India's fake weddings

New party trend promises all the fun of a wedding without any of the downsides

Photo collage of a wedding in India, with the couple cut out of the picture
Enjoy the spirt of a wedding party – minus the actual marriage
(Image credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images)

Imagine an event with all the fun of a wedding but none of the commitment, stress or family drama: you've just imagined the latest entry onto the Indian party scene.

At a "fake wedding", people gather "to enjoy a wedding party minus the actual marriage”, said the BBC, and the trend is spreading beyond India's shores.

'There for the energy'

There are "dazzling lights, glittering outfits, Bollywood hits, a lavish spread of food and an atmosphere soaked in celebration". It all feels "extravagant, emotional and larger than life" but there's no bride and groom, "just the party".

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These "judgement-free" ceremonies offer the wedding experience "without drama", said Curly Tales. You can have the enjoyment of a Desi wedding "without the emotional baggage" or "financial headache". There's "no awkward gift-giving, no planning leave from work for a multi-day affair" and "fake smiles" aren't required for "distant relatives" you hardly know.

Fake weddings chime with young people's desire to find reasons to celebrate. And the trend's "low-commitment nature" works well for the younger generation because "you're not attending out of obligation"; you're there "because you want to be – for the music, for the energy, and for the people".

Dubai dance-offs

The trend is already evolving. At some fake weddings, the organisers divide attendees into "groom's team" or "bride's team"; at others, there's "no alcohol, just a themed celebration", said the BBC. Fake Indian weddings are also "taking over Dubai", said Curly Tales, where ticketed parties are "decked out with dhols, DJs, dance-offs and full-blown wedding decor".

In India's big cities – Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru – ticket prices for fake weddings start at around 1,500 rupees (£13) but they can be as high as 15,000 rupees or more. This is great news for India's $130 billion (£97 billion) wedding industry. Most "proper" weddings take place during the cooler months, typically between November and March, and venues are often empty between June and August. Fake weddings can step in to fill that gap.

It's already clear there's real appeal in faking it. And why not, said Curly Tales, when you can swerve the "social minefield" of relatives asking "questions about your career, relationships or why you're not next in line"? The "only thing expected of you" is to "show up, dress well and have fun".

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Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.