Dubai's newest party trend: A big fat fake Indian wedding
Dubai's newest party trend — the Fake Sangeet — is serving full-blown shaadi (marriage) vibes minus the drama, family politics, or actual nuptials.
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Set to take place this weekend at Tania's in Dubai Hills, the invite-only bash promises ethnic glam, live dhol (Indian drum) beats, henna counters, and a Bollywood-heavy DJ set. And yes, despite the name and the pink invite, it's not just for the ladies.
For the uninitiated, a sangeet is one of the most anticipated events in a traditional Indian wedding — a night of dance, music, cocktails, and performances where families and friends let loose before the big day.
With India's wedding industry valued at over $50 billion (Dh183.61 billion), these pre-wedding parties have become spectacles in their own right: lavish, loud, and Instagrammable.
Now, they've inspired something new and proudly unserious.
'First things first, Fake Sangeet is for everyone,' says Shivam, the founder of Fred's Coffee Party and the brain behind the concept. 'The idea came up in the most casual, random way. I asked someone what the best party they'd ever been to was, and without blinking, they said their cousin's sangeet. The dancing, the madness, the music. They joked they wished their friends would get married just so they could experience that again.'
At the same time, Shivam came across a viral fake wedding party in India. 'As someone from India myself, I just knew I had to bring that vibe to Dubai,' he says. 'So I decided, let's throw a wild, beautiful fake sangeet," he told Khaleej Times.
What started as a plan to invite 10–12 close friends has now snowballed into something much bigger. 'Over a thousand people have messaged us for invites,' Shivam says. 'The response has been beyond anything we imagined.'
The best part? It's currently free. 'It's proper shaadi vibes — Bollywood DJ, dhol, mehendi, cocktails, ethnic outfits — everything except the bride and groom.'
And it's not just the desi crowd showing up. 'What's been most beautiful is how it's resonated beyond just the Indian community,' Shivam adds. 'Even our non-desi friends are dressing up and counting down the days.'
The first edition kicks off on June 21 — and if the buzz is anything to go by, it might just become Dubai's favourite excuse to party.
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