Abhirath Shah explains how modern weddings are becoming immersive experiences
ANS Weddings, led by Abhirath Nirmohi Shah, approaches celebrations as wedding management, with a focus on hospitality, logistics, vendor coordination, and execution. Shah began in gigs and artist management, launched ANS Entertainment in 2017, and moved into weddings after handling a wedding in 2016.
Since then, he has managed celebrations across Mumbai and international venues, with experience in décor, F&B, travel, licensing, and on-ground coordination. He shares what is shaping the wedding mood in 2026.
“If I had to describe 2026 weddings in one sentence, I’d say they’re becoming far more personal and far less performative. Couples still love scale and spectacle, but the shift is in what they value.
Abhirath Nirmohi Shah then continued by saying, “Instead of asking, ‘How grand can this look?’ they’re asking, ‘How do we want this to feel?’ Weddings are being designed around atmosphere, emotion, and guest experience rather than only visual impact. Couples are also breaking format more confidently, mixing traditions, rewriting timelines, and moving away from fixed templates.”
He then added, “There is a stronger focus on comfort and flow, too, where celebrations feel luxurious but effortless. That, for us, is the most exciting evolution. Weddings are becoming experiences rather than productions.”
“What we are seeing is a mood rather than a rigid aesthetic. Couples are gravitating towards spaces that feel elegant, intentional, and emotionally warm, with softer palettes, layered textures, and cinematic lighting. Clean design is popular, but nobody wants it to feel cold, so even minimal setups need depth through materials, florals, and light. At the same time, we avoid treating trends too literally.”
He then added, “A wedding should not feel borrowed from Pinterest. Our starting point is always the couple and the energy they naturally bring. For some, understated elegance feels right; for others, colour and visual richness feel more authentic. The goal is not trend-following, but translating personality into space.”
“I believe food has become one of the most exciting creative areas in weddings because guests remember what they eat and drink as much as what they see. Couples are more adventurous now, open to playful contrasts, unexpected formats, and menus that spark curiosity. We are seeing global influences blend with familiar flavours in ways that feel fun rather than forced.”
He further added, “Interactive formats are especially popular, including live counters, tasting-style service, late-night comfort food, and small plates that create movement and energy. Beverage experiences are equally expressive, with signature cocktails tied to the couple’s story becoming a favourite feature. We also enjoy ‘nostalgia with a twist,’ like Parle-G with vanilla ice cream or a tequila cocktail with Mango Bite, because those details feel emotional and memorable.”
“One wedding that stays with us was Raghav & Simran, celebrated across Delhi, Mathura, and Mumbai over 25 days. It was not the biggest wedding, but one of the most cohesive and emotionally charged. The couple wanted something immersive without excess and cared deeply about guest experience: how spaces felt, how transitions worked, and how the mood evolved.”
Every function had its own identity, yet nothing felt disconnected. Lighting, supported by our light engineer, played a major role in shaping rhythm and flow. What stayed with us most was the guest response. People did not only compliment the décor; they spoke about the atmosphere and the food. It reminded us that weddings are really about orchestrating emotions.
“I think bridal fashion has become wonderfully personal. Couples are no longer choosing outfits only for grandeur or expectation; they are thinking about comfort, identity, and emotional significance. Heirloom references, handcrafted textiles, and subtle personalisation often matter more than obvious opulence.”
He then added, “We also love seeing how confidently people reinterpret tradition through both clothing and jewellery, where classic silhouettes sit comfortably alongside unconventional choices. The most memorable looks are not always the most elaborate. They are the ones that genuinely feel like an extension of the person wearing them.”
The planner’s personal imprint
“If there is one thing that defines our work, it is our obsession with how a wedding feels, not only how it looks. We focus deeply on family, flow, and atmosphere. Beautiful décor matters, but design becomes powerful only when it shapes experience: how guests move, how moments unfold, and how energy builds across events.”
He continued by saying, “We also make a conscious effort to balance both sides of the family evenly. Whether the celebration is intimate or large-scale, we prefer to become part of the family while planning it. We believe luxury does not always need to announce itself loudly. At the end of the day, our goal is to create celebrations that feel deeply personal and comfortable, and that people remember emotionally, not only visually.”
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