Y Merina Chishi
Morung Express Feature
The wedding scenario in Nagaland today is more than just getting married. It is an occasion which showcases money and extravagant lifestyles. In all its grandeur, the vows remain the same but on most occasions, weddings have almost ceased to be a private affair; though no one is complaining. And for this very reason that Nagas are spending so much on weddings, tailor-made weddings are the order of the day.
These days, hiring wedding planners is much easier than bringing a busload of relatives from the village to help. A wedding planner is someone who is a good planner, organizer and can take care of the whims and fancies of, on most occasions, the bride, and those of the family during weddings. Their work includes taking care of decorations, arena settings, food and beverages. A wedding planner is supposed to take care of the details of the wedding. So much so, that wedding planning has become a lucrative business in Nagaland and gradually becoming a budding industry.
Nagas these days don’t want to compromise on anything when it comes to showing off their wealth. This has made the wedding planner’s cheque bigger. On an average, it is estimated that a wedding planner can earn up to Rs.3 lakhs for any high profile wedding. The rates vary from one planner to another depending on their reputation and work. On the other hand, for a medium budget wedding, earnings can range anywhere from Rs.50,000 to 80,000. Most wedding planners use their own flowers, decorative items, cutleries, tables and chairs including satin table sheets and ribbons.
In high profile weddings, one planner says, the families want the best of everything and that some rich ones spend upto Rs.1.5 lakhs only on decors. Natural flowers and exotic fruits are borough from Indian cities; wedding dresses are imported. Perfecting the minutes of the weddings is what wedding planners are paid for. The rich want the perfect shades of flowers, ribbons, satins and lightings, she adds and that they can be quite persistent on that.
The wedding scene in Nagaland has definitely changed. One planner in Kohima says that weddings have become very competitive nowadays. Everyone wants to outdo the other, she says. People want what they see in magazines and on television, and such demands have enhanced their profession to another level, she adds.
Even the ‘middle-class’ have started opting for wedding planners. Low budget weddings generally spend very little on decor and more on food, a planner says. Low budget weddings would rather compromise on decorations rather than food. In high-class weddings, appearance steals the show. But the wedding planners are not complaining as income keeps pouring in, whether high or low.
Wedding planning is a promising profession, most planners feel. The younger generation are more concerned about quality rather than quantity, which, they say will make their profession more challenging. Interestingly, some say it is the parents who opt for big weddings while their children would prefer to have a cozy private ceremony. But then, as long as weddings happen, there is work for everyone in this small but lucrative industry.
