Michelle Shah and Vedant Jain met while studying medicine a few years ago, and are looking forward to the next part of their fairy tale. The date? Christmas. Kind of wedding? Small, intimate, micro.

Shrey Bhagat, founder of Raabta, and Parthip Thyagarajan, CEO of WeddingSutra

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Shah, a paediatrician, grew up in Juhu. The suburb symbolises love, safety, and family for her. “So when the time came for Vedant and I to think of a venue for the ceremony, we decided it will be held at my home, since both of us knew that it should be held in our place where our family can attend. A maximum of 65 people will be there,” she says over the phone from the US, where she is pursuing higher studies at Harvard University. A tight group of 100 guests, not more, will be at the reception held the next day. “Even though the guest list is longer for this [function], it will again be intimate and include only people who truly want to be there,” says Shah.

Has this rubbed some relatives the wrong way, given how we are used to include a fifth cousin’s Insta follower in the wedding party? “Yes it was a bit hard,” she admits, “people did feel bad. But we are lucky that most [guests] understand the intention behind it.”

The tight list does not stem from, nor mean, frugality. “Less expense was not the focus,” says Shah. “[Though] it might be for others, and I can understand why. We wanted only those interested in witnessing everything about our day [in attendance].” she says.

Shrey Bhagat, founder and creative director of Raabta (luxury wedding photography and cinematography brand), says that micro-weddings might be cost effective by default but that’s not the driving factor. “It varies across couples,” he says, “While micro-weddings are generally cost-effective, many clients choose it to prioritise emotion over expense. It’s a deliberate decision, enabling a meaningful celebration. From the guest list to the rituals, outfits, and food, every aspect is meticulously planned to enhance the significance of their special day.”

Weddings are a big industry in India, we know. Approximately 3.5 million weddings are expected to take place across the country in the 23 days spanning November 23 and December 15 this year, according to a survey by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). This is expected to generate a flow of about R4.25 trillion in wedding-related purchases and services.

Parthip Thyagarajan, CEO of WeddingSutra, says in the Indian context the region the couple belongs to also dictates scale. “In India, what might be a small wedding for a Marwadi home might be a big wedding for someone from another state,” he says. “It may be restricted to only one, single function or even be hosted at someone’s home.” But a “slim and smart wedding” as he calls it, does not skim on emotion. “There is a lot of emotion attached to everything in them,” he adds. He’s a bit sceptical about this becoming a long-staying trend. “In India,” he says “most couples still want the big fat wedding where parents and best friends get what they’ve envisioned for the couple.”

In June this year, WedMeGood released a report that said the average number of wedding guests has dropped to 275—nearly half of the pre-COVID average of 500. And destination weddings have only made an 18 per cent comeback, so they surely are shrinking.