WeddingWire India, the Indian subsidiary of The Knot Worldwide, a wedding technology platform, has released its 2024 annual report, offering insights into the performance and trends of the Indian wedding industry.
Rising Wedding Destinations:
In 2024, traditional wedding destinations remained popular, but unique and offbeat venues saw a sharp rise in demand. Jaipur, Goa, and Udaipur continued to be top choices for destination weddings, known for their rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and luxurious venues. However, Nainital, Dehradun, and Wayanad emerged as new favorites for couples looking for more picturesque, tranquil, and intimate wedding experiences. These emerging destinations cater to couples seeking less conventional, yet equally breathtaking settings for their special day.
Budgeting Trends:
The average spend for weddings in 2024 ranged between Rs 32 and 35 lakhs, reflecting a 14.29% year-over-year increase from ₹28 lakhs in 2023. This growth in wedding budgets highlights a broader trend toward more extravagant celebrations, with couples opting for larger venues, elaborate decor, luxury services, and premium entertainment.
Guestlist Trends:
Average Number of Guests: The average guestlist size for weddings in 2024 grew by 6.25% YoY, reaching an average of 119 guests.
Weddings with More Than 300 Guests: Weddings with over 300 guests saw a 16.29% increase, indicating a growing preference for large, lavish celebrations.
Weddings with Fewer Than 100 Guests: At the same time, weddings with fewer than 100 guests increased by 26.66% YoY, showing a clear trend toward more intimate and exclusive ceremonies.
Most Popular Wedding Days:
In 2024, there was a notable shift towards weekday weddings, with Monday emerging as the most popular day for weddings, accounting for 15.3% of all weddings. This is a significant change from the traditional preference for weekend weddings. Tuesday and Sunday also followed closely behind in popularity. Weekday weddings offer more availability for venues and services, as well as often lower costs, making them a more attractive choice for couples looking to personalize their wedding experience.
Virginia Cánovas, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing International WeddingWire India said, “The wedding industry in India has experienced a significant shift in 2024, with couples embracing more personalized, intimate, and high-budget weddings. We’ve seen a surge in demand for both traditional and offbeat wedding destinations, as well as a growing interest in weekday weddings. As the wedding landscape continues to evolve, WeddingWire India is committed to supporting couples with cutting-edge tools, expert guidance, and a curated network of wedding professionals to help them create truly memorable experiences.”
Winter Weddings:
The data revealed a significant preference for winter weddings in 2024, with November leading at 18.5% of all weddings, followed by December at 17.2%, and February rounding out the top three months for weddings, reflecting the popularity of cooler months for tying the knot.