• India's wedding season is expected to generate Rs 6 lakh crore, a 41% increase from last year.
• The surge is driven by 48 lakh weddings, reflecting a preference for local products.
• Expenditures are divided between goods and services, with jewellery and clothing being the main areas.
• The increase in auspicious dates and emerging trends in expenditure are set to boost various sectors of the economy.

India's wedding season, which extends from November 12 to December 16, is set to generate a staggering Rs 6 lakh crore in business. This marks a 41% increase from the previous year's figure of Rs 4.25 lakh crore.

The surge in business is expected to be driven by 48 lakh weddings, a significant increase from the 35 lakh weddings held last year, according to a study conducted by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).

The study also revealed a shift in consumer purchasing behaviour, with a growing preference for Indian products over foreign goods. This trend reflects the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Vocal for Local' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) vision, as stated by CAIT's Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

The wedding expenses are divided between goods and services, with main expenditure areas in goods including jewellery (15 per cent), clothing (10 per cent), electronics and appliances (5 per cent), dry fruits, sweets, and snacks (5 per cent), groceries and vegetables (5 per cent), gift items (4 per cent), and other goods (6 per cent).

Wedding Season Fuels Business Growth

In the services sector, expenditures will likely go toward banquet halls, hotels, and venues (5 per cent), catering services (10 per cent), event management, tent decoration floral decorations, transportation and cab services (3 per cent), photography and videography (2 per cent), other services such as music and lighting.

The upcoming wedding season will have 18 auspicious dates, compared to 11 in the previous year. This increase in auspicious dates is expected to fuel business growth, with Delhi alone expected to see Rs 1.5 lakh crore business across 4.5 lakh weddings this year.

CAIT estimates 10 lakh weddings involving spending of Rs 3 lakh per wedding, 10 lakh weddings with Rs 6 lakh per wedding, 10 lakh weddings with Rs 10 lakh per wedding, 10 lakh weddings with Rs 15 lakh per wedding, 7 lakh weddings with Rs 25 lakh per wedding, 50,000 weddings with Rs 50 lakh per wedding, and 50,000 weddings with Rs 1 crore or more per wedding.

The auspicious wedding dates for this season are November 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, and 29 and December 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 16. Following this period, there will be a pause of about a month before the season resumes from mid-January to March 2025.

Emerging Trends in Wedding Expenditure

An emerging trend for 2024 is the increased expenditure on social media services for wedding coverage. As couples seek to boost their digital presence, services such as professional photography, videography, and live streaming are seeing heightened demand. The estimates drawn were based on data received from businesses across 75 key cities across the country, primarily those dealing with wedding-related goods and services.

In the past, weddings were a two-day affair, but today they have evolved into week-long celebrations replete with 'mehndi', 'sangeet' and pool parties. New elements have found place in the weddings such as 'varmala', bride and groom entries which need specific passages, live performances and fireworks. At their wedding, couples are accompanied by dancers who perform Bollywood hits.

"In many occasions, bridal entry and 'varmala' are accompanied by fireworks (night) and smoke mines (daylight) and families are ready to pay Rs 1.5 to Rs 4 lakh for it," Mathur added.