Mumbai: Although India’s wedding industry has been contributing to the country’s exponential growth trajectory, in recent times, the matrimonial landscape has undergone a seismic transformation. Being a generation that has an innate love for travelling, millennials have showcased the same in terms of their wedding preferences.
69% of urban professionals have demonstrated an increasing preference towards having destination wedding celebrations, with only 11% of millennials choosing the contrary. At the same time, new-age brides and grooms-to-be also demonstrate their passion for travelling, with 73% of them being open to exploring off-beat destinations in India for their wedding.
Betterhalf a matrimony Super App and a tech-enabled end-to-end wedding planning and fulfillment company recently surveyed channels, namely Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Forms, and Broadcasting, accumulating more than 5K responses. These revealed the changed preferences in millennials’ wedding interests and expenditures.
It’s an understatement to say that millennials love travelling, even more when it comes to destination weddings, with 31% preferring blue beach backdrops, followed by 25% and 24% preferring mountains and heritage tapestry respectively on their dreamiest day. In tandem with their innate love for blue waters, scenic valleys, and rich heritage, 30% of millennials prefer Goa and Rajasthan as their ideal destination wedding location, with 21% and 19% preferring Lakshadweep and Himachal respectively.
Following the changed attitude, marked by a push towards destination weddings, 59% of millennials continue to prioritise grandeur venues irrespective of the location. Further, being a generation that values perfection, 41% of millennials believe that the availability of an experienced local wedding planner is extremely crucial for making decisions regarding destination weddings in India.
In line, with the nudge towards destination weddings, millennials have cracked the code to have exquisite yet cost-effective weddings, with 63% of them preferring to have smaller guest lists, instead of compromising on a destination wedding experience. Additionally, the survey unveils that 46% of urban professionals consider scenic beauty to be the top factor influencing destination wedding decisions, followed by 28% and 17% choosing cost-effectiveness and cultural significance respectively.
Since both rationality and love for destination weddings soar high amongst millennials, the survey revealed around 33% of millennials consider a maximum of Rs 10L to be the ideal budget for destination wedding ceremonies. At the same time, 22% of millennials are also willing to spend more than Rs 30L for their destination weddings, illuminating a long desire to leave no expense unturned to have their dream weddings.
Weddings in India it noted have been integral to the country’s rich cultural heritage. It is marked by an intricate tapestry of culture, love, and a series of events that continue to glorify celebrations. Elevating into a disruptive force, India’s opulent wedding industry is recognised as the fourth largest sector, adding Rs 4.25 lakh crore to the country’s GDP in October 2023.
Pawan Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Betterhalf commented, “With evolved times and changed mindset, Betterhalf is actively showcasing its commitment to align with the wedding needs of today’s millennial populace. To-be brides and grooms are cultivating increasing traction towards destination weddings, and Betterhalf is crafting immaculate destination wedding experiences that seamlessly resonate with the voice, values, and vision of the present generation.”
