What in the World
What in the World
Why fake weddings are India’s latest party trend
Up next
21 August 2025
10 minutes
Available for over a year
The big fat 'fake' Indian wedding is social media’s latest party trend. Fake wedding parties have taken the world and social media by storm with people getting together to enjoy all the fun of a wedding party: the food, Bollywood music, dancing and glamorous outfits. But there aren't any of the rules on how to dress or act and none of the nagging questions from nosey relatives.
We speak to Devina Gupta, a BBC journalist in Delhi, about how these fake parties are contributing to India’s $130bn wedding industry, and how venues are optimising the trend to make up for lost profits in the quiet season.
We get all the goss on Dubai’s very own fake wedding party from pals Tanisha Dhawan, Laveena Barathi and Mihika Asrani who attended. Plus, they tell us whether they’re ready to splash the cash on a big fat wedding of their own.
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Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Abiona Boja and Mora Morrison
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde
