Between birth and death, the most eventful day in life is one’s marriage. It’s a universal phenomenon that holds much importance in every family. Bridal show picks on this human emotion,” said Madhubala Nahar, organiser of Bridal Show 2008 that took place in the City recently. A one-stop-shop for brides, grooms and ‘baaraatis’-to-be, the expo at the Grand Ashok was quite innovative.

Apart from the typical bling stalls showcasing wedding trousseau, bridal jewellery, intimate wear and cosmetics, the Bridal Show also had car brands, builders giving home solutions and event managers. The idea was to provide a customer with all the solutions that are integral to Indian weddings today.

Explained Madhubala, “Today, Indians spend a lot of money on weddings. So, we have a stall of Mercedes Benz and Hyundai i-10, in case a father is looking at gifting a car to his daughter or son on the occasion. And both the segments are taken care of. Plus, we have home solutions if a family is planning to gift a flat or a bungalow to their child. There are event managers who organise weddings. We have live models showcasing wedding lehengas and sherwanis. Every brand has power-point presentations where one will get immediate feedback.”

The two-day event also included a fashion show with a twist. An entire Hindu wedding was enacted with various ceremonies including the sangeet, to give quick ideas to families preparing for a wedding. The conventional items on the showcase included lehengas and sherwanis in a variety of colours, jewellery lines for both brides and grooms, accessories like bracelets, rings and trendy mojris among others. The whole idea was to get a family prepared from head-to-toe for an upcoming wedding.

Bridal Show was organised for the first time in Bangalore. Next year, the organisers are planning to take it to Los Angeles to tap the NRI market. Indeed, the big fat Indian wedding is here to stay.