Make it viral yet personal—the new-age Indian bride wants her wedding both ways

Why do more and more brides care about the ‘Instagram quotient’ of their wedding?

When Suchita A Mukerji, founder of women’s wellness company The Basics, celebrated her wedding, she least expected it to go as viral on social media as it did. Thirty million views on the recital of her vows, 32 million on her walk towards her groom, and 14.4 million on her retelling of their story reveal how everyone still loves a grand, Indian bridal affair.

Riddled with the Coronavirus pandemic through 2020 and 2021, several couples across India emulated their favourite celebrities, showing preference for small, wholesome, intimate celebrations. However, the love for larger-than-life weddings seems to remain the norm, with Mukerji noting that the virality of her wedding was an unexpected by-product of the effort she poured into planning her functions. It’s evident enough that more and more couples are concerned about the “Instagram quotient” of their wedding. We speak to brides and industry insiders to understand what is driving this phenomenon.

Staying away from templates 

The Indian wedding industry—with its constantly changing landscape—is a fast-paced, overwhelming one to work in. However, many brides know exactly what they want from their weddings, and approach designers, planners, and photographers with a very nuanced vision, regardless of what’s trendy or not. The Wedding Filmer’s Vishal Punjabi says how he’s often riddled with brides who come with Pinterest boards that detail shots, angles, and backdrops—all carefully aimed with the intention of going viral. Similarly, Palkan Badlani of Palkan Badlani Weddings & Events says, “More and more couples are inclined to make their weddings personal. As duos opt for what is special to them, unique events and moments are created,” ones that stand out in a sea of ordinary, often drawing eyeballs on social media. 

“I didn’t care what Kiara-Sid walked to, nor Virat-Anushka. I always knew that I would walk to Mangalyam [a song from the film Saathiya] when I would get married,” says Mukerji. Like her, more and more brides are choosing the road less travelled—they are moving away from conventional wedding attire, and infusing their outfits with unique personal touches and dramatic flair. "When there's synergy between a bride's personality and her outfit, it's visible in the images, leading to virality," says Swapna Anumolu, founder, Mishru. Bridal stylist Rashi M. Kapur is of the opinion that the virality of weddings boils down to two things. “Either a look goes viral—in which case it has a lot to do with the designer, the jewellery, the photography—or a moment goes viral, which might be about a special exchange, a surprise, or something funny, relatable or unique,” she says. 

The focus on timelessness

“A wedding isn’t just an event, it’s a personal story. Crafting Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s wedding film was like directing a grand Bollywood saga and shooting Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s nuptials was like painting a masterpiece. However, virality often occurs as a result of couples being their most authentic selves, ” says Punjabi. He strongly advises couples to be their own inspiration, as opposed to mimicking celebrity wedding videos.

Badlani cites a similar opinion, confirming that it’s “very hard to know what will click on the ’gram!” Case in point—the multiple weddings she’s seen through. “I’ve seen weddings that are absolutely gorgeous, complete with designer clothes, larger-than-life venues, and amazing photographers, that still don’t end up becoming viral,” she shares. 

In Mukerji’s case, it was the mindful details that made a big difference. Her wedding was exactly what it looked like on Instagram—wholesome, intimate, and personal. Mukerji and her husband Nisarg planned and hosted six events over six months, choosing every little detail themselves, in accordance with their tastes. “Virality is short-lived and you want to have memories that’ll last you a lifetime, so be yourself,” says Mukerji. For instance, she made sure to do her ‘first look’ with her bridesmaids and not her groom. “I wanted the first time Nisarg sees me to be [the moment] when I entered the hall, since you just can’t fake that reaction. It felt genuine and heartwarming.”

Yet another thing the couple did differently was to host their sangeet after their pheras. Traditionally, it’s done the other way around but often, couples leave their celebrations early in hopes of being well-rested for their big day. Meanwhile, Kapur reminisces about a wedding she styled, stating, “The bride was wearing a beautiful pastel outfit by Anamika Khanna, but the groom was under the impression she’d wear red. His reaction was so real and relatable that the wedding received coverage not only on Instagram, but also in the newspapers.”

With trends changing ever so quickly, and celebrity weddings to draw inspiration from, most brides are spoilt for choice when planning their own nuptials. Whether it’s the pressure to garner eyeballs or the inclination to create something timeless and memorable, being a bride in today’s day comes with an unsaid set of rules. “Everyone loves a good love story. Remain timeless and don’t do things that’ll make you cringe in a few years,” says Badlani.

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