There was something about the Bollywood movie – Band Baaja Baaraat that not only managed to touch your heart but also filled it with hope & ambition. The movie won your heart with the way Shruti Kakkar (Anushka Sharma) romanticizes weddings and how Bittoo Sharma (Ranveer Singh) is the perfect partner in business & life who ensures all of Shruti’s dreams are fulfilled. While many took the plunge in real life of planning & being the behind-the-scenes heroes at grand weddings, many like us put our dreams on the back burner and continued living. We interviewed one such lady who falls in the former category and who is acing at her work in the billion-dollar Indian wedding industry. But before we start with the questions, here’s something you must know.
According to WedMeGood’s annual wedding industry report, the Indian wedding industry may have touched a whopping $75 billion in the 2023-24 wedding season. Another part of our research led to more mind-boggling facts (thanks to Mr. Nikhil Kamath who shared some incredible insights on his Instagram)
- India witnessed a whopping 35 lakh weddings within a month, (November-December 2023). That means almost 2 weddings every second!
- 1 in 4 weddings in the world are from India
- Rs. 4.25 lakh crore of wedding business in India in 2023, up by 13% over last year
- India has the 2nd largest wedding market in the world, next to the US
- 40 crore weddings are expected in the next 15 years in India
While these facts may seem freakishly outlandish even though big fat Indian weddings have always been extravagant, what really caught our eye in the WedMeGood report was one of the biggest wedding trends of 2024 – 90-second sizzle reels.
Confused? Think this – your wedding guests grooving to the latest Instagram audios with all the tags in place and all the beautiful wedding content going up in just 24-48 hours of it being captured. Of course, this is a whole lot of work for your trusted bridesmaids to run around or even for a professional photographer/videographer to ensure everything is in place in real time.
Enter, wedding creators. Who dat? “With an eye for detail and a passion for love stories, wedding creators transform ordinary weddings into extraordinary memories that last a lifetime, and if you’re lucky, go viral on the ‘gram”, says Smriti Agarwal, the boss lady at Mush Me Too (India’s 1st wedding social media designers).
The Mush Me Too team covers each aspect of your wedding and posts everything from reels, stories, and highlights and ensures you have an aesthetic-looking feed so you can have the best of your memories captured in real time. They coordinate with your photography team to pick out the best pictures and ensure that each of your once-in-a-lifetime moments is neatly tucked into a highlight.
When we came across this niche in the otherwise monstrous wedding industry, it got us excited to know more, so we spoke to Smriti and she revealed a little more about the business and the future of wedding creators in India.
Q: For someone completely new to this, who is a wedding content creator?
A: A wedding content creator is like a creative architect, weaving together the dreams, emotions, and aesthetics of a couple’s special day. From capturing the tender glances between newlyweds to curating Instagram-worthy moments, they are the ultimate storytellers of romance.
Q: How did you think of picking this niche in India?
A: It stemmed from a unique intersection of evolving societal trends and the changing landscape brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, as the pandemic gripped the world, there was a noticeable shift towards smaller, more intimate gatherings. With restrictions on large gatherings and a heightened awareness of safety measures, couples opted for scaled-down ceremonies with fewer guests and streamlined logistics. In this context, many believed that capturing moments through phone content would suffice, as it offered convenience and minimised the need for large photography teams.
However, as lockdown restrictions gradually eased and larger weddings resumed, a new trend emerged. Despite the return to grander celebrations, the desire to document and share precious moments online remained strong. Couples realised the value of professional wedding content creation not only for commemorating their special day but also for quick and easy access to memories online. Moreover, with the digital era in full swing, there was an increasing emphasis on creating visually appealing content for social media platforms. As weddings became larger again, the demand for creative storytelling through photography and videography surged.
Couples sought professionals who could capture the essence of their love story in a visually stunning and emotionally resonant manner, making wedding content creation not only practical but also incredibly fun and fulfilling.
Q: So, how would you define your role to be different than a photographer/videographer at a wedding?
A: Our role at weddings is quite different from that of photographers and videographers. We’re more like the sidekick than the main act! It’s all about teamwork, not competition. While photographers focus on capturing those timeless, picture-perfect moments, and videographers bring the day to life through film, we’re in the business of creating content that’s super Instagram-friendly. That means we’re all about trends, cool audios, and capturing those epic dance moves. While aesthetics are important, we’re more concerned with making memories that pop on social media. Plus, we’re lightning-fast, our content goes up instantly, giving couples an instant memory fix.
Unlike photographers who might take months to deliver their shots (and rightly so, those things are works of art!), we’re all about that instant gratification. So, think of us as your wedding day social media wizards, here to make sure your big day shines online!
Q: So, what is your turnaround time when it comes to photos/reels captured at the wedding?
A: When it comes to our turnaround time, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. For our reels, you’re looking at anywhere from a couple of hours post-event to about 3-5 days. It really depends on how much ground we’ve covered and the complexity of the assets we’re working with. Now, when it comes to stories, we’re all about that speedy delivery! You can expect them to go LIVE within hours of the event, usually within 2-12 hours. So, whether you’re after quick snapshots or a more intricate reel, rest assured, we’ll get it to you in a jiffy!
Q: What is the approximate rate that a couple can assume to spend if they avail of your services?
A: As a budding company, our packages have been evolving over the years as we learn, grow, and gain more recognition. However, for more detailed information and an exact quote, we encourage couples to reach out to us directly.
Q: Weddings are an emotional affair, can you share a cute/emotional experience that you will cherish for a lifetime?
What truly makes these experiences special are the connections formed and the sense of togetherness that envelops everyone involved. From witnessing couples turn into lifelong friends to nurturing lasting business relationships, and meeting remarkable individuals along the way, every wedding journey is a warm embrace of love and joy that I’ll carry with me forever.
For us at Mush Me Too, it’s never just about the content; it’s about the people. I’ve seen couples shed tears of happiness, expressing how much they loved our work. Families have welcomed us with open arms, considering us as their own and inviting us into their homes. And even after the wedding festivities end, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting them for catch-ups and dinners, feeling like an extension of their crew. These heartfelt moments and the bonds we form are what truly make each wedding unforgettable and special.
Also Read: Indian YouTube Channels Dominate Global Top 50 As Per A Report By Tubefilter
Q: What do you think is the future of wedding social media designers in India?
A: The future of wedding content creators in India looks super exciting! With tech getting better and social media blowing up, there’s a ton of room for us to get creative. Think Instagram, and YouTube – couples are going be all over those platforms, looking for cool ways to share their big day.
And you know what’s even cooler? Weddings are getting more personal and fun, which means people will want content that captures their vibe. That’s where we come in, making sure every love story shines through in our work.
Plus, as the wedding scene keeps growing, there’ll be all sorts of cool collabs and partnerships happening. From live streams to virtual reality, we’re gonna see some wild stuff!
So, yeah, buckle up ’cause the future of wedding content creators in India is going to be a wild ride full of creativity, teamwork, and endless possibilities!
