Manifest Spotlight: Tina Tharwani on Reclaiming the Soul of Indian Weddings

Over the past decade, wedding planner Tina Tharwani has been behind some of the country’s most closely watched wedding celebrations—from the intimate Tuscan wedding of Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli to the highly private festivities of Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal. 

As co-founder of Shaadi Squad, she has come to represent a distinct approach to the modern Indian wedding, one that feels elevated but never excessive. In conversation with Manifest, the wedding planner reflects on the evolving language of weddings today and why the celebrations that stay with us are often the ones that feel the most thoughtfully put together.

Manifest: Shaadi Squad has become synonymous with a certain kind of modern Indian wedding. What was your starting point, and how has that vision evolved?

Tina Tharwani: When we first started, there wasn’t a grand blueprint or an elaborate business plan. We were simply driven by the desire to build something of our own, something that felt personal and brought us joy every single day. At its core, Shaadi Squad began with a very simple intention: to be a part of people’s celebrations and to find joy in that process ourselves. A decade later, that intent remains unchanged. What has evolved is our discernment. We’ve learnt to choose more consciously.

M: Today’s couples seem far more invested in telling their own story. How has personalisation shifted from being a detail to becoming the core of a wedding?

TT: Couples today are increasingly recognising that personalisation is not just about surface-level details, it is about infusing personality into every layer of the celebration. Whether it’s through

experiences, design elements, or the way moments unfold, these choices collectively shape a wedding’s identity. Even if two weddings share the same venue, date, or even planning team, it is personalisation that sets them apart.

M: What does a modern Indian wedding look like to you today?

TT: It is rooted in intention rather than conventions for tradition’s sake. It’s a balance of equal parts joy and individuality. It could be a ceremony where a priest recites traditional mantras while the couple also chooses to exchange personal vows. It is about understanding the meaning behind rituals, and consciously choosing how to engage with them.

M: Intimate weddings had a moment, but opulence is back. How are couples balancing intimacy with grandeur now?

TT: Intimate weddings haven’t disappeared, they’re simply evolving. While large-scale celebrations are often more visible, couples today are finding ways to balance both ends of the spectrum. Many are choosing to host smaller, deeply personal gatherings with their closest circle, alongside larger celebrations for extended family and friends. This hybrid approach allows both intimacy and scale to coexist.

M: How do you ensure a wedding feels deeply personal, regardless of its scale or budget?

TT: We see ourselves as an extension of their family—understanding their personalities, preferences, and even the smallest nuances of how they think or feel. We pay attention to everything from what they enjoy eating, to the kind of music they love, to how they might respond in a given situation.

M: How do expectations differ between celebrity and non-celebrity clients?

TT: Every couple regardless of profile wants their wedding to feel distinct, intentional, and truly reflective of who they are. That desire to stand out and create something meaningful is universal. Where the difference tends to emerge is largely in the nature of timelines and the working dynamic. With high-profile or celebrity clients, planning windows are often significantly shorter, sometimes as little as four to six months, yet the level of detailing, discretion, and customisation expected remains exceptionally high.

M: How do you manage emotional expectations, especially with families involved on all sides?

TT: Weddings are not just about two individuals coming together, they are about two families, with their own dynamics, expectations, and emotional investments, finding a way to coexist in a shared moment. In the Indian context, this complexity is often heightened, with multiple voices—parents, siblings, and extended family—each offering their own perspective. More often than not, these come from a place of care, even if they don’t always align. We constantly remind couples that not every battle needs to be fought. It’s important to prioritise what truly matters.

M: In your experience, what are the most underestimated elements that can truly transform a wedding?

TT: The way an event unfolds in terms of timelines, transitions, and guest movement shapes how the entire experience is felt, especially in destination weddings. Closely tied to this is the guest journey. When hospitality and logistics are seamless, they set the tone for everything that follows. Often, it’s these invisible layers that leave the most lasting impression. Beyond that, it’s the smaller, thoughtful details that elevate a celebration—whether through food, design, gifting, or simple gestures that make guests feel considered. 

M: What trends are you currently loving, and what do you think we need to move past?

TT: I am drawn to weddings that feel intuitive, comfortable, and less staged. Perhaps we need to move past excess for visibility’s sake, when a celebration starts to feel more like content than a

lived experience. 

M: After years of shaping other people’s celebrations, what does a meaningful wedding look like to you today?

TT: A meaningful wedding is one where the couple feels fully present and emotionally grounded through it all. It’s when moments unfold naturally, without being overly curated or forced. When the celebration feels like a true extension of the people at its centre and that’s what makes it meaningful.