Indian wedding celebrations are reaching new heights of opulence and splendour. The lavish pre-wedding festivities of Anant Ambani are a clear indicator that India has embraced the era of extravagant and luxurious weddings. These events, characterized by the use of helicopters, high fashion, and private jets for transporting guests, along with banquets worthy of royalty, are not merely social gatherings. Instead, they are significant economic activity drivers, generating immense expenditures.
In a brief period from November 23 to December 15, 2023, approximately 3.5 million Indian couples got married, resulting in an astounding expenditure of around INR 4.25 trillion ($57 billion), as reported by a survey from the Confederation of All India Traders. This figure reflects the vast amount of money spent within just 23 days on various aspects such as securing venues, arranging catering, and decorating spaces. Moreover, the trend includes elaborate pre-wedding photo sessions that could rival the production value of Bollywood films.
According to Skift Research, the average cost of hosting an Indian wedding at an international venue is about $215,000. With the tendency for weddings to become more elaborate, luxury venues both within and outside India are increasingly in demand. Indian destinations like Rajasthan, Goa, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh have noticed a significant increase in wedding reservations. Similarly, urban hotels are experiencing a rise in such bookings. For instance, Marriott reported hosting over 900 weddings in 2023 in India alone, making up nearly 10 percent of its revenue. This trend is anticipated to continue its momentum well into 2024.
Locations such as Thailand, the UAE, and various European destinations are targeting India’s wealthiest individuals, recognizing that Indian weddings encompass much more than mere days of celebration. They represent opportunities for longer stays, expansive shopping, and cultural exploration. Thailand, in particular, has emerged as a preferred wedding destination among Indians. Yet, in a bid to encourage domestic tourism and celebrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated for Indians to choose local venues over international ones with his “Wed In India” campaign.
Prominent Indian celebrities, including Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra, as well as Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chaddha, have all opted to celebrate their nuptials within India, further fueling the trend of lavish weddings across the nation.
The demand for banquet halls is experiencing a significant revival, propelled by the renewed popularity of grand Indian weddings. A 2022 report revealed a 28 percent increase in online searches for wedding banquet halls, with nearly half of this interest peaking between February and May. This surge in demand was even more pronounced in tier II cities, indicating a nationwide movement towards grander celebrations.
The Indian banquet industry is witnessing a pivotal transformation, with a shift from traditional standalone halls to sophisticated hotel banquet facilities. As the Indian wedding sector, currently valued at USD 50 billion, continues to expand, hotels must rethink their approach to catering to this lucrative market segment.
Major hotel chains, including Marriott, Hyatt, and IHCL, have acknowledged the enormous opportunities within the wedding sector and have launched specialized services to cater specifically to wedding events. Marriott’s “Shaadi by Marriott Bonvoy” initiative, for example, not only features a dedicated website and team of wedding specialists but also offers wedding studios across several of its properties, demonstrating a strategic move to capture and cater to the growing demand for luxury wedding experiences in India. This innovative approach signifies a shift towards providing more comprehensive and customized wedding services, tapping into the vast potential of the wedding industry.
To streamline the process of venue scouting and booking, hotels need to embrace technology to eliminate the complexities and time-consuming nature of this task for clients and event planners. The challenge lies in the outdated or incomplete information often found on hotel websites, such as details on availability, images, and descriptions of event spaces. Implementing virtual tours and interactive floor plans could dramatically improve this experience, serving as potent marketing assets for the hotel’s event venues. These tools allow clients to explore the venue’s layout, design, and overall atmosphere from anywhere, providing a detailed and engaging view of the space. Additionally, integrating chatbots to address frequently asked questions can further simplify decision-making for clients and planners.
Ensuring venue accessibility for all guests is equally important. Despite increased awareness, many hotels and resorts have yet to fully accommodate guests with mobility challenges, lacking features like wheelchair access and ramps. By incorporating these amenities and thoughtful seating arrangements, events become more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone, particularly for senior guests or those with disabilities. Hotels can enhance accessibility by installing clear signage, audio guides, and braille signage, and offering captioning services to support guests with visual or hearing impairments.
Regarding food service, there’s a notable opportunity for hotels to modernize their menu offerings and buffet layouts. Moving beyond traditional approaches, hotels could consider collaborating with top-tier standalone caterers to deliver diverse and contemporary dining experiences. This strategy could be especially appealing to hotels not positioned in the luxury segment but eager to elevate their banquet services.
Finally, the design and planning of banquet spaces warrant careful consideration early in the hotel development phase. Recognizing banqueting as a lucrative revenue stream, especially in markets like India where weddings and social events are prevalent, hotels should design these spaces to accommodate such gatherings, regardless of their brand category. This foresight can position hotels to capitalize on the substantial opportunities presented by the booming wedding and events sector.