Vijay Garg
In the past decade, the wedding industry in India has seen a massive evolution from traditional to cinematic storytelling in film with elaborate sets, drone cinematography and destination films. Today, the industry is valued at over $50 billion and continues to grow. The market is expanding beyond the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru but also includes Tier-2 cities, which continue to expand. Tier-2 India is arguably becoming the next big market for upscale wedding film services as aspirational consumption and disposable income rise in these cities.
The economic growth narrative in India is shifting spatially, with the rise of consumer expenditure from Tier-2 cities, including Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore, Coimbatore, Bhubaneswar and Dehradun. According to Knight Frank, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities accounted for more than 40 per cent of luxury consumption growth in India in 2023. Tier-2 economic growth isn’t happening just among industrialists or now — thriving real estate moguls, but rather among new second-generation business families, energetic professionals, and sometimes civil service job holders in Government bureaucracies, who have become drawn to the aspirational premium lifestyle experience.
The wedding business is undoubtedly a part of this trend. Families from these cities now have large budgets, ranging from ?20 lakh to more than ?1 crore, for not just the day itself but also the documentary — style storytelling they want undertaken to commemorate that day. This drastically contrasts the more utilitarian booking of a typical videographer. The emergence of platforms like Instagram and YouTube has forever changed the expectations for wedding content. Young, aspirational couples in Tier-2 cities now think of their weddings not through the lens of past experiences but in comparison to the curated imagery and videos they see from producers in big cities or, increasingly, abroad.
Although the influence of wedding influencers and viral reels is massive, couples want a visual record of their big day that is also a cinematic experience. The increasing exposure to OTT content further fuels this aspiration. With platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime introducing cinematic language and aesthetics to a broader audience, the visual vocabulary of the average consumer is more refined than ever. In such an environment, a wedding film is no longer considered a luxury; it has become a social necessity, particularly for those who want their weddings to reflect their status, taste, and creativity.
Technological advancement has made high-end production more accessible. Tools such as drones, gimbals, mirrorless cameras, and editing software like DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere Pro are now portable and cost-effective. Skilled wedding filmmakers from metropolitan areas or even regional hubs can now offer premium services at a fraction of the earlier costs, thanks to scalable operations and modular pricing.
This has allowed boutique film studios and even freelancers to tap into Tier-2 markets. Some studios have already begun establishing regional branches or forming partnerships with local talent to meet these growing demands. Importantly, they also bring a professional work ethic, aesthetic sensibility, and project management discipline that appeals to the upwardly mobile clientele in these cities. Interestingly, Tier-2 India is not just a consumer but also a host of premium wedding experiences. Cities like Udaipur, Jaipur, Bhopal, and Kochi have become popular destination wedding hubs, attracting families from across the country. This naturally creates a need for wedding film services that can handle large-scale logistics and provide end-to-end cinematic coverage. The presence of scenic locales, heritage architecture, and better hotel infrastructure in these cities has made them ideal for luxury wedding shoots.
Consequently, the demand for services that can blend storytelling with local cultural richness is high. Cinematic wedding films shot in these locations often serve dual purposes — as personal memorabilia and as aspirational content that attracts future clients. The demand is increasingly for tailor-made content-pre-wedding teasers, behind-the-scenes reels, live streams, same-day edits, and after-movies with voiceovers and cinematic scores.
While the potential is high, there are challenges to overcome. Logistics in Tier-2 cities can be inconsistent — venue lighting, power supply, or coordination with other vendors may not meet the standards of metro cities. Moreover, clients may still negotiate aggressively, often underestimating the creative value of filmmaking.
However, these challenges are balanced by the opportunities. The relatively untapped market offers a first — mover advantage to studios and professionals willing to invest in client education, local collaborations, and storytelling that resonates culturally. Importantly, Tier-2 clients are more loyal — if satisfied, they tend to refer the filmmaker within their extended family and social circle, driving organic growth. No longer a niche reserved for the elite, cinematic wedding storytelling is becoming an emotional, cultural, and aspirational staple across India’s growing middle class. For wedding filmmakers and production studios, this represents not only an expansion of the customer base but also an opportunity to build a brand rooted in regional authenticity and national excellence. The wedding boom is no longer confined to the metros — it is blooming in the smaller towns giving this industry a larger base.
Vijay Garg Retired Principal Educational Columnist Eminent Educationist street kour Chand MHR Malout Punjab
