Kolkata is witnessing a frenzied and expensive wedding season, with a desperate scramble for 'auspicious dates' leading to a sharp spike in the cost of venues and related services. The high demand, compressed into a short window, has made this one of the busiest and most profitable periods for the city's wedding industry in recent years.
The Auspicious Date Crunch and the Poush Effect
The primary driver of this rush is a preference for weekend dates for convenience, combined with a traditional pause during the inauspicious month of Poush. Poush began on December 22, leading families to avoid scheduling weddings during this period. "Once Poush starts, families avoid scheduling weddings, as it is not considered an auspicious period," explained Sankha Mukherjee, a priest from Kalighat. This has created a compressed calendar, with the season resuming in the third week of January and continuing through February.
Soaring Demand and Stretched Service Providers
The short, high-demand window has left every segment of the wedding industry overwhelmed. Raj Jaiswal of Wedding Sutra Event Management Pvt Ltd in Rajarhat reported a sharp surge in demand, with his company "swamped with bookings." From banquet halls and caterers to photographers and decorators, every service is fully booked.
Event managers and photographers are juggling multiple assignments daily. "I had to split my team for multiple assignments in a single day," shared a wedding photographer. Couples planning ahead also faced hurdles. Priyanka and Aniket Chatterjee, who married in December, contacted eight venues before securing one, and only on a weekday at a premium rate. Caterers like Amit Saha from Jodhpur Park are handling two to three weddings per day.
A Multi-Crore Business Boom
The economic impact of this season is substantial. According to estimates from the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations, the current wedding season from November 2025 to March 2026 is projected to generate between Rs 55,000 crore and Rs 60,000 crore in business for the state, led by Kolkata.
The spending breakdown per wedding is significant:
- Jewellery and trousseau account for about 30% of spending.
- Hospitality, venues, catering, and food together represent nearly 25%.
- Garments make up around 15%.
"We saw a very strong festive season and now the momentum carried over into weddings. Jewellery, garments, and event services are all witnessing brisk business," said Sushil Poddar, president of the Confederation. Supporting sectors like photography, floristry, and logistics are also thriving, with professionals working non-stop during peak days.
