Description
What does it take to create a truly unforgettable Indian wedding? From luxury wedding design and celebrity weddings to the smallest details that make a celebration feel personal, there is so much more to wedding planning than meets the eye.
On this episode of The Masoom Minawala Show, I sit down with Devika Narain, one of India's leading wedding designers, to explore how the Indian wedding industry is evolving, what goes into designing extraordinary celebrations, and how couples can create weddings that are beautiful, meaningful and authentically their own.
From the weddings of Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli to the scale of the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant celebrations, Devika shares her perspective on how certain weddings have changed the aspirations and expectations of the industry.
IN THIS EPISODE, WE TALK ABOUT:
- How Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's wedding changed the Indian wedding landscape
- What the Ambani wedding celebrations changed about the scale and expectations of Indian weddings
- How to plan a beautiful, magical wedding without an extravagant budget
- The importance of warm lighting and how it transforms a wedding venue
- Why your wedding photographs capture how you actually felt on the day
- How to make your wedding more enjoyable for your guests
- Why younger couples are reimagining Indian wedding traditions with matcha carts, padel, yoga and personalised experiences
- Why modern grooms are becoming more involved in wedding planning
- The wedding trends Devika believes couples should stop blindly copying
- Why every wedding should reflect the couple's personality and individual story
- How to create an authentic bridal experience inspired by brides like Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone
Whether you're planning your wedding, exploring luxury wedding ideas, looking for wedding décor inspiration or simply curious about how India's wedding industry works, this conversation offers a fascinating look behind the celebrations.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Precap
1:05 - Introduction
1:50 - Masoom would want to do her wedding differently?
2:40 - Weddings have changed a lot
3:52 - Hallmark of a good wedding
4:09 - What does Devika actually do?
6:47 - You will be remembered for your wedding
7:14 - Devika takes just 10 weddings a year
8:35 - What does wedding design entail?
9:21 - Are people still saving up for weddings?
11:05 - Celebrities she has designed weddings for
11:34 - Anushka- Virat and Deepika looked so authentic at their wedding
12:25 - How to actually figure out what's authentic for your wedding?
13:37 - Psychology of Indian weddings
16:06 - Are weddings more about families than the couple?
16:54 - Haven’t weddings become more performative?
17:50 - This is why your wedding guests are tired
18:27 - Why is there performance pressure?
19:39 - The haldi ritual that’s done for internet
22:08 - Craze over celebrity weddings and then copy pasting that?
25:14 - Anant and Radhika’s pre wedding
26:48 - Experimenting with larger than life weddings
27:38 - What would the next generation of weddings look like?
31:31 - Gen Z weddings
33:00 - Even everything new will be once referenced
34:20 - Content at weddings
36:53 - Brides are clear about content
37:54 - What does it take to make the best wedding content?
41:32 - Find the best photographer to capture your moments
45:36 - What’s the core philosophy behind best weddings?
48:20 - Taste and beauty
49:31 - What are the three questions to ask before planning a wedding?
50:00 - How to get incredible lighting?
51:52 - Is it important to reflect on what you want from the functions?
55:04 - What if the parents have a different opinion than yours?
1:00:11 - Grooms have opinions now
1:01:13 - How does one become the best at what they do?
1:02:11 - Women in weddings didn’t know about lighting
1:03:28 - Devika has a new mission statement
1:04:30 - How did Devika get celebrity clients?
1:06:36 - Building a personal brand
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Social Media:
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My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masoomminawala/?trk=public_profile_browsemap&originalSubdomain=in
About Me:
Masoom Minawala is the Founder and Creative Director of MSF Media, a women-focused media company built around one conviction: India's women are the largest underserved media audience in the world. She hosts The Masoom Minawala Show, a long-form podcast for ambitious women, and is an angel investor backing women founders across lifestyle, fashion, and digital media. A Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 honouree and pioneer of the #SupportIndianDesigners movement, Masoom has spent over a decade bringing Indian fashion, craft, and culture to global audiences.
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