The Business of Weddings

Last year, we covered and uncovered lots of trends in the Indian wedding industry. From same-sex weddings to groom involvement, sustainability, and even to lands far and beyond.The big question is, were we right? Are these the big shifts that suppliers need to be aware of?We wanted to get your opinions on this. We sat down with three suppliers to find out if they had seen any of these trends take shape and what changes they have been making in anticipation of them. Hear from:Cake artist Minel Patel, Cakes by MinelVegan makeup artist Mandy Kaur, AphroditesPhotographer Mickey Shah, Soul PhotographyBrought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day.  Hosted by Meera Majithia, Creative Director, Now To Vow.  

Over the past decade, most of the couples who have been getting married have been Millennials - the generation who were born in the period between 1981 and the mid 1990s. They were unlike their previous generation, and popularised one of the most dominant aspects of our life, let alone weddings: social media. But now we're coming to the end of the Millennial generation. With the eldest of Gen Z now at the age of 26, more of Gen Z are getting married - and they are only going to become a bigger part of the market. They share some characteristics with Millennials - sometimes to a different degree - but there is also a lot about them that is different.So what are the differences? And what do suppliers need to be aware of when working on a Gen Z wedding? That's what we're discussing in this episode. This episode is our last of the season, so we've packed a lot in for you. We've surveyed both Gen Z and Millennials to analyse the differences between the generations and bring you the data, and we've of course got a fantastic array of guests including people from Gen Z:Monika Poppy, InfluencerNandita Brahmbhatt, IndigoHimani & Sakshi Mistry, Niche Flowers, Gen ZSujni Madlani, Gen ZBrought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day.  Hosted by Meera Majithia, Creative Director, Now To Vow. 

As we're in the middle of peak wedding season, we're taking a 1 month break. We'll be back next month with a brand new episode on Gen Z. See you then. 

The institute of marriage - as we know it today - was created in a time when homosexuality was not accepted. Weddings and the ceremonies within them have evolved, but they started from that same principle.Weddings were birthed by religions, and those religions have almost always presumed that the two people getting married will be one man and one woman. The ceremonies and rituals you come across in a typical wedding reflect that presumption. Nowadays though, it is abundantly clear that not all couples getting married will be of the opposite sex. So in the UK, although progress has been made in regards to culture and the law, same-sex couples still face a number of challenges when planning a wedding. Not least if they wish to incorporate a religious element to their wedding.We have spoken to a number of people to cover the different challenges at play here. In this episode, you will hear from:Joyston Moreira & Sugith Hewage: Joyston and Sugith are a same-sex couple who recently formed a civil partnership. Milan Thakrar: Milan has a background in the wedding & events industry and is the Founder of Work With Milan,  an events consultancy. Milan had a same-sex wedding in 2019 when he married his partner, Jay. Charlotte Pike: Charlotte is a supplier in the wedding industry and the Director of The Wedding Scene UK, who run wedding exhibitions and shows including events specifically aimed at the LBGTQI+ community. Brought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day. Hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events. 

Each month we bring you insights on trends affecting the wedding industry. But have you ever wanted to learn more about what we're building, and why we're building it?If so, this episode is for you. In an interview with our Founder, Niraj Dattani, Meera gets the Now To Vow Story.Brought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day. Hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.      

We live in a diverse country. Ever since the days of the empire, the UK has been a cultural melting pot. People from all corners of the globe have moved and settled here in numbers. As a platform for organising Indian weddings, we are testament to that.So it should be no surprise to see so many of those people - from different backgrounds - getting married. It's a trend that's been on the rise, and will continue to be. The traditional way that these weddings are organised is to go with one culture over another; whether that's across the event or just for a particular day. But is that what modern couples really want? And for suppliers looking to cater to this growing market, is there another way to do it?We discuss this with:Wedding celebrant, Jacqui TillyardDavid Baker from Hire Love, wedding stylistsMel & Abs, an inter-faith couple getting marriedBrought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day. Hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.     

Wedding planning has changed massively over the past few years. It's why we are building Now To Vow - to serve suppliers and couples whose needs have evolved and are not being met. One area where we've seen change is in the role of the groom in the planning process. As a supplier in the industry, you will no doubt have dealt with many grooms. But their role has been evolving and as this episode discusses, will continue to evolve. Why is that? And what does that mean for suppliers? Should you be changing your marketing? Should you be changing your entire approach? Or have we hit the peak of groom involvement?Joining us to delve into these questions are:Shivaan Popat, a groom who has taken a more active role in planning his destination weddingAmit Lamba, Owner of Laguna Catering, who have been dealing more and more with grooms and have studied this trend from its beginningBrought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day. Hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.    

Finding the perfect supplier for their wedding is often the toughest task for couples. It's the once in a lifetime event that they've sometimes been dreaming of for years. When it comes to finding the suppliers to make this a reality, couples sometimes have a list of exact criteria and sometimes they just have some ideas.As a supplier, how can you help them decide if you're the one for them? Because even though you may not see it in this way, that's what sales really is. It doesn't just help your business, it helps couples find exactly what they're looking for. And as we hear about in this episode, if done correctly, the couples who get in touch are already pretty sold before they even speak to you. Joining us on this sales clinic are superstars who have worked - and sold - across many industries. Life Coach and Business Strategist, Simon Alexander Ong; Co-Founder & Director of Yellow Tuxedo, Emily Braithwaite; and Wedding Business Coach & Strategist, and Founder of The Wedding Business Club, Faye Cornhill. Join us to hear the tactics, techniques and fundamentals that will set your business up for success. Brought to you by Now To Vow: the platform which makes organising a wedding as enjoyable as the day. Hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.   

Compared to many others, Indian weddings in the UK are seen as exciting and extravagant affairs. Compared to weddings in India though, they often only scratch the surface. Cultural divides play some part in these differences, but there is still a lot happening in India that could work here in the UK. So what are these things? What are the trends in India? Which ones could we be seeing in the UK? And how can UK suppliers take inspiration from them to make their own offer more distinctive?To answer these questions we spoke to several suppliers in India. Joining us on this episode is Nirav Thaleshwar from Allegiant Events, and Kinjal Adodra from Design HQ. Brought to you by Now To Vow and hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.  

Small, micro, intimate - however you want to describe them there is no doubt that a new type of wedding unexpectedly hit the scene in 2020. Although many were due to the Covid-19 related restrictions imposed, we discuss why these weddings have been so enjoyable for couples and their guests, and analyse whether they could be here to stay - pandemic or not.Joining us in this episode are 2020 brides Karishma and Anjali, and wedding industry consultant Kelly Mortimer. Brought to you by Now To Vow and hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.  

In this episode, we discuss why sustainability is more important than ever for the wedding industry, and the business opportunity of appealing to the new sustainable couple. Our guests, Giles Gibbons from Good Business and Kate Beavis from Magpie Wedding, give practical examples of how suppliers can be more sustainable and maximise their appeal to couples.Brought to you by Now To Vow and hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events. 

Introducing Season 1 of The Business Weddings. Brought to you by Now To Vow, hosted by Meera Majithia, Carriages Weddings & Events.