India's pre-wedding wellness boom

A million-dollar opportunity awaits the beauty industry as weddings become more focused on wellness and self-care

- N. Deepali

"I'd always imagined my pre-wedding days to feel soft, slow, and a little magical—and Udaipur was exactly that. Staying at a The Leela Palace hotel felt like stepping into a painting. I checked in a week before our families arrived for a regimen of skin and wellness therapies. Mornings began with rose-scented steam facials and cold-pressed juices overlooking the lake; afternoons melted into Ayurvedic rituals and silk wraps that left my skin glowing.”

Delhi-based Surabhi Negi had been planning her wedding for over a year, weaving beauty and wellness into every step. Six months before her July wedding, she began salon treatments; the final week was dedicated entirely to eight to ten hours of daily care—yoga, workouts, spa sessions, and Ayurveda massages. “The therapists didn’t just work on my skin—they calmed my nerves, too,” she says. “They used marigold oils and cooling ubtan masks, ending each session with a saffron milk and rose-petal bath.”

Much like Negi, today’s brides and grooms are fuelling India’s booming beauty and wellness industry. Pre-wedding spa, skincare, and wellness therapies—once considered indulgences—now merge science, luxury, and tradition. Across independent salons and luxury hotels, bespoke packages, cutting-edge procedures, and curated rituals promise not only a radiant appearance but emotional calm, turning wedding readiness into a story of self-care.

Wellness as a wedding essential

Paromita Dasgupta, Rooms Division Manager at Sheraton Grand Chennai Resort & Spa, sums it up succinctly: “Self-care is an essential part of wedding preparations, focusing on overall well-being and natural radiance. At Shine Spa, many couples choose customised packages that combine massages, facials, and relaxation rituals to help them de-stress and rejuvenate before their big day.”