As weddings evolve into deeply personalised and experience-led celebrations, couples are placing greater emphasis on meaningful moments, intimate settings, and thoughtfully curated guest journeys. Dipali Mathur, Chief Business Officer at Kestone Utsav, shares insights into the emerging trends shaping the 2024–2025 wedding season from the rise of immersive formats and global cuisine to the growing appeal of boutique destinations and technology-enabled planning. With a front-row view of how preferences are shifting across India and international markets, she outlines how couples today are reimagining every detail to create weddings that reflect their story with elegance, intention, and creativity.
1. What’s the biggest shift you’re noticing in weddings this season compared to last year?
This season, couples are prioritising meaningful, experience-led celebrations over large-scale extravagance. Personalised elements such as interactive menus, guest-centric touches, and storytelling-based décor are playing a major role. Travel continues to inspire many design choices from London’s Borough Market–style layouts to Istanbul-inspired palettes and textures. At Kestone Utsav, we are also seeing couples incorporate personal passions into the festivities, including sports-inspired themes, curated music experiences, and global culinary influences ranging from teppanyaki and fresh Italian desserts to Mexican and Arabic cuisine.
2. Are couples leaning toward intimate celebrations or going all out with large-scale weddings?
Both formats remain popular, but intimate destination weddings are clearly rising. These events allow couples to focus on shared time with loved ones while retaining a premium, well-designed experience. Even in larger weddings, there is greater emphasis on curated guest journeys thoughtfully planned dining, personalised décor, and cohesive storytelling. At Kestone Utsav, our teams are seeing an increased preference for settings that feel immersive rather than simply grand.
3. What kind of venues and locations are most in demand for 2024–2025 weddings?
Destinations that combine exclusivity, scenic value, and strong hospitality infrastructure remain top choices. Internationally, private islands in Thailand, estates in Bali, the Amalfi coastline, and European villa-style properties in Tuscany are highly preferred. Within India, Udaipur continues to stand out for its lakeside hotels and regal ambience. Couples are choosing venues that lend themselves to visually striking ceremonies, sunset pheras, beachside vows, or nature-framed functions. At Kestone Utsav, we see a shift toward boutique hotels and experiential resorts that offer both intimacy and high aesthetic appeal.
4. What are brides and grooms prioritising the most right now—decor, personalisation, guest experience, fashion, or tech integration?
Personalisation and guest experience are the strongest priorities, supported by technology that enables couples to stay closely involved in the planning process. Fashion trends are evolving as well, with brides and grooms opting for contemporary silhouettes, softer palettes, and customised detailing. Décor has become more immersive, often influenced by destinations or shared memories. At Kestone Utsav, couples increasingly seek cohesive concepts where fashion, décor, music, and hospitality work together to tell a unified story.
5. What are some unusual or offbeat concepts couples are requesting this season? Immersive formats are gaining traction—3D mapping, coordinated sound–light shows, musical pheras, and performance-led entries are redefining ceremonies. Culinary innovation is also at the forefront, with global tasting counters, chef-led interactions, and creative mixology experiences. Themes inspired by travel or personal interests—Wimbledon brunches, equestrian accents, or European-style food markets are becoming common. At Kestone Utsav, we are also observing demand for interactive entertainment such as live art, silent discos, and experiential bars.
6. What experiences are couples opting for the most?
Participative experiences are a major preference. Musical pheras, curated food journeys, live cooking counters, and global tasting flights allow guests to engage directly with the celebration. Classic local favourites are being integrated seamlessly alongside global cuisine. For destination weddings, couples increasingly select properties with unique character mountain resorts, private islands, and lesser-known boutique hotels. The focus is on creating experiences that feel distinctive, well-managed, and reflective of the couple’s story.
