Celeb inspired?  Are millennial brides overspending to create Instagram-worthy photos?

Celeb inspired?  Are millennial brides overspending to create Instagram-worthy photos?

People get influenced by celebrity weddings, and because of that, some millennial brides overspend on their weddings for Instagram-worthy photos

Neha SinghUpdated: Tuesday, March 14, 2023, 03:34 PM IST
article-image
Pic: Instagram

There are varied types of brides — ones who slay it, sentimental ones, filmy ones, badass ones. Covid gave rise to two new types: one who chooses an intimate wedding in a post-pandemic world and one who sticks to her Bollywood dream wedding.

When we asked a 22-year-old Divya Singh to tell us about her dream wedding, she avers, “I want a beautiful destination wedding at Udaipur in winter. I will host all functions like sangeet, mehendi, haldi, etc. I just want it to be a grand wedding (living a Bollywood marriage dream), and who doesn’t want to live that dream?" Whereas 28-year-old Sanvi says, “Weddings for me will always be an intimate affair — a small gathering with people that matter to me. I would rather go with the flow and do what feels right when I am getting married. Be it the clothes or the venue, I’ll not go to a particular palace to get married just because my favourite celeb did!"

A dreamy affair

We have seen so many instances where people imitate their fave celebrities’ poses and try to replicate their wedding themes. Due to Instagram pictures of the celebs, people become obsessed; with everything looking like a Pinterest mood board. Yes, it’s your D-day, the most precious moment of your life, but that shouldn’t mean that you should go beyond your budget to create these moments.

Aesthetics are vital. Nonetheless, the pressure to achieve a vibe should not overwhelm the sanctity of the moment. A beautiful location, photo booths for every occasion, exotic flowers, and special decor items can be incredibly expensive.

Pic: Instagram

Rubina Khan, a wedding planner at The Wedding Medley, shares, “The wedding is a moment of celebration and creates memories for a lifetime. Each wedding has dreams, some of which are of the bride and groom and others of their parents. When it comes to dreams, I feel they are priceless, and nobody would like to visualise them with a budget. Here, what is important is to make their dreams come true, as this moment is not going to be back in their lives."

The unique factor

Today, wedding ceremonies are more about the unique factor. “The bride and groom, both of them, want to do better than what they have seen or attended so far. Sometimes, they do not concentrate much on the wedding rituals. Instead, they are more into how they can highlight their wedding, feels Lourdinha D’souza, a freelance wedding client manager. “They want to showcase something that will be noticed by their guests. They want those instant clicks and pictures, things that will attract eyeballs. And they don’t mind spending for it. If the idea is special, they will go beyond their budget," adds Dsouza.

Social media influence

Recently many celebs like Athiya Shetty — KL Rahul and Kiara Advani — Sidharth Malhotra have announced their marriages on social media through their wedding picture posts. While these popular individuals provide wedding inspiration for young couples, they also feel the need to match their aesthetic to a certain level.

On this, Gautam Gupta, co-owner of the label Asha Gautam, mentions, “Celebrities are always influential in whatever they do and make an impact. It is a fact that all of this heavily influences millennial brides today. Nowadays, cinematography, venue, and themes, along with clothes and jewellery, have taken a bigger space for those who can do it while others get into a FOMO (fear of missing out) zone. Many brides have asked us for colours or styles that a celebrity has worn. Recently, someone asked if we had a bridal lehenga in an ivory shade as Alia Bhatt wore the same colour at her wedding. Since we have our collection mostly in reds, pinks, and peaches, we couldn’t help her.”

Designer fits

We’ve observed several brides-to-be who spend far more on their wedding outfits than they anticipated. Designer outfits, a make-up artist who made them look gorgeous, and a free-for-all bar counter on their sangeet night — all this comes at a high cost. Sometimes, to fulfill these wishes, families end up taking out big loans just to throw a wedding that everyone loves.

Social media validation

There is a lot of social media pressure today; people want to look good because it’s a special day for them.

Gurmeen Shrivastav

Gurmeen Shrivastav |

Gurmeen Shrivastav, a fashion designer, says, “In India, weddings are not only special for the bride and groom but also for their friends and family as well. Everyone wishes to wear those lavish clothes and jewellery because they wish to get hyped on social media platforms. I have seen many cases in which brides-to-be came up with pictures in hand and asked for dresses like celebrities. Sometimes, they don’t even realise whether it will suit their body type or not. They just want to follow the trend."

In an age when social media validation of one’s wedding images is more essential than the wedding event itself, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s truly important. It’s also easy to get carried away and end up overspending.

We’re not asking you to compromise on what you genuinely want—after all, it’s your big day—but it never hurts to be a little smart.

Just remember not to feel compelled to spend more money than you want to.

RECENT STORIES

Javier Rodrigeuz and Nikhil Agarwal titillate people’s palate

Javier Rodrigeuz and Nikhil Agarwal titillate people’s palate

Holi 2024: How Traditional Songs Connect Generations Of Girmitiyas Spread Across The World To Their...

Holi 2024: How Traditional Songs Connect Generations Of Girmitiyas Spread Across The World To Their...

14 Must-Have Book Series Your Kids Will Enjoy This Holiday Season

14 Must-Have Book Series Your Kids Will Enjoy This Holiday Season

Masala Chai For The Soul Book Review: Laugh Your Way Through Troubles

Masala Chai For The Soul Book Review: Laugh Your Way Through Troubles

Renaming Mumbai's Railway Stations: Unveiling Mumbaikars' Thoughts On The Shift

Renaming Mumbai's Railway Stations: Unveiling Mumbaikars' Thoughts On The Shift