CHRISTIAN Dior make-up, Gucci apparel, Jimmy Choo shoes for the bride for the special day, a 50-inch TV screen from Bang and Olufsen part of the trousseau, fresh fruits from Unifrutti imported from Turkey for the guests and a Canadian wedding planner to take care of it all. The Indian wedding scene is only growing larger. “Its no surprise that so many international brands want to get associated with India, especially, during the wedding season. The market has only grown since there are many more millionaires in India today. So all that new money goes on to include the finer aspects like dicor and entertainment. Weddings, especially, in the north are now flying down entertainment stars from Mumbai and overseas,” says chief executive officer Celebrating Vivaha Tarun Sarda indicating Christian Dior’s first association with any Indian wedding exhibition. The luxury brand it seems has followed the footsteps of Gucci and La Perla to take a slice of the burgeoning Indian wedding mart-pie. Says chief executive officer Bridal Asia Divya Guraya: “Brands like Chanel and Fendi have got a sudden recognition at wedding marts. Such brands have become prominent ingredients in the trousseau and it works well for the brands as well. Since consumption level during pre-wedding shopping seasons has risen drastically it translates into immense turnovers for brands. Next year you can see more international brands making way to India,” indicating that brands may follow the Murjani Group model that promoted Gucci, La Perla and Jimmy Choo under its wedding division wing only taking the wedding mart at higher levels. With the top-segment of the wedding industry growing at a staggering 25%, analysts opine that even the mid-segments are moving up at about 15-20%. Associate director at retail consultants KSA Technopak Pavas Bhatia says: “The Indian wedding mart could be anywhere between Rs 50-60,000 odd crore but it isn’t just the trousseau that is getting all embellishments. Premium gifting market has also gone up. A few years back the choice was limited to gold or jewellery, now one can think of gifting a Bang and Olufsen and it’s a boon for the brands that are in India at this time making the industry boom.” The embellishments include an elaborate dicor, real estate cost for the venue, an ensemble of cuisines adding to the catering bill, pole dancers from South Africa, belly dancers from Dubai and the likes of SRK making appearances at weddings adding the spice to the grandiose. While Delhi and Punjab continue to be most lavish spenders at Indian weddings there seems to be no looking back for over the top extravagant gala weddings Bollywood style. “Perhaps its is the Bollywood effect that even for a decent wedding that spans 4-5 days Rs 1 crore is the new benchmark. Places like Delhi and Punjab, where weddings are more lavish, costs shoot up,” says a market analyst. Interestingly, for Rs 1.5 crore a wedding party of 100 people has flown to Malaysia for three days and back with all ceremonies and air fare taken car off. There have been four weddings that have taken place till now this year only taking the benchmark higher