Marry now, pay later? The new economics of Indian weddings
(Pexels Photo)SummaryMint’s latest survey shows young Indians still want big wedding budgets, but increasingly prefer intimate destination weddings over large ceremonies. High earners are more open to borrowing to fund celebrations. Gold and silver are losing appeal, while southern India leans towards frugal weddings.Indian weddings have long been associated with grand celebrations, large gatherings and deep-rooted traditions. A Mint survey of urban India suggests that while lavish weddings remain popular, a growing section is turning more cost-conscious and questioning convention.Gold and silver, once central to wedding customs, are gradually losing their hold. Nearly half of respondents said they are willing to skip precious metals altogether—either due to high prices or limited attachment to the tradition, according to the YouGov-Mint-CPR Millennial Survey. Among those who still consider them essential, more linked them to investment value (31%) than tradition alone (20%).Income still shapes spending, but not always predictably. Richer respondents were more likely to favour expensive celebrations, yet southern India—despite higher per capita incomes in some states—showed a stronger tilt towards frugal weddings. Younger generations, meanwhile, were less inclined towards large traditional functions and more drawn to intimate destination weddings.Around seven in 10 respondents said weddings should be funded with limited borrowing or no loans at all. The median wedding budget was
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