Unconventional Nuptials Redefine Tradition: Gen Z's Humorous Twist on Matrimonial Rituals
In recent times, the trend of mock weddings has been gaining popularity among India's metros, global campuses, and expat communities. These events offer a joyful celebration of Indian culture and community without the social pressure, financial burden, or legal commitments of a real marriage.
The appeal of mock weddings lies in their reimagining of traditional Indian weddings as festive performances, detached from their original matrimonial function. Urban Gen Z and millennials are embracing these events, which retain rituals like the varmala, haldi, and sangeet but emphasize participation, drama, and social experience over actual vows or permanence.
One such event, a "shaadi rave" in Noida, featured dhol players, a fake bride and groom, a haldi station with marigolds, and a choreographed sangeet. Meanwhile, in Delhi, event companies host mock weddings with tickets ranging from ₹500 to ₹3,000. Cornell University in the United States even hosted a two-day fake wedding for students, while South Asian millennials in Dubai attended a "farzi sangeet" with gajras and DJs.
These events offer freedom and inclusivity, as they are open to singles, couples, and friends without cultural restrictions, facilitating more inclusive celebrations focused purely on enjoyment and nostalgia. Venues often incentivize ethnic wear with free cocktails for mock wedding attendees, making these events even more appealing.
For Instagram natives, mock weddings provide a dream-perfect opportunity to wear traditional attire like lehengas or kundan earrings. The events feature vibrant colors, Bollywood beats, and exquisite ethnic wear, but no bride, groom, priest, or sacred fire.
The trend is driven by a desire for the experience and spectacle of Indian weddings, without the commitment. Commitment feels fraught, but the wedding's performance-theatre, fantasy, and choreography retain allure for the youth. However, there is a concern about what is lost when ritual sheds meaning in mock weddings, as weddings were once communal memories full of personal stories.
Mock weddings are a reflection of a generation craving connection but fearing permanence, seeking tradition's symbols while rewriting its substance. Sundeep Bhutoria, a social and cultural activist who promotes Indian arts and culture globally, has been involved in initiatives like Project Pronam and Lockdown Live. He notes, "Mock weddings are a trend sweeping through India's metros, global campuses, and expat communities because they offer the magic of Indian weddings without the pressure."
Organizers monetize wedding venues during off-season months by staging lavish mock weddings, catering to the desire for grand parties without the real ceremony. This has helped the trend spread rapidly in metro cities and internationally. Luxury hotels like Shangri-La stage mock weddings with Tarun Tahiliani couture and live Sufi music to launch wedding services. These mock weddings include mehndi counters, sangeets, mock baraats, and lavish buffets, but no actual marriage.
In conclusion, mock weddings satisfy a modern desire to celebrate identity, community, and ritual aesthetics in a flexible, commitment-free way, explaining their appeal across diverse urban and global Indian populations.
Fashion-and-beauty enthusiasts find mock weddings appealing as they offer a platform to don traditional Indian attire, such as lehengas or kundan earrings, surrounded by vibrant colors and Bollywood beats.
Entertainment seekers are drawn to mock weddings because they provide the enchanting performance, fantasy, and choreography of Indian weddings, without the obligations that come with a real marriage.
