Are Hyderabad’s big-fat weddings getting a reality check?

There is a perceptible shift in weddings in Hyderabad this summer. It isn’t the heat; a largely weather-agnostic clientele continues to host celebrations in air-conditioned venues. Year after year, weddings fuel brisk business for the fashion industry. The Confederation of All India Traders, using data from 75 cities across India, estimated wedding-related business at ₹6.5 lakh crore between November and mid-December 2025.

This time, the uncertainty in travel, triggered by the recent conflict in West Asia and evolving immigration policies in the US, are leading to subtle shifts in buying patterns.

It is a fact well known, but rarely documented, that several NRI families are choosing to host weddings in their country of residence — be it Dubai or the US — often with smaller guest lists. For a fashion industry that relies heavily on Hyderabad’s big-spending clientele, this has translated into lukewarm business.

While the season is still underway and it is too early to quantify the slowdown, designers are already noticing a shift. Designer Shravan Kummar, who travelled once each to Dubai and the US in recent months, also visiting family during the trips, carried saris and ensembles for clients getting married abroad.

“Families are cautious about travel,” he says. This season, he is catering to nearly 20 weddings, including those in Dallas, Houston, Ohio, Chicago, Orange County and the Las Vegas Valley. While the number of weddings has not reduced, he notes that more celebrations are now taking place in the cities where NRIs are based, rather than in Hyderabad.

Fewer ceremonies

“Unlike Hyderabad, it isn’t feasible to host five-day celebrations in the US. Weddings are usually condensed into two days, often skipping functions like the mehndi or sangeet,” he adds.

Models sport ensembles from Ganesh Nallari’s wedding collection

“The uncertainties in the US, long waiting periods for H-1B visa stamping, the situation in West Asia, and a slowdown in Hyderabad’s real estate sector are all contributing to fewer purchases,” says designerGanesh Nallari. He notes that the signs of slowdown were visible even during winter, with fewer NRI families travelling home. “With weddings now being held in the US, we’re conducting most design consultations over video calls.”

This marks the most significant shift since the pandemic. If lockdown weddings were defined by compact guest lists due to social distancing, the current phase is shaped by financial caution. “For many designers in the city, clients are largely NRIs or those linked to real estate. Right now, business has been bleak,” Ganesh admits.

War-triggered shift

Textile designer Mamata Reddy observes that even when parents are willing to spend on lavish weddings, brides and grooms are choosing restraint. She recalls a recent instance from her circle: a bride spent an additional ₹5 lakh on last-minute tickets during the early phase of the West Asia conflict to reach Hyderabad, while around 20 guests cancelled their plans. “She chose more affordable lehengas for the sangeet and mehndi, even though her mother was willing to spend. I’m seeing this across the younger generation, unlike during the lockdown, when people reset their wardrobes and made more exclusive purchases,” she says.

Archana Rao’s summer wedding line includes lighter fabrics with minimal embellishments
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Mamata explains how families have become selective while buying for weddings. “Apart from the saris and outfits for the ceremonies, brides and their immediate family members would pick up at least 5-10 additional saris, either as part of the trousseau or as options for last-minute change of preference to wear for an occasion. Those purchases have declined.”

Designer Archana Rao, who has been sending orders abroad via couriers, friends and family, notes that while weddings have not paused, their locations and guest lists have shifted. Alongside celebrations in the US and Dubai, some families are opting for Goa, while weddings in Hyderabad are seeing smaller guest lists due to the absence of relatives living overseas.

For weddings in Hyderabad, it may seem like business is usual. But subtle changes are visible. Entrepreneur Sreevarsha Jonnavithula cites examples from her family circles. A cousin opted for a wedding in the US, unwilling to risk travel. “Since both the bride and groom are in the US and their parents have visas, a wedding in the US was a natural choice for them.”

She notes that while the prices of saris have risen steadily in recent years, salaries haven’t. “A Benaresi sari that cost ₹9000 pre-pandemic is well over ₹15,000 today. I would think twice before making such a purchase.”

It isn’t uncommon to witness wedding receptions in Hyderabad with more than 1000 guests. However, there are signs through which expenses are kept under check.

Sreevarsha points how fewer wedding cards are printed and WhatsApp invitations are no longer frowned upon. “Some families have trimmed the guest list for smaller events, while keeping the celebrations intact for wedding and reception.” As an extension, she has also observed the downsizing of first birthday parties for children and restricting baby shower ceremonies to close circles. “People may not discuss it, but with the threat of AI, layoffs and the real estate sector not doing too well, despite the perception of a boom, is having an impact.”

Alankrutha Chandra, an entrepreneur in the handloom sector, concurs. She observes that while families living in Hyderabad, with deep pockets, are not holding back on celebrations, the change is evident among H-1B visa holders in the US. While a friend has opted for a wedding in the US, another is weighing the possibility of travel for her wedding in Hyderabad. “Wedding celebrations in the US are typically weekend celebrations, in contrast to the elaborate ceremonies here. The guest list and expenditure automatically gets trimmed.”

Shravan Kummar’s summer wedding collection
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

This sense of restraint is also reflected in fashion choices. Lightweight saris and minimally embellished ensembles are being preferred to manage costs, with colour palettes leaning towards softer summer tones. Shravan points to lighter Kanjeevaram and crepe saris in lavender, off-white, pistachio green, pink and muted mustard. “Some brides are also pairing saris with jackets,” he adds.

While designers are tightlipped about the price points, they agree that fewer purchases are being made.

Keep it simple

Months ahead of the season, Mamata had worked on a line of Kanjeevaram and linen saris, tailored to suit brides and family members, along with lighter Banarasi weaves suited to warmer months. She has also seen younger clients gravitate towards chiffons and organzas with lambadi embroidery.

Archana has pared back the elaborate pearl embroidery that once defined her work. “Clients are preferring lightweight saris with bib-style tops,” she says.

Menswear, too, is leaning simpler — dhoti-kurtas, lightweight sherwanis in cotton blends, and chanderi with minimal embellishments in sage greens, blush pinks and butterscotch yellows for the day, with deeper tones for the evening, notes Ganesh. “Clients generally purchase the outfits for the main events from me. If there’s a push to reduce prices for smaller events, I politely suggest that they look at the retail sector. Those who prefer quality over quantity are still willing to spend for special occasions, though the number of outfits may be fewer than before.”

For now, it appears as though Hyderabad’s wedding fashion industry is adapting to a more price-conscious reality.