The Big Fat Indian Wedding and the Hong Kong professionals who make extravagant, extraordinary ceremonies happen
With Indian nuptials evolving from home to hotel and chai to champagne, four Hong Kong-based specialists find their professional skills in demand to help turn the fairy tale dreams of couples into reality
When it comes to matrimony, the Greeks have nothing on The Big Fat Indian Wedding. From opulent celebrations up to five days long to the extravagance of lavish jewellery, bridal trousseau and gourmet cuisine, nothing is considered over the top.
The Indian wedding services market is worth US$54 billion a year, according to a 2014 KPMG report. According to the Big Fat Indian Wedding Market Survey 2018 by matrimony.com, in which 9,246 people all over India took part, 20.6 per cent of women said they were planning to spend between one million and two million rupees (US$14,250 to US$28,500) on their wedding, while 6.1 per cent intended to splash out two million to four million rupees.
Sakshi Salve’s The Big Indian Wedding: The Ultimate Guide for Dummies, first published in 2015, says weddings have moved from home to hotel, roses to cruises, chai (tea) to champagne, and from big dil (heart) to big bill. The most costly multi-day celebrations can feature fireworks, Bollywood actors, international music stars and thousands of guests.
With the allure of destination weddings on the rise, Indians are also splashing out on trips to exotic locales, inviting friends and relatives who travel from across the globe.
Such fairytale weddings require professionals to make them a reality. That has opened doors for a number of Hong Kong-based creative specialists, including luxury wedding photographer Ali Ghorbani, make-up artist Natasha Moor, wedding event stylist Mashu Hemnani, and visual content manager Rahul Idnani.
Ghorbani was bitten by the photography bug in 1989 at the Berlin Wall, with a 35mm camera in one hand and a hammer in the other. He was overwhelmed by strangers all around him laughing, crying and kissing.
