The wedding season has kicked in. An estimated 4.8 million weddings are expected to take place this and the next month, and startups in the segment are geared up to capitalise on this opportunity. Customised wedding apps, marry now pay later (MNPL), projection mapping, drone shows, virtual venue tours, and real-time decor tours, are some of the features on offer.
“Startups are gaining traction by providing artificial intelligence (AI)-based tailored solutions that address the specific logistical challenges of weddings,” Mitesh Shah, partner, Physis Capital and co-founder, Inflection Point Ventures, told FE. The firm has invested in online chef booking startup COOX, which catered to around 300 weddings last year with services like professional chefs, bartenders, waiters and kitchen cleaners. This year, the startup is targeting 500 weddings with additional offerings such as online booking of cutlery and crockery on rent and even live singers.
The demand for seamless, tech-driven planning is driving this season’s market. Startup founders in the space say people are now welcoming digital tools not just for convenience but also for customisation. For instance, Tamarind Global has launched AI-driven personalisation, which lets them provide customised vendor suggestions, budget tracking, and more. It has also enhanced digital RSVP options, offering wedding websites for guests to RSVP, view schedules and choose meal options.
Easy wedding loans or MNPL, offered by players such as Sankash, Bajaj Finserv, and a startup called Marry Now Pay Later, are also gaining popularity. These allow couples to finance their weddings through flexible payment options. Photo-sharing apps are also a huge hit among the youth. These apps use AI for face recognition and automatically sort, categorise, and even enhance photos, making it easy for couples and guests to access and share memories in real time.
The use of projection mapping is also becoming more popular, says Parthip Thyagarajan, founder and CEO, WeddingSutra, a wedding media and luxury vendors’ aggregator platform. “This technology allows for custom-designed visuals and more immersive spaces to be projected onto surfaces, whether it’s transforming a blank wall into a lush forest, or displaying personalised animations across a dance floor,” he explained.
According to market intelligence platform Tracxn, there are 315 startups in the wedding tech segment, including Meragi, The Wedding Brigade, Weddingz, Wed Me Good, Wedding Wishlist, WeddingSutra, ShaadiSaga and Bookeventz. Many top investors such as Accel, Peak XV Partners, and Blume Ventures have invested in the segment.
Most of these startups offer online platforms for multi-category vendor booking, tech-based wedding planning and consultancy, online gifting solutions, and AI-based photo distribution solutions, among others. For instance, OYO-owned WeddingZ offers information related to availability, budgeting, and transaction facilities for wedding venues, Meragi provides customisable and affordable solutions for venue decoration and WedMeGood offers a one-stop solution for venue selection, vendors, photographers, and makeup artists.
Many of these startups claim to have seen around 20-30% hike in demand so far this season. “We are seeing a surge like never before. Compared to last year, demand has skyrocketed by around 30%, with couples and families ready to dive back into celebrations,” Anjali Tolani, assistant vice-president, Weddings at Tamarind Global, said.
Another wedding startup, Kesari Awayddings, also claims to have experienced a threefold growth this year in gross merchandise value (GMV), and aims to reach 120 million by the end of this financial year. The destination wedding company, founded in 2021, will be catering to over 60 weddings in Goa this season.