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New initiatives and trends for the Wedding Season adopted by Industry
Wedding is a ritual which connects two hearts and unites family. New Trends and initiatives are adopted by the hotel industry to make the dream wedding come true. Let's take a look on the new
Wedding is a ritual which connects two hearts and unites family. New Trends and initiatives are adopted by the hotel industry to make the dream wedding come true. Let’s take a look on the new Trends and Initiatives for this wedding season adopted by the industry.
Jayant Singh
Managing Partner
Tree House Hotels and Resorts
The Indian wedding industry is massive! As per media reports nearly 4 million weddings to be solemnized from the April-July period in India. After the past two summer seasons were hit by pandemic-related curbs. As per estimates, 5 lakh weddings will spend an average of Rs 200,000 on the event. The next three months will be critical for the wedding ecosystem in India.
The changing trends in the wedding industry, from intimate gatherings to open spaces, the pandemic has led to a host of changes in the way weddings are organized. Weddings now are more aimed towards being more inclusive, intimate yet classy. The Covid-stricken world also taught people to be more creative and resourceful. More and more young couples are moving towards smaller, hybrid, and intimate weddings. And interestingly, most of these trends are here to stay.
This Wedding season we will certainly witness weddings become inventive, intimate, and digital. The new trends from sustainable practices to small gatherings, from the no-touch menu to immunity-boosting platters, are some latest and upcoming trends that are here to stay and can be expected this wedding season.
Sustainability as a practice is also being embraced by the wedding couples, who are opting for eco-friendly measures at their weddings. From reducing waste to doing away with plastics, couples are focussing on various ways to go green. In addition, opt for e-invites, digital menus, recyclable decorations, etc.
However, weddings have become smaller and more intimate affairs, splurging on weddings has not gone down. Instead of spending on foreign brands, hosts have now started spending on indigenous brands and supporting local businesses. With the new variant Omicron XE being on the rise, hosts are now focussing on detailing, higher customization, and experiential offerings. The large gatherings might just be a thing of the past.
Manas Banerjee
General Manager
Radisson Blu Indore
Pre-pandemic weddings were more about experiences in large venues with large gatherings. In the current scenario, however, clients have started looking at personalised experiences for guests. They have also moved away from installing monumental, themed structures at their weddings.
The years 2021- 2022 have seen the introduction of new wedding trends and creativity in event planning with micro-events, intimate weddings, and virtual audiences gaining popularity. Most guests are choosing to conduct their weddings in a residential format over a two-and-half-day period with all their functions—starting with a mehndi/ sangeet, all the way till the reception.
In terms of bookings, compared to pre-lockdown, the booking window for weddings has reduced and we are confirming at least 50 per cent of social events in a 45-day period,
Pre-COVID-19, couples would get married on auspicious days and weekends, making it easier for friends and family to travel to the destination. But due to pent-up demand, weddings are being conducted on non-auspicious dates and on weekdays.
The provision of sanitisation and safety, as well as increased manpower to accommodate new expectations, have increased expenses. However, there is an increase in the demand for destination weddings at luxury hotels since international borders were restricted. The average price for weddings has, therefore, gone up by 15-20 per cent, as compared to before.
Keeping the celebration close-knit has now become a social necessity. We have seen a drastic reduction of 40 per cent in the total billing currently, due to restrictions and government regulations.
Overall, domestic wedding market has seen a drastic change post pandemic & the tier 2 cities have become more popular destinations since international destination weddings have reduced.
Rajiv Kapoor
General Manager
Fairmont Jaipur
Fairmont Jaipur is one of the most preferred venues for fairy-tale weddings. It has got India on the global maps for extravagant & luxurious weddings. Our focus has always been on transforming the venue as per our guests’ and their families’ requirements to make their wedding the most momentous day of their lives. We are in the midst of Aravalli hills, our modern palace boasts of wedding venues for both large and small ceremonies and receptions from the central ‘Charbagh’ and a majestic staircase outside The Grand Ballroom to Zui, our all-new Marquee and magnificent ballroom inspired by native regal interiors, brides and grooms-to-be have a wealth of elegant options to choose from. We are also underway to hire more skilled chefs and baristas to enhance our wedding offerings.
From key trends per say, we have seen couples moving from big fat Indian weddings towards smaller, more intimate destination weddings that serves as a staycation for families. In the post-pandemic era, we have observed conscious decisions from couples to shift from serving buffets to innovative live counters and sit-down dinners. The focus is now on providing more personalised touches to the wedding ceremony, and an essential add-on is impeccable catering. There is also an intensified need for sustainable weddings and couples are looking for plastic-free, natural décor, and minimal food wastage. At Fairmont Jaipur, we have started offering our sustainability initiatives to our guests such greens produced at our property, waste management, grey water management, and e-bikes for city tours.
Masdhooq Saeed
Resort Manager
LUX* South Ari Atoll
“Due to the Pandemic, we have seen a cultural shift in the way weddings are celebrated in India. While people prefer celebrating wedding ceremonies in line with their traditional rituals either in close proximity or at the comfort of their own houses or even a court marriage with immediate family members, besides that they want to celebrate this occasion with their loved ones in an elaborate way as well.
People prefer keeping these celebratory events in one’s life intimate and at the same time make it a memorable and splendid day and we strive to do exactly that – Helping People Celebrate Life. LUX* South Ari Atoll is like a paradise island with such a stunning backdrop, it is the perfect place for pre/post-wedding celebrations or vow renewals, and we surely know how to craft a day that you will never forget. From flower petal showers to bodu beru drummers the customisations and possibilities are lavish and endless.
We strongly believe that it’s not the scale that matters, it’s the occasion that does. We offer three types of wedding packages, wanderlust, boho, and tropical paradise – a perfect mix of elegance and élan, with wedding ceremonies steeped in island traditions. We would be delighted to cater to any specific customisations as well.
The Maldives as a tourist destination overall has been a leader worldwide in managing and getting through Covid-19. The business has recovered faster and is now stronger than in the pre-pandemic times with optimistic forecasts. The property has hosted more weddings during the pandemic than ever before. People are now seeing the Maldives as a wedding destination too and not just a honeymoon destination.
While we do not compromise on expectations, we still believe in taking care of the environment and promoting zero waste weddings. We also believe in giving back to the community, which we facilitate by funding the education of an underprivileged child with every purchase of a wedding package.”
Digvijay Singh
Director of Sales and Marketing
Indore Marriott Hotel
The wedding sector has seen a constant surge post the pandemic and more than 2.5 million weddings took place in the last quarter of 2021. Couples are ready to celebrate their weddings in 2022 like never before. While there will be some restrictions now and then, weddings are looking more like what they used to with larger guests lists, destination events, colorful décor, distinctive tabletop designs, unique guest experiences, sustainability and big design moments.
We are trending into virtual discussion with clients to understand and discover the hotel offerings and post which a detailed site is conducted in person. As the demand for staycation weddings has increased, hosts are being invited to stay at the hotel and experience the services before finalizing the planned wedding. Videos to showcase the venue offerings and wedding ceremonies are constantly being used on social media platforms. Would be couples are taking more interest in planning their own weddings instead of their parents and are looking at value for money propositions while being conscious on the overall experience and creating a buzz. Sustainability amongst the couples has increased steadily in the past months and they have been focusing more on eco-friendly choices.
Pandemic has taught us that intimate weddings are possible with the same grandeur and the new generation is embracing this change more openly.
Sachit Jha
Director of Operations
Alila Fort Bishangarh
With the decrease in the number of COVID 19 cases, the Rajasthan government has decided to ease several restrictions like the night curfew and revised the wedding guest limit to 250 guests excluding the band. With the current trend, many couples have altered their wedding dates and our making mindful choices with the assurance of the highest safety standards and personalised services.
Weddings at Alila Fort Bishangarh is the perfect balance between indulgent and sustainable. Our 59 rooms and suites are designed in harmony with the environment thus keeping alive the spirit of Rajasthan.
Simple initiatives at the hotel to keep a wedding minimally wasteful:
• Instead of cardboard signage guest can opt for handwritten chalkboard sign or jute signage with words made from rope to welcome the guests into the venue
• Furniture at the wedding can be of wood by local vendors within the village
• Using local or in-season flowers for the decoration such as mustard, marigold and elephant grass
• Repurpose old furniture, wine bottles for photobooth set-up
• Bar can get decorated with jute fabric and colourful origami paper cranes rather than flex/plastic materials or guest can choose our organic bar in the farm garden
• Couple can choose the backdrop of the tree as a mandap at our newly build venue ‘Baori’
• Guest can choose potted plants/herbs as a giveaway
• Pickle jars can be re-used as centrepieces with flowers
• Most of the veggies are grown locally and we recommend guest to opt for seasonal menu where we source the produce from the farmers in the village.
Ganapati Patil
Associate Director of Sales
Novotel Pune
The Covid-19 pandemic has redefined the concept of a dream wedding which is now all about thoughtfulness, personalisation and celebrating with loved ones. As we enter the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, the concept of a dream wedding has been redefined even though the lockdowns and travel restrictions have now been lifted.
1. WedTech driven weddings- Pandemic revolutionised the way Indians experience weddings and the process of wedding planning, with the rise of WedTech being at the core of this experience. With WedTech, couples and families realised that they can do everything online at one place- from selecting wedding invitations, finalising mehendi wala to shortlisting venues, all at one place, which in turn made them realise that they can significantly reduce time and effort required in the planning process.
2. Hybrid format weddings- Weddings, big or intimate, are once-in-a-lifetime celebrations. However, in pandemic times, the current choice seems to have shifted from big fat events to various smaller versions, from grand physical weddings to hybrid weddings, keeping everyone’s safety as the utmost priority. Hybrid weddings essentially combine in-person and virtual elements. It helps couples and families follow the social distancing guidelines while organising the wedding of their dreams with their loved ones being present.
From setting up live streaming to having food delivered to guests who are attending remotely, weddings with a mix of in-person and virtual celebrations are currently in trend, we will witness some more of this trend in the near future as well.
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