Dua Lipa Had An 8-guest Wedding Ceremony. Will The Smaller List Work For You, Too?

Face it, Indian weddings, especially, have been closely associated with extravagance, mammoth guest lists, large family gatherings, and the unspoken expectation that all the guests, distant relatives, and plus-ones will make it to the wedding. But recent trends have seen a refreshing shift towards more intimate ceremonies, with couples opting out of grand celebrations and challenging years-old practices and traditions like long guest lists. Take Dua Lipa, who had a pared-down list with just 8 people at her wedding to Callum Turner! It sheds light on how couples are curating their guest lists rather carefully, prioritising meaningful connections over social obligations. Moreover, is the smaller celebration set to change the wedding scene globally too?

Makes for a deeper connection

To understand what could be driving this shift and if it is beneficial or not, Manifest spoke to two wedding planners. Sachin Singhal, founder of Bandbaajaa.com, shared that the biggest advantage of smaller weddings is that you get deeper connections and more meaningful conversations. “You actually have time for each other rather than spending the whole day entertaining people who aren’t really invested in your wedding anyway,” he said”

Another big advantage of having a smaller guest list is the ability to create a more personalised and immersive experience, shares Purvi Modgil of F5 Weddings. Couples are able to spend more time with their guests, invest more in hospitality, and focus on details that might not have been possible with a larger celebration. It often results in a wedding that feels more intimate and reflective of the couple's personality, she explains. (is this her quote?)

Cost Goes Up, But Risk of Offence Rises

However, the trend of smaller weddings comes with its own set of disadvantages. According to Sachin, the biggest challenge, particularly in India, is managing expectations. Weddings have traditionally been large celebrations involving extended family, family friends and also colleagues from work. Reducing the guest list can sometimes lead to difficult conversations and the risk of unintentionally offending people who expected to be included.

Purvi adds that the disadvantage is the people management side. “Specifically, how do you handle the expectations of those who aren’t invited? How do you even choose who makes the cut, and then how do you help others understand that they simply weren’t included? That conversation is never easy, and there’s really no perfect way to have it,” she states.

When asked why the couples were intentionally opting for smaller guest lists, Sachin added that it’s a financial choice. “A smaller wedding simply costs less, and many couples today would rather put that money toward a home, travel, or just starting their life together without debt hanging over them. Second, it’s about authenticity. Younger couples, especially, are pushing back on the idea of a wedding being a big social performance for extended family and acquaintances. They want the day to actually reflect who they are as a couple. And third, I think the pandemic genuinely changed mindsets. When couples were forced into micro-weddings and realised they were just as meaningful — sometimes even more so — it permitted people to think smaller without feeling like they were settling.”

Purvi shares that while not everyone is choosing a small wedding, there is certainly a stronger emphasis on inviting people who are genuinely part of the couple's lives.

According to her, the shift is being driven by several factors. Couples today are more involved in the planning process and are prioritising experience over scale. They are also conscious of budgets, guest engagement and the overall atmosphere they want to create. For destination weddings in particular, couples only want guests who they are very close to.

Choosing Memories Over Scale

It comes down to the question: Has social media influenced the rise of intimate, highly curated weddings, making smaller celebrations feel more aspirational than large traditional ones? Purvi says,“Social media has certainly played a role in reshaping perceptions of what a dream wedding looks like.” She believes that couples are constantly exposed to beautifully styled celebrations that emphasise thoughtful design, unique guest experiences and personal storytelling.

“That said, I don't think social media has replaced the appeal of larger weddings. Rather, it has expanded the definition of luxury. Today, a wedding can feel aspirational because of its intimacy and attention to detail just as much as it can because of its scale. The focus has shifted from how many people attend to how memorable the experience feels.”

Sachin adds, “Social media raises the aspiration ceiling — elaborate florals, luxury venues, cinematic photography, designer attire. But budgets don’t scale with aspirations. So couples face a choice: a large wedding at a lower production level, or a small wedding at the quality level they actually want. Many choose the latter.” According to him the guest list becomes the budget lever. Micro-wedding isn’t always a deliberate lifestyle choice or an aesthetic preference — sometimes it’s a financial consequence of chasing Instagram-level production values. The intimacy is a byproduct of ambition, not a rejection of it

When asked if the planners believed that the trend towards intimate weddings is here to stay, Purvi shares, “I believe we are moving towards a balance rather than one extreme or the other. Large celebrations have certainly returned, particularly in India, where weddings remain significant social and family occasions. However, the mindset that emerged during the pandemic has stayed with many couples.”

She believes that even when guest counts are larger, there is now greater emphasis on planning, guest experience and meaningful interactions. Rather than intimate weddings replacing large weddings, I think we are seeing couples become more thoughtful about who they invite and how they celebrate.

While Sachin concludes, “In my experience as a wedding planner, I’ve observed that weddings are becoming smaller and smaller — and I believe this trend will only accelerate. But the reason goes much deeper than budgets or Instagram aesthetics. The real driver, in my view, is that social circles themselves have shrunk across generations. My clients today manage far smaller circles than their parents did.” He believes that where previous generations maintained large networks through neighborhood ties, religious communities, and extended family bonds, modern couples often move through life with fewer but deeper relationships. “What’s particularly interesting is that for many of my clients, friends have replaced family as the core emotional circle. Their guest list reflects genuine intimacy rather than social obligation — and that naturally produces a smaller, more selective gathering.”