What comes to mind when you think of a big fat Indian wedding?

Dazzling lights, glittering outfits, Bollywood hits, a lavish spread of food and an atmosphere soaked in celebration. Everything feels extravagant, emotional and larger than life.

Now imagine all of that without the bride and groom. No pheras (a Hindu marriage ritual where the couple takes seven rounds around a sacred fire), no relatives, no tearful farewells. Just the party.

Welcome to the world of fake weddings - a rising trend in Indian cities where people gather to enjoy the wedding party, minus the actual marriage.

These ticketed events, organised by hotels, clubs and companies, are designed purely for fun and promise to offer the full experience of a wedding party without any stress, rituals or responsibilities. Simply put, it's a wedding-themed party night.

Over the past few weeks, fake weddings have been making a splash in big cities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The attendees are usually young people looking to enjoy a night out with friends, indulging in the drama and fun of a traditional Indian wedding without the attendant pressures.

Last week, we attended one such curated event in Delhi - a fake sangeet (a sangeet is a night of music and dance usually held a few days before the wedding).

At the event, held at a plush club, the vibe was electric: women twirled in sequinned saris and lehengas (long skirts and blouses), men showed up in tailored kurtas and ethnic jackets. A traditional dhol drummer led the crowd to the dance floor and tequila-filled gol gappas (a popular Indian street snack) made the rounds.

Shivangi Sareen, who attended an event like this for the first time, found it "amazing".

"At family weddings, there's so much pressure - the rules around dressing up, the judgement [from relatives]. But here, it's just fun," she said. "Especially because we got to do it all with our friends. We decided our outfits the day before and got ready together."

Ticket prices typically start at around 1,500 rupees ($17; £13) and can go up to 15,000 rupees or more, depending on the venue and facilities. Shivangi and her friends paid 10,000 rupees per couple to attend.

"I wouldn't mind spending this once a month. The whole........

© BBC