No bride, no groom, yet there’s a big fat Indian wedding party: All you need to know

Nosy relatives and awkward biodata exchanges have long been the worst nightmares at weddings, especially after reaching what society calls the “marriageable age”. But what if you could enjoy all the wedding fun, without the emotional drama? Well, the Gen Z have cracked the code with a celebration, sans the commitment and it’s ‘a fake wedding party’. The only catch? There’s no bride or groom.

Ironic right? But event planners are tapping into the latest trend of fake weddings from the multi-billion dollar Indian wedding industry. Ayaan Vaid, co-founder of Jumma Ki Raat, a Delhi-based events company says, “We were thinking, what’s the biggest celebration in India? It’s Indian weddings. So, we thought why not throw a full-banging Indian wedding with all the fun, but no stress.”

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“Stress, here is the being the rishtedar [relatives], the dramas and the rasams [cultural treditions],” Vaid adds. According to him, while the Gen Z (18 to 25 years old) form the majority of attendees, there are many a millennials joining in these fun parties.

All the glitz, none of the pressure

For a generation that prioritises experiences, fake wedding parties are the perfect blend of nostalgia, fun, and photo ops. They feature everything from mehendi and dance floors to mock baraats, fairy lights and dreamy outfits, all tailored for maximum Instagram appeal. Mahek, who attended Jumma Ki Raat’s “fake sangeet” in Delhi’s Bohca, says, “I was looking forward to a night playing the kind of playlists you usually hear at marriages. You don’t get that vibe everywhere.” For Mahek, her favourite part is the fact that there are no relatives.

Ayushi, a 22-year-old was at the event because none of her friends are getting married anytime soon. She says, “My extended family is in Jammu and we don’t get to attend weddings, so this is a good way to experience the wedding energy.” She admits she spent a whole week deciding on her outfit.

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Mock weddings, but real money

What started in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru has now landed to Pune, Lucknow, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Gurugram, and Chennai. Tickets for fake weddings, often sold on platforms like District and BookMyShow, range from ₹600 to ₹6,000 depending on the venue and experience. Alisha Chowri, co-founder of Mumbai-based Saddi Galli, has hosted at least five fake ‘sangeets’ since June. She says that the number of attendees is rising with each event. “My first event had 700 people. In BKC, we had over 1,500 attendees because DJ Rahil Mehta was playing,” she shares.

Brands cashing in on the trend

Event companies say each mid-sized mock wedding costs around ₹2 lakh to organise. Ticket sales – after paying commission to the ticketing partners – go to them. The venue profits from food and bar sales as well as the free advertising. Chowri says, “Saddi Galli promised the BKC venue ₹50 lakh in bar sales — and we reached that.”

Corporate houses and consumer brands are also jumping on board as sponsors. In an era of social-media and influencer marketing, these events do a lot to boost their brand presence and image. Lakme, for instance, provided free makeup at one of Saddi Galli’s events in exchange for Instagram promotions, reels and customer data.

GenZers’ take on weddings

While the Gen Z might not be chasing traditional weddings, they still crave the wedding “feel” — the dancing, the decor, the dreamy vibes. A recent report by Wedding Wire India found that over 70% of Gen Z couples prefer intimate weddings with under 200 guests, a stark contrast to the 800-strong gatherings of their parents. But that doesn’t mean they’re spending less — just differently. Nearly 40% of budgets now go toward decor, drone shots, food styling, and Instagrammable moments. Zuhaib, a 25-year-old says that when he gets married he would want to have a small gathering. “So, it’s great I can experience these fake wedding events.”

Whether the fake wedding trend is here to stay or just a passing fad, one thing’s clear: No one — neither the partygoers, the organisers, nor the sponsors — want to miss out on the trend. After all, the biggest draw is simple: a happy ever after, with whatsoever no matrimonial strings attached.