What have brands got to do with fake weddings anyway?

New Delhi: In the sprawling nightlife of metro cities in India, a new kind of social event is dominating Instagram feeds: fake weddings. From Gurgaon’s clubs to Bengaluru’s party lounges, these events are popping up with surprising frequency. These are fully staged shaadi-style parties, complete with curated outfits, photo booths, influencer appearances, and increasingly, brand sponsors. But behind the glitter and filters lies a growing concern for marketers: Is this viral trend truly brand safe?

Just last month, multiple fake weddings were hosted back-to-back across South Delhi and Noida, drawing crowds of creators, stylists, and everyday Instagram-savvy attendees. Tickets were available on BookMyShow and Zomato’s District App. Love for experiential marketing drove brands like Philips, Satmola, Twamev, and Kuber Mouth Freshener to participate as sponsors to drive product placements during pre-wedding-themed content sprees.

While brands see this as an opportunity to engage with the young audience, the experience on the ground has often left attendees disoriented. “We attended this fake wedding at a club in Delhi. The amount of alcohol being consumed was alarming. Many guests were visibly drunk and not in control, which made the environment feel unsafe, especially for women attending alone. I won’t recommend attending the same to anyone, EVER!” shared Lovepreet Gill, an attendee at a fake wedding event in Noida.

Are brands overlooking red flags?

Not everyone is sold on the trend’s marketing value. Several experts are sounding the alarm. “These wedding look-alike parties are an outcome of the indulgent. It’s just their way of trying to utilise this fancy attire beyond a mere one-time use. I see no value in such things for brands. They can embed them in such acts or even sponsor them. But it simply won’t fly as a visibility, preference or persuasion builder,” said Vivek Srivastava, Founder of Integrated Brand Heuristics.

Srivastava argued that brands may be mistaking vanity metrics for real impact, adding, “We see this mad rush for brands to ride such trends to create branded content. I genuinely believe branded content is an oxymoron. Adding a brand to the content makes it an ad, and a poorly crafted one at that. Such momentary fads don’t and shouldn’t get a priority seat in any sound branding algorithm.”

Why, then, are brands buying into it?

Despite the scepticism, for many content creators and marketers, the visual appeal and content opportunities are hard to resist. These events are optimised for endless reels, influencer shoutouts, and native brand placements, all set in a highly stylised, wedding-themed narrative.

“What makes fake weddings so appealing is their format flexibility. Creators get the storytelling canvas of a real wedding without any of the long-term commitment. It’s emotional, visual, high-stakes, and completely brandable. It’s no longer about creating content at weddings but about creating the wedding for content,” said Asif Upadhye, Director & Dragon Warrior at SPRD.

“There is a reason people follow influencers. Engagement soars, as there's always an element of aspiration,” he added.

Others believe fake weddings are not just a marketing gimmick; these staged shaadis offer a mashup of heritage, nostalgia, influencer reach, and aspirational storytelling, all wrapped in a scroll-stopping format, especially for brands looking to insert themselves into culture-first conversations.

“I understand fake shaadi as an entertainment and party concept. The fun side of the shaadi is a spectacle, an experience and a party all rolled into one... It's a blend of pop culture, youth culture and consumer culture. That's its appeal,” said Hamsini Shivakumar, Founder-Director of Leapfrog Strategy Consulting. “I don't see it as a passing fad or short-lived phenomenon. It could last for several years at least.”

She also noted that these events often bypass traditional restrictions. “It may also get past city authorities' rules on late-night parties as well as parental concerns and rules on staying out late, especially for girls,” she observed.

Beyond ROI, fake weddings tap into a social rebellion among young Indians, one that seeks the fun and aesthetics of weddings without the emotional baggage or social obligations. “I honestly love weddings, but then I go to one and it’s just relatives giving creepy looks, judging my outfit, asking weird questions, and throwing rishtas at me,” said a social media user.

“If there’s something like a fake wedding, I’m going. That sounds crazy fun. No pressure, just good vibes. These days, people don’t even get invited to weddings, so if there’s a fake one, I’m going with my friends for sure.”

A trend worth the risk?

As brands lean deeper into youth-driven experiential storytelling and viral formats, fake weddings offer both opportunity and unpredictability.

A while ago, India’s Got Latent by comedian Samay Raina became a sensation among Gen Z audiences. Tickets sold out, the fan following exploded, and multiple brands jumped in to ride the wave. But once the show ran into legal trouble, it quietly vanished, and so did the brand chatter around it. While the show is about to make a comeback, it is to be seen if the brands too will make a comeback to the show. 

The episode is a cautionary tale: the Gen Z market is wildly potent but equally unpredictable.

Attaching a brand to something as chaotic and unregulated as fake weddings, especially when attendees themselves are sounding the alarm on safety and conduct, raises serious questions. Are brands amplifying a trend that could backfire? Or are they finding a new middle ground in new-age marketing?

While for creators, it's a dream setting, with colourful aesthetics, cinematics and full creative control, for brands, it’s a tempting doorway into a hyper-engaged generation where content is king and attention is currency.

Fake wedding events are all glitz, but whether they offer real gold is a question only time and ROI can answer.