Influencers turn India’s biggest wedding boom into a Rs 700-crore content carnival

New Delhi: Move over Diwali, shaadi season is the new marketing festival. But this time, it’s not only the A-listers in hoardings or the Bollywood couple in TVCs driving the buzz. It’s creators, who’ve turned India’s Rs 6.5 lakh crore wedding economy into a content playground. From Reels to live fake weddings to influencer-led mini-series, the 2025 shaadi season isn’t just about love and jewellery, it’s about engagement, authenticity, and algorithms. 

“Digital continues to lead with roughly 45–50% of the total AdEx, driven by social, influencer, and commerce-led content,” said Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions.

Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder & Director, Excellent Publicity quantified the boom. “Influencer collaborations now command over Rs 700 crore in ad spend, with 2–3x more campaign activity during peak wedding months. Brands are leveraging micro and nano influencers for authenticity and cost efficiency, achieving stronger ROI than A-list celebrity ads. Live selling and Instagram Shops have become the new bridal ramp, enabling real-time engagement and instant purchase through ‘See it, click it, buy it’ experiences.”

Influencers have officially graduated from promoting to selling. As Ratnakar Bharti, Vice President - Media, Mudramax, put it, “Influencer-led commerce and live selling are rapidly complementing traditional endorsements, turning platforms like Instagram and YouTube into active bridal marketplaces.”

Half of India’s wedding ad money is now flowing into the creator ecosystem, short-form videos, collab content, livestreams, and shoppable Reels. Namita Kothari, Founder at Akoirah by Augmont, put it simply: “Digital continues to command the strongest momentum. While print and TV remain relevant for mass visibility, the most innovation is happening on social platforms, creator-driven video, and commerce-linked content.” 

Platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and OTT are now where love stories, brand stories, and shopping stories merge. “Digital is the fastest-growing segment, with platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and OTT leading engagement among millennial and Gen Z audiences,” said Dalal.

If the 2010s belonged to celebrity ambassadors, the 2020s belong to creators. Patil said, “Today, consumers want to feel something, not just follow someone. The shift is from ‘celebrity-heavy’ to ‘story-heavy.’ From big faces to real feels. The new-age campaign looks more like a mini-series than an ad film, where a bride, her best friend, and a makeup artist become the brand story. Because fame is borrowed, but authenticity is earned.”

Namita Kothari agreed, “There is a noticeable shift away from celebrity-heavy advertising toward content-first wedding narratives that feel more authentic and culturally rooted. With the wedding season driving strong consumption across markets, brands are tailoring communication through creators and customised, experimental media strategies to cater to diverse markets and aspirational Bharat audiences.”

Dalal captured the content revolution best. “A major shift is underway from celebrity-centric campaigns to content-rich, storytelling-driven marketing. Brands are now capturing the ‘shaadi spirit’ through experiences and narratives rather than star-led ads.”

“Even when celebrities appear (like Karan Johar for Peter England), they’re part of larger storylines rather than the sole campaign face,” Dalal said. “The focus is now on storytelling, relatability, and entertainment, signaling the rise of wedding marketing 2.0, content-first, digital-led, and collaboration-heavy.”

Creators of Bharat are owning the moment

This shaadi season isn’t just powered by influencers in Mumbai or Delhi, it’s being rewritten by regional creators from Indore, Lucknow, Surat, and beyond. Dalal explained, “Brands are also increasingly collaborating with regional influencers and OTT platforms, including community-driven apps like Public App, to deepen engagement among vernacular audiences.”

Kothari added, “Brands are tailoring communication through creators as well as customised and experimental media strategies to cater to diverse markets and aspirational Bharat audiences.”

For brands, Bharat is the new gold mine and creators are the bridge connecting aspiration with authenticity.