The biggest Indian wedding trends for 2022!

The year 2021 saw life edge back into normalcy, as most things including weddings and special occasions regained their former glory of colorful extravagance, but with a more thoughtful approach. The pandemic has left us all craving for human connection, now more than ever and couples and their families are looking to make weddings even more special than ever before.

For those of you planning your wedding in 2022, here is the lowdown on the hottest wedding trends straight from industry experts to help you execute the perfect celebration.

1. Laidback Luxury
The OTT extravagance and worldwide novelty of the Big Fat Indian wedding will never cease to exist, but over the past two years laidback luxury has slowly started gaining popularity. Brought on mainly by the Pandemic, people are preferring close-knit celebrations with more plush arrangements and personal touches over fuss and formality.

2. Focus on small details
Focusing less on putting on a show, couples and families are opting for smaller, intimate functions where they can spend more on a better quality experience. Attention to small details with personalisation and unique customizations will make the celebration more memorable for you and your loved ones.

Photo Courtesy: Dreamzkrraft

3. Curated guest lists
We are still not ready to return to the days of larger than life weddings with guest lists running into the thousands. Even though guest restrictions have eased in most places, couples and families are still seeking the comfort and hassle-free enjoyment of smaller get-togethers with just those closest to them. Exclusive curated guest lists not only make festivities feel more personal and memorable, they also give you the room to spend on that dream venue or outfits, unique entertainment, or anything else you desire.

Photo Courtesy: Vinuthna Garidipuri

4. Storytelling through food
The food menu is one of the most important and memorable parts of your wedding celebration, and more and more couples are opting for unusual dishes and special options. A great way to connect is to have dishes or concepts with special significance to your love story, such as your first date, first anniversary, favorite restaurants, favorite vacation, or special memories. Not only does it add a special touch to your celebration, but also creates a lasting impression on your guests.

Photo Courtesy: House On The Clouds

5. Rewriting the rule book on wedding entertainment
Entertainment is fast becoming a huge part of celebrations and it’s not just limited to music and dance performances. After a turbulent two years, couples want to share their joy and excitement with their loved ones, let loose and have fun, and not just for a Sangeet night but for all their functions. Unique concept photobooths, disco nights, rain dance, stand up comedy, live entertainers embedded in the crowd, circus acts, magic shows, dance floors that spill out from stage to the beach and so much more are being embraced by couples to add a dose of fun and novelty to every occasion.

Photo Courtesy: House On The Clouds

6. Daytime Weddings
Move over evening vows and weddings under the stars. Take a cue from celebrities like Katrina Kaif and Patralekhaa among others and host an idyllic daytime wedding. The refreshing ambiance and decor possibilities and snap-worthy golden hour moments are making day weddings very popular.

Photo Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

7. Vintage-Inspired Engagement Rings
Vintage-inspired engagement rings are in vogue for their old world charm, delicate romance and of course that statement look. Classic diamond cuts, art deco inspiration, delicate filigree and colored stones are all fan favorites at the moment. Just take a cue from Katrina Kaif’s stunning sapphire and diamond ring from Tiffany that bears a nostalgic resemblance to Princess Diana’s iconic ring from the ‘80s.

Photo Courtesy: Stories by Joseph Radhik

8. Fairytale Lighting
While decor ideas are dime-a-dozen, one just can’t beat the simple yet beautiful allure of fairytale lighting to add that undeniable magic to your festivities. Perfect for both intimate and grand weddings, they effortlessly add a romantic, elusive touch to any decor setting, and can be used in a million different ways to make your wedding memorable. From illuminated installations, decor corners or mandaps to periphery tree lights, dazzling canopies, dreamy entryways and more, you can use these versatile lights to suit your theme or venue.

Photo Courtesy: Navin Varma Photography

9. Virtual Save the Dates
Offering a lot more versatility in terms of designing and creativity, not to mention convenience of reaching guests across the globe, virtual save-the-dates are here to stay.

10. Pearl embellishments on wedding dresses
The classic allure of pearls are drawing in brides as more and more are falling in love with the delicate precious stone not just in jewellery but also as embellishments on bridal gowns, sarees and lehengas. Skip out on the usual sequins for precious pearl artistry on your bridal ensembles for a truly novel look. Look out for pearl edging or embroidery of sarees and dupattas to just dip your toe or go all out with all over work on an evening gown or evening your bridal lehenga.

Photo Courtesy: Badal Raja Company, Reels and Frames

11. Dopamine Dressing
A styling technique that correlates fashion with state of mind, Dopamine dressing or “mood enhancing” dressing has been on the rise as post-pandemic, people are excited to go all out with their celebrations and enjoy to the fullest. Over-the-top colors, styles, and accessories are sure to gain popularity to make people feel good and instill added joy and excitement into festivities.

Photo Courtesy: Mak Images, Dipak Studios, Shutterdown Photography

12. Ombré Tones are trending on Pinterest
The effortless grace of Ombre tones has been riding the wave of popularity in everything from sarees and lehengas to decor, props, table settings and more. Be it bold color combinations or timeless monochromes, embrace the popular Pinterest trend in anything from your bridal lehenga to elegant bridesmaids attire, decor themes and more!

Photo Courtesy: Manish Malhotra, Shannons Photography, Natasha Dalal

Photo Courtesy: Ombre by Harsheen Jammu

13. Philanthropy
Recent times have brought out the compassionate side of people across the globe as the world came together to help each other get through a global pandemic. Weddings and celebrations like everything else are more thoughtful as more couples are choosing to honor their big day by giving back to society by asking guests to donate to charities instead of gifting, wedding waste management, distributing food to the underprivileged and more. WeddingSutra Charity Registry is a great way to double up your wedding joy by helping change lives.

4. Travel is back!
After months of at-home weddings and staycation honeymoons, the easing of travel restrictions in most countries have been great news for people the world over, most of all couples as they can now plan their dream celebration/ honeymoon at their favorite destinations. Do keep in mind the travel regulations and health advisories of the places you visit and remember to follow health precautions to enjoy your festivities in a safe way.

Photo Courtesy: Knotting Bells

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