Impact Of The Pandemic And The Choices Made By The Indian Bride

Heer Kothari explores the impact of the pandemic and the choices made by the Indian bride

The KPMG 2021 report cites that the Indian wedding market is estimated at $50 billion. The figures continue to display a sharp surge in the years to follow. Those dreamy, fairy tale weddings took a devastating hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest lists had to be downsized, allowing no more than 50 people at one point. While the pandemic has changed quite a few things across the industry, the modern day bride still sways towards an indulgent wedding outfit.

THE DECISIVE IMPACT

In a conversation with Delhi-based designer, Lalit Dalmia, we learn, “A bride is very clear about what she wants to wear on her 'D-Day’! Right from her childhood, she’s introduced to fairytales and mythological narratives that propel her to subconsciously plan her dream outfit for her wedding day.” According to Lalit, pandemic or no pandemic, nothing can impact the bride's choice. “The wedding day is her day, and she reigns and rules the roost on that day!” he notes!

Vrinda Sachdeva, founder of Qbik, echoes this sentiment. Bridal preferences have become practical without cutting out on the fanfare. Vrinda adds, “Today’s top bridal pick includes attributes like classic, timeless, traditional, value for money, and at the same time respect the craftsmanship. It’s fun meeting brides who aren’t spending oodles of time and money on their outfits. They thankfully aren’t considering these outfits to be the end of the world. They are thinking about wearability and versatility which in itself are big changes in perception. They don’t want super heavy attires that get dumped under the bed and just end up consuming space for years to come.”