Not just first marriages, but second marriages have become a major source of revenue for the wedding industry. Marriages are made in heaven – an aphorism perhaps. You either enjoy it all or you don’t. And today, marriages in India have come to a place where they have to go the full hog, a direct consequence of the society we live and breathe in. It is known to have all started with the girl’s family funding all the expenses and later as people got a little more emancipated, they mixed the expenses going a comfortable half. Understandable, considering the plethora of designers, catering, pre-wedding photoshoots and more that have to be woven into the celebrations – turning the business of weddings into a huge industry, one that accounts approximately for INR 1,00,000 crores in India.

Having said that, marriages are a riot in every form, from the very proposal, to the bachelorettes, the actual mehendi, sangeet, phrase, cocktail, reception and the honeymoon. Five occasions are just the beginning of the dream that can escalate even more if the budgets allow. Five star properties have equipped their banquet halls to a whole other level. With approximately 10 million weddings taking place every year, one cannot help but think that it’s a trend that’s not waning anytime soon.

But what about second marriages? Do they arrive with as much fanfare as the first? What about spending patterns when it comes to round two, one cannot help but wonder.

ON PRE-WEDDING CELEBRATIONS

HNI money-spinner Aditya Motwane of Motwane Entertainment & Weddings, does not even bat an eyelid when posed with the question. Right off the bat, he shares, he has seen the rarest of rare and adds that is not strange to see a son arranging his father’s bachelor party in Venice and chartering a flight back out to go arrange his mothers engagement in Spain, the very same day. People do what they have to do. Vegas is big for bachelor trips, Ibiza for some, Prague and Budapest for others.

ON DESTINATIONS

Destination second marriages have become popular, whether they take place in India or abroad. But markets in this economy have been surveyed rightfully and raise the question – Do people really have the inclination to spend on second marriages? The answer is understandable – it all depends on how many of their guests have already witnessed their first, and shared their blessings. However, it’s never too late for the people concerned to share their vows all over again, this time making sure it’s about their children if any, older parents and newer friends.

According to Yeishan Goel, CEO at THRS, a luxury hospitality and consulting business, “It’s commonly known among Indians, that one family sets the bar and the others follow suit. So also weddings for the HNI’s are known to accommodate their friend’s choices. Some look for farm houses in Delhi, villas in Europe, Tashkent, Turkey, and the Amalfi Coast, and for the partygoers, there is New York, Tokyo, Singapore and Paris to name a few.”

ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY?

Marriage truly is about the union between two individuals, but another question raises its head – will the second nuptial be celebrated with as much gusto as the first one? With some, it’s more of a formality to solemnise the event, but others do treat it like a unique life experience.

Wedding Sutra – India’s first wedding portal offering all kinds of wedding resources is definitely the place to go, as their CEO Parthip Thyagarajan feels, “In this day and age of extensive social media there is no privacy and that everything is hash-tagged to a premium. The older the couple, the quieter the nuptials, but the post – king size! For second marriages, depending on the budgets, Lonavala, Karjat, and Goa that are closer demographically work as destinations because of ageing parents. There are even portals for finding partners online, the second time around.”

Professionals like 35 year old Vandana Shah, a divorce lawyer and author, have much to say on the subject. Having been married a second time herself, she opted an intimate ceremony instead of a lavish one. This is simply because at this age people are  just celebrating finding the right partner. Even their honeymoons are spent in places that hold their common interest, for example a ‘Sportscation’ – watching the Football World Cup in Brazil.

Not necessarily! One gentlemen who married his hairstylist bride (her second time around) gave her a wedding to sigh about. He arranged a beautiful wedding with all the trappings so to speak, at the Grand Hyatt in Kalina, Mumbai even capping it with a Croatian honeymoon.

NRI’s usually clock in for either Mandir events or the courtroom registrar, followed by a lavish cocktail/reception. All in all, a growing demand for weddings in general is evident, whether first or second. People are more than ready to flow their money thus ensuring that everybody is satisfied.