Food Trends At Weddings Reach New Heights

Customised restaurant recreations, cafe setups, pop-ups by Michelin-star chefs, bespoke table linens with monograms and couple-themed hashtags.

At a recent event in New Delhi, where the couple's families met before the wedding, the 50-odd guests were served caviar and Dom Perignon champagne, each bottle costing over Rs 1 lakh.

The champagne was poured into delicate Zalto hand-blown glasses, each priced upwards of Rs 12,000 and known for craftsmanship that captures the aroma of the spirit.

The aim of the event (milni), which cost Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh (Rs 2 million o Rs 3 million), was to create an unforgettable experience.

Food trends at Indian weddings have reached new heights, with customised restaurant recreations, cafe setups, pop-ups by Michelin-star chefs, bespoke table linens with monograms and couple-themed hashtags.

"It's not just about what's served, but also how it's presented," says Eeshaan Kashyap, founder of Eeshaan Kashyap & Co, which specialises in food and beverage styling.

For the Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant pre-wedding celebrations in Jamnagar, Gujarat, Kashyap curated table designs inspired by wildlife with "gigantic brass and metal thalis", and desserts displayed at unique angles for better visibility.

Kashyap highlights that "tablescaping" is now an integral part of wedding decor, merging food and artistic presentation.

He hires people with a background in architecture to enhance the experience through dramatic elements like tablecloths with peacock feathers handwoven on them and Mughal-era inspired serveware.

His team has even created elderflower gin fountains to leave a lasting impression.

Reshma Khattar Bhagat, director of Thomas Goode India, agrees that tablescaping has become an art.

The UK-based luxury serveware brand, which entered India in 2019, collaborates with designers to offer heirloom-quality crockery and cutlery for weddings, with bespoke consultations and partnerships with the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, and Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

Monogrammed and uniquely crafted motifs adorn tables that sometimes also carry the family crests, bringing an element of personal heritage into the setting.

Sudhir Barabari, general manager of Soulinaire, a gourmet catering brand of Indian Hotels Company Ltd, says his team ensures that every element of the dining experience is customised, from cocktail stirrers with the couple's logo to hashtags printed on menu cards.

Soulinaire has even recreated iconic Taj restaurants -- Varq, House of Ming, Thai Pavilion, Souk, Trattoria -- for weddings, complete with the same menu, decor, and table settings. Rarely are dishes repeated at the functions.

Food-related decor at weddings is now as complex as the venue itself, with elaborate table designs featuring bold centrepieces like candelabras and ceramic sculptures.

Dessert counters have evolved too, with vibrant displays such as alcohol-infused strawberries, colourful macarons, and sweets with a modern twist -- motichoor cheesecake and gulab jamun-thandai mousse, for example.

Catering companies spend months perfecting wedding menus, working alongside dessert specialists, tablescaping designers, and filmmakers.

"Everything has to tie up together," says Barabari, who is in demand for both large wedding feasts and intimate dinners.

"If we need to fly in cheese from Dubai at the last minute, we'll do that," adds Chef Sadik Khan, consultant to Foodlink, highlighting the effort that goes into sourcing rare ingredients like blue leg mushrooms and truffles. The Mumbai-based firm catered at the high-profile Ambani wedding.

Branded hotels are also going the extra mile, flying in chefs from their global properties for authentic culinary experiences.

Bandhan by Shangri-La, a newly launched service for high-end weddings, offers curated services, including entertainment and beverage partnerships with brands like Dewar's Experiences, Kilta Coffee Co and Khoya Mithai.

Venues are adapting to cater to this demand. Shangri-La New Delhi recently renovated its banquet hall, and Tivoli Group launched a five-star hotel in Delhi NCR with a capacity of 3,000, tying up with tablescaping experts to elevate the dining experience.

Even intimate dinners are being elevated. Mumbai-based Maitri Shah of Mai Stories used 3D projection mapping technology for a dinner where the couple's photos from their holiday in the Swiss mountains were projected, creating an immersive experience.

Chef Arun Sundararaj of Taj Mahal, New Delhi, curated a wedding based on the couple's love story, using food to tell the tale of where they met, travelled, and fell in love.

From Delhi's chaat to Mediterranean delicacies and US fast food, the menu was a personal narrative.

His team even specialises in alcohol-infused wedding cakes that can be preserved for up to a year, allowing couples to celebrate their first anniversary with a slice from their wedding day -- an innovation born out of such a demand from couples.

Luxury hotels and catering firms are also focusing on sustainability. Fairmont Jaipur uses technology to monitor real-time food wastage.

Rajat Sethi, its general manager, says this platform helps them to optimise portions and forecast guest preferences, minimising waste.

Industry estimates indicate that a three-day wedding can generate over 700 kg of wet waste and 1,500 kg of dry waste.

Sundararaj also notes a return to roots with a contemporary twist, citing a wedding between a Kashmiri girl and a Parsi boy where regional dishes from both communities were served in a modern style.

This trend reflects a desire to honour heritage while embracing new ideas, making each wedding a unique celebration of love, culture, and culinary artistry.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com