaan, documenting wedding videos, uploading wedding videos, selling wedding gifts, sponsored weddings, funded weddings, monetizing youtube videos, tiktok, youtube, snapchat, Instagram, how to earn money from your own wedding, easiest ways to earn money
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