After Metro Cities, the Wave of 'Fake Weddings' Flow in India's T2 and T3 Cities

Vaibhav Kumar Modi could not even think of her mother someday enjoying herself at a club at night - a little change in the format of the "enjoyment" in the clubs, and it turned out to be a possibility, at a club in Hyderabad. It was the trend of the "fake wedding", organised by Modi last month in his city after a hit edition in Bengaluru.

One of the highlights of the two editions of the fake weddings organised by Modi was that it was specially organised for the LGBTQIA+ community, for whom a wedding is still a distant dream. And, even while these false weddings do not have anyone get married, the community can at least live their dream for a while, Modi says. It is, perhaps, this reason that the LGBTQIA+ community of even the T2 cities like Lucknow, Bhopal, Guwahati, and Shillong have approached Dark Vibes Society, run by Modi, for organising such an event there.

The aspirational value 

"I think cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are already done with this event or will be done so very soon. Fake weddings are likely to flourish in the smaller cities now," says Modi, adding that the lack of judgment that is likely to prevail in the Indian weddings in these fake weddings is a great factor. 

Dehradun-based event organiser Zaid highlights how the culture in the metro cities impacts the trends in the smaller cities like Dehradun. "People feel a great deal of missing out on something, and that also led to the hype for the fake weddings here," Zaid, founder of Partygram, says, adding that people in Uttarakhand's capital are always excited to "try something new", especially if it is created by the bigger cities. 

Zaid shares that he is gearing up for the second edition of the fake weddings going to be hosted the next day as we speak. And, he has incorporated changes based on the last edition's success. "The cultural angle has to be visible even more," he says about adding mehendi stalls and giving a special focus on the "Band-Baja-Baarat".

Meanwhile, Saddi Galli, one of the popular names in organising the fake weddings, has also been receiving a lot of queries from the event organisers from the T2 cities, and their next event is taking place in Surat in September, Anita Chowri, one of the co-founders, says. "The demand is gradually shifting towards T2 cities, since people there are equally excited about such unique concepts," she says, adding that their Instagram is packed with entertainment companies asking them to collaborate.

A trend accelerating businesses

The trend, most likely believed to have been popularised by the millennials and Gen Z, after 'Jumma Ki Raat' organised one such event in Delhi, usually includes wedding-themed decor with people dressing just like they would in an Indian wedding to play, dance, eat and sip. In some events, like the one hosted by Vaibhabh Modi in Hyderabad, it was an amalgamation of even religions, where he also noticed people from the muslim community walking to the event in their kurtas. "Many also walked inside after enquiring about the event," Modi shares. 

For both the Bengaluru and Hyderabad editions of the fake weddings, Modi kept it very simple yet engaging. He collaborated with a club for the venue, where members were kept to brief the other guests who might like to join in, as well as with the queer brands that could showcase their products at the wedding. "While 200 people aged between 21 to even 40 attended the Bengaluru event, it was 250 for Hyderabad," Modi says, adding that at least a 30-40% increase in revenue was recorded as compared to the other events organised by him. 

For what seems like a trend, hence has already created a cultural economy, not just in the T1 and T2 cities alike. For Ahmedabad-based event entrepreneur, Nihira Sharma, who has been in the events industry for almost a year now, it created a venture opportunity, and she started 'Shaadimeinzarooraana'  2.5 months ago in her city to tap the culture. 

On the other hand, along with the event organisers, the ripple effect is also visible in other parties involved, like a DJ. "If a DJ like me is earning 15k per show right now per show, we are getting 25k or more for such a concept (fake wedding)," says a Nagpur-based freelance DJ Montz, who has already played songs at 2-3 events. "This is just a concept of trying new things, and DJs are getting a good amount. clubbers are loving it," the DJ says.

The challenges? Convincing vendors at first was tricky “fake wedding” sounded like a prank until they saw how real the production is. Then there’s managing the crowd’s energy when you mix music, dance, and no-strings-attached fun; things can get very lively. And we always have to balance making it Instagrammable with making it truly enjoyable in the moment, because for us, the memories matter more than just the photos.

For Saddi Galli, the number of people goes between 400 to 900 at an edition, depending on the city and the venue, Nidhi Nair, another co-founder, states. However, she adds that it can be, sometimes, difficult to manage the crowd. "When people are this hyped, it gets wild," she says. Secondly, she mentions that the "Instagram worthiness" of the event is sometimes difficult to maintain. 

Out of all, however, Nair and Chowri from the brand mention that convincing vendors that a "fake wedding" is a real event and is worth their effort is challenging. "A 'fake wedding' sounds like a prank until they see how the production looks like," Nair says. 

But is such a trend here to stay? For Saddi Galli owners, it is. "It is more than just a passing phase. The fake wedding concept is just the starting point; the real appeal is in creating these big, shared experiences. Trends may evolve, but people will always want to celebrate, dance, and come together. We’re already exploring destination versions, unique cultural mash-ups, and multi-day themes," Nair says. "As long as there’s a love for dance, chaos, and community, this concept will adapt and stay relevant," adds Chowri. 

Otherwise? Well, divorce parties have also started gaining mainstream popularity, not just in the metros but also in non-metro cities, as DJ Montz hints, while Zaid from Partygram is also brainstorming for it in Dehradun.