Arranged marriages decline by 24% according to recent survey

According to a survey conducted by WeddingWire India, the local division of The Knot Worldwide's wedding technology platform, there is a growing trend of legalizing love marriages in India. In the brand's recent poll, conducted in 2020, 68 percent of couples admitted to having an arranged marriage. However, in the 2023 study, this number dropped to 44 percent, indicating a significant 24 percent decrease.

When it comes to wedding planning, approximately 41 percent of couples in India begin the process 4-6 months in advance, while 32 percent plan it only 1-3 months ahead. It is worth noting that the engagement period is considerably shorter in India compared to other countries, with 72 percent of couples getting engaged six months or less before their wedding. Consequently, couples have a narrower window of time to organize their weddings.

During this condensed planning period, young tech-savvy couples are increasingly turning to online services, raising awareness and reliance on them. A survey found that smartphones and tablets (36 percent) surpassed offline resources and in-person tools (34 percent) as the preferred means of wedding planning.

Nearly half of the surveyed couples stated that online planning tools allow them to complete six out of the eleven essential tasks, including budgeting, finding reputable vendors, and selecting the perfect ring. These tools are utilized for planning, budgeting, vendor search, reading reviews, and more. In 2023, there was an 11 percent increase in the use of wedding technology platforms, with 58 percent of couples now opting for wedding planning websites compared to 47 percent in 2020.

India is also witnessing the adoption of international practices, such as formal proposals and couples living together before marriage. In the survey, 28 percent of millennials mentioned that their partners had made a formal proposal before tying the knot. The global Newlywed survey by The Knot Worldwide also revealed that cohabitation before marriage is becoming more common in India. Surprisingly, France and Spain rank higher than the United States in terms of the percentage of couples living together globally.

Anam Zubair, Head of Marketing at WeddingWire India, a part of The Knot Worldwide, noted that India has gracefully embraced global traditions while retaining its core traditional values. Love marriages, particularly among urban millennials, have become increasingly prevalent while maintaining the importance of arranged marriages. The rise of formal proposals in India opens new opportunities for vendors to offer customized services to cater to this demand. Additionally, WeddingWire India is closely monitoring the behavior of Gen-Z couples entering the wedding cycle to identify the next significant trends in the industry.

The evolving landscape of Indian weddings reflects a blend of traditional values and the adoption of modern practices. As couples embrace new trends and technology, the wedding industry continues to adapt and cater to their changing preferences.