
How India is falling in love with emotional readiness
While planners, designers, chefs, and hospitality teams have been engineering the perfect ambience, another layer—previously overlooked, is emerging as the new frontier: the emotional well-being, psychological readiness, and relational alignment of the couple at the centre of it all.Indiatoday spoke with Samit Garg, Co-founder & MD, E-factor Experiences to get more insighst.Because behind every picture-perfect celebration is a real couple. And marriage, unlike a Mehendi playlist, doesn't come with a 'rehearsal dinner.'THE PRICE OF PERFECTIONIndian weddings are often positioned as once-in-a-lifetime moments. Statistically speaking, it is estimated that nearly 20% of an average Indian's lifetime savings are spent on getting their children married. With such an emotional and financial investment, it's no surprise that expectations run high, from families, friends, society, and most of all, the couple themselves.advertisementBut as India hurtles forward, embracing modernity, dual-income households, and increasingly cosmopolitan mindsets—marriages are being tested like never before.Relationship fatigue, misaligned expectations, and unspoken mental health challenges are quietly becoming the shadows of our otherwise sparkling wedding economy.The wedding, as we've come to know it, prepares the couple for a spectacular event. What we now need are tools to prepare them for life after the event.THE SHIFT HAS BEGUNOver the past five years, globally, a movement has been growing, a realisation that the most important investment isn't just in what's worn or where it's held, but in who the bride and groom are, and how prepared they feel emotionally, psychologically, and relationally.From bespoke relationship coaching to pre-marital emotional intelligence programs, this wave is slowly reaching Indian shores. Institutions abroad are offering 'conscious couple' retreats and emotional alignment workshops.And now, India is poised to adopt and adapt these offerings to its own unique cultural fabric. We are already seeing indicators of this shift.The day is not far when we would see special retreats for brides to be and grooms as well for that matter, being announced to address this ; to engage in conversations and workshops that are more about the layers underneath: confidence-building, emotional resilience, relationship awareness, wellness, self-expression, and inner calm.A NEW KIND OF LUXURYadvertisementWhat was once seen as 'extra' is becoming essential. Emotional fluency, conscious communication, personal growth—these are the new luxury checkboxes for a generation of couples who want more than just a grand wedding; they want a good marriage.And India is more than ready. With the government's strong push for Wed In India, a movement initiated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister himself to encourage domestic celebrations, we've seen an upsurge in destination weddings within the country.Hotels with over 200 rooms, exceptional F&B, and accessibility are booked to the brim through the season. Demand is exploding, and so is the opportunity to bring more depth to these experiences.It's time our wedding industry extends its promise, from 'making your day special' to 'preparing your life to be extraordinary.'THE FUTURE IS EMOTIONALAs conversations around mental health and emotional intelligence continue to gain mainstream traction in India, the wedding ecosystem is naturally beginning to absorb these values.Relationship readiness is no longer seen as a taboo or something to be figured out in real time; it's fast becoming a respected, desirable, and aspirational part of the process.advertisementSoon, we will see emotional well-being coaches becoming as integral to weddings as makeup artists. Relationship retreats will be booked just as early as venues. Therapy will walk beside trousseau planning.And perhaps for the first time, preparing the heart will hold as much value as preparing the ceremony.- Ends

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