Weddings abound in India in December. There are an estimated 32 lac weddings in India around that time. Wedding celebrations are rarely muted in India. They are largely big, magnified celebrations extending over days. Ipsos, a global market research company conducted a study among citizens across demographics and towns to understand views and perceptions around wedding.
The study titled Ipsos IndiaBus Views on Wedding, shows at least 7 in 10 urban Indians believe we spend too much on weddings. Interestingly, more number of men polled (75%) held this view vis-à-vis women (72%). Moreover, citizens residing in the metros (80%), tier1 towns (75%), east zone (78%), south zone (75%) and north zone (74%) and 91% of Others (comprising of retired, military and those who preferred not to answer) too felt we tend to expend a lot during weddings.
Is it important to have a big budget, opulent wedding in India?
Surprisingly, we received mixed views from the urban citizens. Interestingly, 4 in 10 (43 per cent) citizens endorsed big fat weddings, believing them to be a part of our tradition and celebration; 36% felt big budget weddings are somewhat important as they have a cultural significance, but not essential; while 2 in 10 (21%) of citizens polled, perceived big budget weddings to be unimportant, unnecessary and wasteful.
73% of citizens in east zone endorsed big, fat weddings believing it to be a significant part of our tradition and celebration. And 49% citizens in south zone somewhat supported a grand wedding as it is intrinsic to our culture, at the same time they felt it was not essential or compulsory.
Rationale for hosting opulent weddings?
Citizens had varied perceptions on why we spend so much during weddings: 43% believed due to the tradition and cultural values; 29% felt for showcasing wealth and status; 12% said due to social pressure and expectations; 11% felt maybe due to the innate desire for creating a lifetime memorable experience; and 5% felt it was the influence of social media and celebrity culture that was making citizens dole out big budgets during weddings (to copy them). Citizens in east zone (72%) and tier 3 (62%) felt it was important to spend more monies during wedding as it was a part of our tradition and cultural values.
These towns are also steeped in traditions and tend to adhere to societal norms. Though for 40% citizens in north zone, 39% in south zone and 38% in tier2 cities, the predominant view was that big budget weddings were more for the display of wealth and status.
Delving deeper into the big fat wedding culture, the survey tried to unearth whether a big budget wedding equals a successful marriage? We found the views were quite divided, with 45% disagreeing, 27% agreeing to a large extent, 27% agreeing to some extent. Differences in views were quite glaring.
Those disagreeing most were largely from tier 2 towns (55%), north zone (55%), metros (53%) and the unemployed (61%). And those agreeing most were from the east zone (78%) and tier 3 towns (67%), men (55%) and women (54%).
We also probed if it was considered financially responsible, to spend a large portion of one’s lifetime savings on a wedding?
The views were divided. 32% agreed, believing, it is once in a lifetime event and worth the investment; 27% disagreed believing there were better ways to allocate savings for the future; 21% were unsure; while 19% felt it depended on the individual’s financial status. East zone was seen to be more about display – 65% felt it was once in a lifetime event and worth the investment. While 48% in south zone were unsure.
Wedding finances – best approach
Weddings in India are rarely solemnized over a small ceremony, with a handful of close relatives – that happened only during the covid19 pandemic and we for the first time witnessed most relatives and friends joining virtually. Weddings in India are largely an elaborate affair with ceremonies, traditions being followed, and the invitee list expanded to include family, relatives, friends. Which means one needs to fork out large sums of monies to cater to requirements of all ceremonies and meals and decorations, venue hiring etc. What are the best approaches to financing a wedding?
The respondents chose multiple options instead of just one. 56% advocated equal sharing of costs between the bride and the groom for wedding finances; at the same 52% of the respondents were of the view that wedding cost should not put undue pressure; and 13% recommended taking a loan or selling of investments for financing a wedding.
Views by cities and cohorts were quite interesting. West zone (72%), east zone (66%), people living in the metros (65%), full time parents/ homemakers (62%), students (61%), SEC A (61%), employed full time or part time (60%) were all of the view that wedding costs should be shared equally between the bride and the groom; While 69% self-employed, 65% in tier 3 cities, 58% in north zone, 57% in south zone and 54% in east zone were of the view that wedding cost should not put undue pressure.
Summarizing the findings of the survey, Parijat Chakraborty, Group Service Line Leader, Public Affairs, Corporate Reputation, ESG and CSR, said, “It is the onset of the wedding season in India and we decided to understand views of citizens across socio economic classification and town classes on their perceptions of weddings. Do we spend too much on weddings, the rationale of opulent weddings, whether big budget weddings translate into successful marriages, best approach to funding weddings, et al.
“There were so many different views around the topic across demographics and regions. Grandiose weddings are intrinsic to our culture and these are happy occasions for the family to bond, soak up the complete happy ecosystem, when people dress up and celebrate.
“But all this costs a bomb and it is interesting to see that citizens have broad views about sharing of costs between the bride and the groom and even believe that a happy occasion like a wedding should not be a high pressure situation,” Chakraborty added.
Methodology: Ipsos IndiaBus is a monthly pan India omnibus (which also runs multiple client surveys), that uses a structured questionnaire and is conducted by Ipsos India on diverse topics among 2200+ respondents from SEC A, B and C households, covering adults of both genders from all four zones in the country.
The survey is conducted in metros, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns, providing a more robust and representative view of urban Indians. The respondents were polled face to face and online. We have city-level quota for each demographic segments that ensures the waves are identical and no additional sampling error.
The data is weighted by demographics and city-class population to arrive at the national average.
