Big Fat Fake Weddings: When the Party Matters More Than the Vows

The dhols play loud, guests arrive in glittering attire, selfies flood Instagram — but there’s one twist. There’s no real bride or groom. Welcome to India’s latest social experiment — the “fake wedding” or faux shaadi party, where the spectacle of marriage becomes an immersive celebration minus the actual marriage.

These ticketed events, popular in metros like Delhi and Bengaluru, have now started stirring curiosity across the North East — in Guwahati, Shillong, and even tier-2 cities like Tinsukia. The idea is simple: recreate the magic of a big fat Indian wedding — mehendi, sangeet, food stalls, even a symbolic varmala — purely for fun, community, and content.

The Allure: Vibe Over Vows

For many young professionals and students, fake weddings offer what real ones often can’t — freedom from family pressure, drama, and expense. Guests simply buy tickets, show up in ethnic wear, and enjoy the “shaadi vibe” with strangers and friends alike.

“People want the joy and glamour of a wedding, not the emotional baggage,” - an event curator from Guwahati who has been approached to create a “mock mehendi night.” She believes the North East’s strong music and fashion scene makes it ripe for such themed experiences.

On social media, #fakeshaadi content racks up millions of views. In Bengaluru and Mumbai, curated fake wedding parties have become a nightlife subculture. Influencers see them as the perfect backdrop for reels and aesthetic photo dumps.

The Trend Trickles East

In Guwahati, local event groups have begun exploring “wedding-themed parties” where guests arrive in ethnic outfits, enjoy Bollywood playlists, and pose with mock mandaps — an early cousin of the fake wedding format. Shillong’s café culture and growing nightlife are also fertile grounds for similar concepts that merge tradition with trend.

Meanwhile, conversations in Tinsukia, a tier-2 hub known for its vibrant tea community, show that smaller towns are not immune to the curiosity. While no large fake wedding event has officially taken place there yet, several local event managers say the idea has “potential” among young professionals looking for something unconventional.

Not Everyone’s Saying “I Do”

Critics, however, call the trend a cultural dilution. Religious leaders and traditionalists argue that turning sacred wedding rituals into party décor or entertainment disrespects their deeper significance. Some netizens fear it reflects a generation “obsessed with optics over emotion.”

There are also legal and ethical grey zones. A few prank-turned-real “wedding” incidents elsewhere in India show how blurry the line can get between performance and deception.

The Cultural Crossroads

Yet, for others, fake weddings are about reclaiming celebration — a form of creative rebellion. They symbolise community, music, and joy without obligation. As Shillong-based musician Enrico says, “Our generation doesn’t reject rituals — we remix them.”

Whether you view it as frivolous or freeing, the fake wedding trend speaks volumes about how young India — and now the North East — reimagines tradition in the content age.

Because sometimes, in the world of hashtags and happy beats, “shaadi ka vibe” is all the commitment one needs.