Opening session highlights temples as soulful, sustainable wedding destinations aligned with India’s cultural and economic vision
Mumbai, 24th September 2025: Marriage is the union of two souls, while temples signify the union of man with the divine. When these meet, heritage is not only preserved but reborn. This sentiment defined the opening session “Sacred Backdrops, Soulful Vows” at the International Congress for Wedding Futures (ICWF) 2025, Asia’s largest and most influential congregation for the global wedding fraternity.
The three-day convention, a premier think-tank for the business of weddings for over a decade, brought together visionaries, policymakers, and creative leaders to reimagine the future of weddings in India. The inaugural panel featured Shri Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect and ITCX; Shri Chetan Vohra, Co-Founder of Wedding Line; Tanuja Pandey, Advisor & Steering Committee Member, Department of Tourism, Maharashtra; and Rakhi Kankariya of Rachnostav Weddings. The session was moderated by Roshan Abbas.
Shri Kulkarni called on the fraternity to embrace temple towns as cultural and spiritual wedding destinations. “My pitch at ICWF 2025 was simple: Make temple towns epicentres for sustainable and spiritual wedding experiences. Millennials and Gen Z couples are increasingly drawn to temples for weddings that feel inherently meaningful. While European castles sell history, Indian temples embody both history and spirituality,” he said.
The message resonated strongly with the industry, aligning seamlessly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Wed in India” campaign. Kulkarni also highlighted the vast economic opportunity in temple-town weddings, which can benefit tourism, hospitality, logistics, and civic infrastructure while blending tradition with modern convenience.
The panel echoed these views, emphasizing temples as custodians of India’s cultural and spiritual heritage and untapped hubs for authentic luxury wedding experiences.
ICWF’s Legacy and Leadership
For over a decade, ICWF has served as the premier platform for organizing and streamlining the global wedding business, driving conversations on policy, sustainability, and innovation.
At the forefront is Samit Garg, Co-founder of ICWF and President of the Events and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA). Garg has been instrumental in advocating enabling policies, including opening temple economies and complexes as venues for wedding rituals. “The wedding industry is not just about grandeur; it is about cultural authenticity, tourism, and heritage preservation. Temple weddings can become symbols of India’s soft power in the world,” he said.
A Defining Moment for ‘Wed in India’
The session spotlighted India’s temples as unique alternatives to overseas palaces and castles, combining blessings, heritage, and spiritual resonance. The overwhelming response at ICWF 2025 reinforced that temple weddings represent not just a trend but a cultural and economic movement.
As ICWF continues to shape the wedding industry’s future, temple towns are poised to become epicentres of heritage-led, sustainable, and spiritually rich celebrations—where unions transcend into alignments with tradition, community, and the divine.
About ICWF
The International Congress for Wedding Futures (ICWF) is Asia’s foremost wedding industry convention, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and creative visionaries. For over a decade, it has shaped discourse around innovation, sustainability, and policy in weddings, serving as the authoritative think-tank for the business of celebrations.
