Everything needs to perfect. It must be memorable.
Weddings have taken up a new form in sections of Indian society. Traditional weddings which were embedded with thousands of rituals have been enhanced to incorporate wedding traditions from across the globe.
Weddings are now orchestrated by the bride. Every element is planned to the last detail, leaving little to chance. Each wedding has a clear theme. Right from the invitations to the décor, destination, clothes and jewelry. The mood of the wedding is pre-decided and maintained. With the wedding season around the corner, everyone in the business is trying to convince brides that they are the ones who offer an empowering, unique and wholesome wedding experience.
Brides now have control of their wedding day. Up until recently, no decision about the wedding could be made without the approval of the parents. But now the bride is the center of attention. If she wants a wedding video, she gets one. And if her lehenga needs to have a particular kind of workmanship, then every forsaken street will be explored till it is found. Why has this shift occurred? It’s not because the bride is paying for the wedding, often times the parents are still the bank. Is it because brides now have a clearer idea of what they want and as a result are speaking up more? Afterall, there is no dearth of content related to weddings online. Do they now have a mood board ready on Pinterest, just waiting for the wedding day to be utilised?
The wedding journey begins with the invitations – which is a complex process in and of itself. A simple card is no longer enough. It must be in an extravagant box, with exotic sweets within. And of course, the wedding logo needs to stand out on the invitation, box and the thin translucent paper covering the sweets. Yes, you read it right – a wedding logo. The logo is designed keeping the couple and the mood of the wedding in mind. This is the wholesome experience promised. The vibe of the logo on the invitations must match the decorations, the music and the clothes in the upcoming functions. Impressively, this cohesiveness is maintained.
Social media is the place to collate ideas and build anticipation. It’s where your unique theme is crafted. Does the need for uniqueness in the wedding simply follow from a desire to distinguish your wedding from all that you are seeing online, while keeping with the latest trends? Or is it something more, and the “War” aspect of Bride Wars is becoming a reality? Are brides across the country in competition with each other? A constant desire to up the game with their own wedding, to have that slight edge over all their friends. Do they just want to have the best, most distinguished Instagram wedding stories as compared to everyone else?
Brides are crafting an identity with their unique wedding themes. The wedding is a reflection of all their desires. It is meant to stand out and be remembered. In the months leading up to the wedding, they create a brand which is all about them. An entire story is woven together to project the most romantic imagery. Pre-wedding shots and videos are publicised to showcase this romance between the couple. The wedding is brought to a close with the perfect personalised gifts for all the attendees, which of course match the theme of the wedding. It is the external validation of every like on your wedding post that matters. Achieving this is empowering because they managed to make a statement about their own identities – an entire story, vibe and feeling revolving around a single day marking the beginning of the next phase of their lives.
Their wedding will be remembered amongst the hundreds of weddings. Everything is perfect.
