The set-up for a smaller, more intimate wedding in India. Photo: Saurabh and Smita Gupta <\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAccording to Awasthi, such weddings also allow creative individuals like her to be flexible and innovative because \u201cthere are fewer relatives with competing tastes to please\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cDepending on the client\u2019s budget, we\u2019re giving them options to rent out cafes, restaurants, parks, galleries, Airbnb villas or any of the other untraditional venues that would never have passed muster in earlier times. And the couples are loving the freshness of these ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some Bollywood stars are leading by example. Last year, actor Dia Mirza\u2019s marriage to entrepreneur Vaibhav Rekhi made a splash for its simplicity and mindfulness. The couple put together a completely sustainable wedding, with hand-crafted gift baskets, plants as gifts and recyclable clothes. In their quest for an “earthy wedding, the pair also went for “hyper-local” flowers, further whittling down the carbon footprint of their event. “All the decor elements were natural and locally available,” Mirza said. \u201cA lot of them were recyclable, and were on hire, so obviously, they would get recycled again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Supriya and Chirag Reddy, who are based in Bengaluru and turned vegan during the pandemic, believe micro weddings aren\u2019t just great to save on expenses, but also fantastic for the environment. The couple ensured theirs was a local wedding and not an expensive destination one to \u201cavoid guests travelling to and from a wedding venue, burning up fossil fuels to light the venue, or using hundreds of plastic water bottles leading to a surge in pollution\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cConsidering an average Indian wedding generates about 200-300kg of food waste, we were very clear that we\u2019ll opt for an eco-friendly wedding to avoid food waste which is dumped in landfills and emits tonnes of methane, worsening the threat of global warming,\u201d Supriya says.<\/p>\n
This thinking, and the attraction of meaningful gatherings where guests can co-mingle with their near and dear ones after the pandemic\u2019s forced isolation, means the popularity of intimate sit-down dinners at weddings has skyrocketed. This is a contrast from the big, impersonal buffets with 1,000 guests. Awasthi says this dining style not only helps guests interact more intimately, but also reduces food waste. \u201cExcess food can be distributed amongst the poor. Water dispensers or water stations further eliminate the need for hundreds of plastic bottles that harm the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fashion designers say many millennials are also leaning towards simplicity and subtle aesthetics in their sartorial choices, thanks to their sustainable lifestyles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had many young brides bringing me their mom\u2019s or grandmom\u2019s old heirloom pieces to get them repurposed as their own bridal dresses,\u201d says Delhi designer Pranavi Kapoor. \u201cThis was unthinkable earlier, especially given the heavy Bollywood influence on young Indian minds that encourages conspicuous consumption. But now the youth are investing in fashion that tells their story, supports local crafts and has longevity in their wardrobes. It is mindful luxury that is sensitive to the planet without compromising on beauty.\u201d<\/p>\n
This perspective is also taking some weight off the brides. \u201cThey are no longer under stress to adhere to impossible sartorial standards or choose looks that they aren\u2019t comfortable in while being judged by a huge gathering of guests,\u201d Kapoor says. \u201cToday\u2019s brides want to be real and themselves, which is how it should be, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
People have realised how weddings can actually be fun occasions without them having to break the bank or ruin the environment, the experts say.<\/p>\n
Smita sums it up: \u201cThe trend of micro weddings may have been birthed during the pandemic, but it\u2019s a concept that\u2019s here to stay among those who want to make their most important day both mindful and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nBen Affleck and Jennifer Lopez first married in Las Vegas in June and then again in Georgia on August 20. AP <\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\nUpdated: December 10, 2022, 11:26 AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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