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There was a time when India’s wedding season meant the same every year—a rush of card printers, tailors, caterers, and decorators between November and February, followed by a lull until the next round of auspicious dates. Not anymore.
From beach weddings of March to hill-station vows in July and October’s weekday functions, India’s weddings have loudly broken free of the calendar. They’ve become a year-round economic engine, keeping jewellers, fashion labels, hotels, and planners busy across 12 months. And this year, the momentum looks bigger than ever.
A recent report by the trade body, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (BUVM), estimates that India’s festive and wedding season together will generate a turnover of more than ₹7 lakh crore in 2025. With around 10 million weddings annually, India is home to the second-largest wedding industry in the world. At a staggering $130 billion a year, according to IBEF, it is the fourth-largest industry in the country.
October 2025
As India’s growth story gains momentum and the number of billionaires rises, the country’s luxury market is seeing a boom like never before, with the taste for luxury moving beyond the metros. From high-end watches and jewellery to lavish residences and luxurious holidays, Indians are splurging like never before. Storied luxury brands are rushing in to satiate this demand, often roping in Indian celebs as ambassadors.
Weddings without an off-season
Retailers say demand has flattened into a steady curve. The sharp spikes around traditional wedding months are giving way to continuous, moderate activity through the year. “Weddings are no longer centred around a specific season,” says Kumar Rajagopalan, CEO of the Retailers Association of India (RAI). “Families are spreading ceremonies throughout the year, which keeps categories like jewellery, apparel, and gifting active at different points.”
Retailers’ data, he said, show steady sales momentum of 8-10% even outside traditional peaks. “Jewellery remains a key purchase, though buyers are adjusting designs and budgets to manage higher gold prices. The mood is steady—consumers are spending, but doing so with care.”
That shows up in fashion, too. At Libas, the wedding segment remains a major growth driver. Sidhant Keshwani, founder and CEO of Libas, said, “It’s not only the bridal and close family members, it’s also the attendees. Celebratory kurta sets have become a key category.”
Most bridal customers, he noted, shop 90-120 days before the occasion, while guests usually buy closer to the date. “Our average bill value in the wedding section is ₹15,000, compared to ₹6,500 across our network.”
Designer Bhawna Rao, whose label leans on bespoke couture, has seen the same shift. “The notion of ‘wedding season’ is evolving,” she said. Weddings contribute around 65% of our annual business, and off-season weddings now make up 20% of that. “Couples are looking for personalised, curated experiences, not just outfits. That’s encouraged us to diversify into pre-wedding ensembles and trousseau collections. The wedding economy has become a continuous opportunity rather than a seasonal spike.”
Kalki Fashion, once a niche NRI-focussed brand, has seen its domestic online sales surge post-pandemic. “Indian consumers have matured fast in buying everything online, even wedding wear,” said Nishit Gupta, director and co-founder.
Roughly 35% of Kalki’s sales come from brides, another 35-40% from families and wedding attendees, and the remaining 25-30% from festive wear. The brand’s ₹225-crore Series A round, led by Lighthouse Funds, is helping fuel the brand’s expansion into Tier I and II cities and strengthen its digital ecosystem.
Even event planners feel the heat, but in a good way. Behind this lies a mix of cultural and economic change. Urbanisation and dual-income households have made rigid wedding windows impractical. Millennials and Gen Z couples are prioritising logistics, travel availability, and venue aesthetics over traditional dates. The result is a wedding economy that behaves more like a service sector than a seasonal one.
Prateek Sharma, a Jaipur-based wedding planner, said what used to be a six-month window is now an endless cycle of planning, travel, and execution. “Earlier, everything was packed between November and February. Now, we’re hosting summer weddings in the hills, monsoon weddings indoors, and intimate weekday functions throughout the year,” he said.
Plus, the conversation has shifted from dates to experience, he says, adding couples want comfort, convenience, and Instagram-worthy moments, not just auspicious timings.
Hospitality and jewellery ride the wave
Hotels have turned the new rhythm into revenue. Hilton’s data show weddings and related stays make up 12% of room revenue across South Asia, rising to over 25% when food and beverage are added. Over the past few years, wedding revenue has been registering a 15-16% CAGR—a clear signal of how expectations around experience-led celebrations have evolved.
“Weddings have absolutely evolved into a year-round affair,” said Manish Tolani, vice president and commercial director. “Couples are prioritising convenience and availability over traditional seasons. Long weekends and extended breaks have become the new anchors for celebrations.”
At Radisson Hotel Group, the trend is similar with off-season weddings in June and October rising fast. “While traditional wedding months such as January, February, April, November, and December remain busy, we’re increasingly seeing demand extend beyond these peaks,” said Nikhil Sharma, managing director and COO, South Asia. Off-season weddings in June and October are growing rapidly, along with weekday and intimate weddings that keep businesses steady.
Luxury hotels, meanwhile, are reimagining the meaning of weddings altogether. Anmol Ahluwalia, area director-operations and general manager at the Taj Mahal, New Delhi, said modern couples are moving beyond grand displays. “Luxury weddings today are defined by personalisation, experiential design, and storytelling,” he said. “They’re about curated culinary journeys, wellness experiences, and sustainable practices, not just scale.”
Ahluwalia noted that multi-day immersive events and monogrammed, personalised details are now standard. “Couples want their wedding to reflect who they are,” he said.
A discerning buyer
Jewellery, one of the wedding economy’s most reliable engines, has also evolved with the times. Despite high gold prices, the segment hasn’t slowed and remains “robust”.
“Many consumers are exchanging old gold for new designs, especially bridal jewellery,” said Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO of the Indian Association for Gold Excellence and Standards (IAGES). “At the same time, younger buyers prefer lightweight, versatile pieces they can wear beyond the wedding day.”
Suvankar Sen, CEO and MD of Senco Gold & Diamonds, added that the market is expanding across multiple peaks. “Weddings now unfold across festivals like Akshaya Tritiya, Dhanteras, and Diwali,” he said. “Consumers are opting for lower-caratage, design-forward jewellery that combines affordability and style. Even grooms are becoming a strong category.”
As Rajagopalan of RAI summed up, “Consumers are still celebrating, but they’re doing it on their own terms.”
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