When reports emerged that actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna hosted the bespoke Virosh Premier League cricket tournament as part of their wedding celebrations, it wasn’t just another celebrity wedding headline. It reflected a larger shift that’s reshaping modern Indian weddings.
For Gen Z, celebrations are no longer centred solely around watching performances and afterparties. The young guests today want to participate. They want to blend their own fragrances, compete in sporting tournaments, film viral reels, sip cocktails served in medical-style IV bags, recharge with wellness drips between functions and pose with the internet-famous gorilla mascots. Entertainment has evolved into an immersive experience where every guest becomes part of the celebration at Indian weddings.
Wedding planners across India say this experience-first mindset is giving wedding celebrations a whole new meaning. Here’s what’s in store…
Wedding favours are becoming far more personal than a box of sweets or customised gifts waiting in hotel rooms. Instead, couples are creating interactive stations where guests can make something of their own. DIY perfume bars are one of the biggest attractions in today’s weddings, allowing guests to blend bespoke fragrances under the guidance of professional perfumers.
“Entertainment today isn’t about putting up one spectacular stage,” says Priyanka Gupta, founder of Goa-based event company TIPS India. “It’s about creating multiple touchpoints throughout the wedding where guests can participate, interact and take back something that feels personal," she adds.
Charm bracelet counters, sneaker customisation booths, embroidered keepsake stations and personalised tote bag corners are also becoming staples at destination weddings.
The same philosophy now extends to food and beverages. “Guests are mixing their own cocktails with expert bartenders, trying matcha bars, artisanal coffee counters and espresso martini stations that bring the guests to interact and engage instead of simply enjoying served refreshments,” adds Anand Rawat, founder of Narmada Caterers.
Photography is no longer confined to the bride and groom.
Dedicated wedding content creators now spend the celebrations filming trend-based reels, candid interviews, transitions and behind-the-scenes moments featuring friends and family. Guests often find themselves recreating viral social media trends or participating in fun challenges that are edited and shared within hours.
The wedding itself becomes a collaborative content creation exercise rather than simply an event being documented.
According to Anto, founder of the wedding content creation company, Insta Shaadi by Antoinette & Darshan, couples today are designing weddings with participation in mind.
“Five years ago, entertainment meant something guests watched. Today, they want to experience it themselves. Couples are looking for moments that naturally encourage interaction and become memories people continue talking about even after the celebrations are over,” Anto says.
Sport has quietly emerged as one of the biggest additions to destination weddings.
Beyond pickleball tournaments and beach volleyball matches, couples are organising cricket leagues, treasure hunts, cycling trails, yoga mornings and friendly sporting competitions that bring together guests from both families.
For frequent wedding attendee Ayushi Kushwah, one recent wedding stood out for exactly that reason. “Everyone expected another brunch before the evening function,” she recalls. “Instead, the couple organised a proper tennis tournament where guests were divided into teams and played together. It completely changed the energy because people from both sides of the family started bonding over the game instead of making small talk,” she shares.
Food and beverages are also becoming part of the entertainment.
Luxury weddings are increasingly replacing conventional cocktail service with drinks presented inside medical-style IV bags, syringes, laboratory beakers and injection-inspired glasses. The playful presentation has become a favourite on social media, with guests often photographing their drinks before taking the first sip.
Ironically, while cocktails are borrowing hospital aesthetics, actual healthcare is also finding its way into destination weddings.
Siddharth Goel, co-founder of Camlition Productions, shares that across several luxury celebrations, professional wellness clinics are being brought in to set up IV therapy lounges where guests can receive intravenous electrolyte infusions, vitamin cocktails and hydration drips between events. “These are marketed as ‘hangover cures’, ‘glow boosters’ and ‘hydration therapy’. These stations are designed to help guests recover after late-night celebrations and stay energised through packed wedding itineraries,” explains Siddharth.
Entertainment is becoming internet-inspired as well.
Wedding planners say couples are hiring performers dressed as dancing gorillas to lead baraats, while oversized Labubu mascots are making surprise appearances during cocktail parties and after-parties.
These unexpected characters spend the evening dancing with guests, posing for photographs and creating highly shareable social media moments.
“Whether it’s dancing gorillas, viral mascots or interactive performers, people love moments that surprise guests and instantly become the most shared videos from the wedding,” says Priyanka.
For Gen Z, weddings are no longer passive celebrations.
Having grown up with social media, creator culture and experience-led lifestyles, younger guests naturally gravitate towards celebrations where they can participate rather than simply observe. For planners, this means designing celebrations that unfold across several days and afterparties that last until the wee hours.
“Celebrities may start trends, but it’s young couples who are taking those ideas and making them their own,” shares Aayush Kumar, founder of the event company Plan My Show. He adds, “Gen Z seeks moments that feel authentic and memorable rather than overly scripted. They enjoy interactive entertainment and content-friendly spaces. From sunset pool parties and themed welcome events to underground-style music nights, weddings are becoming multi-day lifestyle events.”
Siddharth Goel further explains that while traditional music and performances still have a place, younger guests are now drawn to high-energy experiences. “Techno and electronic music have become a major part of wedding celebrations, with many families bringing in renowned international DJs and artists to create festival-like after-parties. What was once reserved for clubs and music festivals is now finding its way into wedding venues across India and abroad,” he adds.
For the young generation, the ideal wedding balances tradition with contemporary culture, creating an atmosphere that is engaging, personalised, and genuinely fun rather than simply grand.
Well, at the end of the day, a great wedding is measured by the stories guests carry home.