Inside the opulent £12 billion Indian wedding industry

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Hundreds of brides-to-be attended the Aashni & Co Wedding Show to meet the designers behind some of the most opulent and expensive bridal gowns on the market.

Hundreds of brides-to-be attended the Aashni & Co Wedding Show to meet the designers behind some of the most opulent and expensive bridal gowns on the market.
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According to Aashni Shah, creative director of boutique wedding designer Aashni & Co and the founder of the Aashni & Co Wedding Show, the Indian wedding industry is worth £12 billion worldwide, and much of that money is spent by expats living in the UK.

According to Aashni Shah, creative director of boutique wedding designer Aashni & Co and the founder of the Aashni & Co Wedding Show, the Indian wedding industry is worth £12 billion worldwide, and much of that money is spent by expats living in the UK.

The show was first launched in 2015, and has grown bigger every year. The event, which is one of the largest exhibitions for Indian and South East Asian designers in the UK, earned more than £200,000 in sales of intricately designed dresses, jewellery and decorations from more than 20 high-end designers.

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Everything from clothing and jewellery to the decorations are intricately designed, and mostly by hand.

Everything from clothing and jewellery to the decorations are intricately designed, and mostly by hand.

Guarang Shah, one of the designers exhibited at the show, said that some of the sarees in his collection can take months to make.

"Everything is hand-woven," he said, "and is designed to represent a different regional style in India. A lot of love and hard work go into these bridal clothes."

In just one wedding, a typical bride could spend between £10,000 and £18,000 on dresses alone.

For the wedding ceremony itself, the bride traditionally wears a red dress with a veil, but Aashni Shah said that the cut and colour can vary widely depending on the families' religion or region.

For the wedding ceremony itself, the bride traditionally wears a red dress with a veil, but Aashni Shah said that the cut and colour can vary widely depending on the families' religion or region.
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She also said that more and more women are starting to adopt a westernised style of dress.

She also said that more and more women are starting to adopt a westernised style of dress.

"In my store, there are two kinds of brides," she said. "One is very traditional, and wears a red saree or lehenga, a type of embroidered skirt."

"Then there is the modern bride who is happy to wear a westernised silhouette or colour. White has become a popular colour in the last few years, and ivory and gold is a bestseller for us."

The most expensive part of the wedding is usually the jewellery. Families can spend anywhere between £5,000 to £200,000 on elaborate necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for the whole family, according to Aashni Shah.

The most expensive part of the wedding is usually the jewellery. Families can spend anywhere between £5,000 to £200,000 on elaborate necklaces, bracelets, and earrings for the whole family, according to Aashni Shah.

"The jewellery is a big investment for the wedding party, with plenty of diamonds and gemstones," she said.

And when it comes to accessories, only the most exclusive brands will do. The most expensive piece on display at the wedding show was this necklace worth almost £6,000 designed by Amrapali. The designer is not just a household name in Asia, but also counts celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna as past clients.

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Traditionally, the bride and her family pay for the wedding, but Shah says that things are becoming more equal, particularly in the UK.

Traditionally, the bride and her family pay for the wedding, but Shah says that things are becoming more equal, particularly in the UK.

"The bride would have been the one to pay 50 years ago, but things have moved on a lot since then."

Still, the average Indian couple will spend one-fifth of the money they make in their entire lives on the event, and some weddings have been known to cost millions of pounds.

Shah told Business Insider that the weddings aren't just expensive because of the extravagant clothing and jewellery — they also last anywhere between five days and a week, and each day, the bride will change her outfit three times.

"Tthere is usually a wedding brunch, followed by a ceremony, and then a dinner in the evening," she said.

 

According to Shah, the events get more and more extravagant as the week goes on.

According to Shah, the events get more and more extravagant as the week goes on.

"The first part is the Halbi, which only involves close family members of the bride and groom. Here, the family apply a tumeric paste to the couple's legs and feet to give them a pre-wedding glow and prepare them for the week ahead."

The first day also involves a small party and celebratory dinner before the ceremony itself starts in the evening. The bride and groom also apply henna before taking their vows.

"This is why the reception is held a day after the wedding," she said. "Some weddings don't start until midnight, so the guests need some time to rest."

There are several more rituals the wedding party take part in, from the bride and groom saying their vows, to the Sangeet — an extravagant dinner and dance party that requires yet another outfit change for the bride.

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But that's not all — according to Shah, the desire to have a unique wedding means that more and more couples are opting to travel abroad for their nuptials.

But that's not all — according to Shah, the desire to have a unique wedding means that more and more couples are opting to travel abroad for their nuptials.

Aashni's design team have catered for weddings all over the world. "Florence, New York, Guam, Istanbul, Venice, India, Thailand, Bali, Paris and Spain," she said, just to name a few.