From Instagram to Good Morning America: Celebrating South Asian fusion weddings on a national stage
From Instagram to Good Morning America:
CELEBRATING SOUTH ASIAN FUSION WEDDINGS ON A NATIONAL STAGE
When we started The Marigold Company nearly a decade ago, our mission was simple: help couples honor their cultures, celebrate their love stories, and create wedding experiences that feel authentically theirs.
This spring, that mission reached a national audience when Good Morning America approached our founder, Vidhi, to contribute to a special segment about the growing popularity of South Asian fusion weddings during Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.
For our team, it was an exciting moment—not just because of the platform, but because it represented something much larger. It signaled a growing recognition of the beauty, diversity, and significance of multicultural celebrations in modern America.
HOW IT STARTED
In mid-May, we received an email from GMA producer Isha Battu.
She had discovered Vidhi through Instagram and was immediately drawn to the way she spoke about weddings, culture, and the meaning behind celebrations. As someone producing a segment focused on South Asian fusion weddings, Isha was looking for an expert who could help viewers understand why these weddings have become increasingly popular and meaningful.
What made the opportunity even more special was that both Isha and the segment’s correspondent, Ashan Singh, were planning fusion weddings of their own.
Their curiosity wasn’t simply professional—it was personal.
Before Ashan and his fiancée shared details about their own upcoming wedding live on-air, the production team wanted to create a foundational piece that explored the world of fusion weddings through the lens of an experienced planner.
They wanted to understand:
- Why are fusion weddings becoming more popular?
- What makes them so special?
- How does each wedding tell a couple’s unique story?
- How do couples navigate the many traditions, customs, and rituals available within South Asian cultures?
These questions sit at the heart of what we do every day.
THE RISE OF SOUTH ASIAN FUSION WEDDINGS
The reality is that “South Asian wedding” is not a single experience. South Asia encompasses multiple countries, languages, religions, regions, and traditions. Even within the same country, customs can vary dramatically from one family to another.
When couples begin planning a fusion wedding, they aren’t simply combining two cultures. They’re often blending generations of family history, personal values, modern lifestyles, and unique identities into one cohesive celebration.
Today’s couples are increasingly looking beyond tradition for tradition’s sake. Instead, they’re asking deeper questions:
What feels meaningful to us? What parts of our heritage do we want to honor? What story do we want our wedding to tell?
This shift has transformed the wedding planning process from one centered solely on expectations to one centered on intentionality. Fusion weddings give couples permission to create something entirely their own.
EVERY WEDDING TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY
One of the points Vidhi shared with the Good Morning America team is that no two fusion weddings are ever alike.
That’s because no two couples are alike.
Some couples choose to blend religious ceremonies. Others incorporate cultural traditions through music, attire, food, or decor. Some families participate in multi-day celebrations that honor both backgrounds equally, while others selectively incorporate rituals that resonate most deeply with them.
The goal isn’t to check every cultural box. The goal is to create a celebration that feels authentic.
As planners, we often remind couples that their wedding is not a performance. It is a reflection of their story. When decisions are rooted in meaning rather than obligation, the result is almost always more impactful.
THOUGHTFUL DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN EXPENSIVE
One aspect of the conversation that particularly resonated with us was Good Morning America’s desire to showcase accessible and relatable examples.
As Isha shared in her email:
“Because we want our viewers to be able to relate to our piece, we’d also like to talk about thoughtful ways to integrate culture that don’t necessarily entail a big splurge.”
We loved this perspective because it aligns with something we frequently tell our couples: meaningful cultural representation doesn’t require an unlimited budget.
In today’s wedding industry, social media often highlights extravagant celebrations and luxury experiences. While those weddings can be beautiful, they don’t represent the only way to honor culture.
Some of the most powerful cultural moments we’ve witnessed have been surprisingly simple.
THE IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTATION
What made this opportunity particularly meaningful was the chance to share a more nuanced understanding of South Asian weddings with a mainstream audience.
For years, many people have associated South Asian weddings primarily with grandeur, large guest counts, and lavish celebrations. While those elements certainly exist, they only tell part of the story.
At their core, South Asian weddings are about family, community, tradition, and connection. Fusion weddings build on that foundation while creating space for modern identities and multicultural experiences.
By featuring these stories during AANHPI Heritage Month, Good Morning America helped showcase the diversity that exists not only between cultures, but within them.
Representation matters because it allows people to see themselves reflected in stories that may have previously felt out of reach. For multicultural couples navigating wedding planning, seeing their experiences acknowledged on a national platform can be incredibly validating.
THE MOMENT IT BECAME REAL
After weeks of conversations, gathering wedding imagery, coordinating permissions, and sharing insights with the production team, the segment officially aired on May 29.
Like many of the couples we work with, Vidhi found herself experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime moment surrounded by the people she loves most.
As the segment went live, she watched from home alongside her family, seeing years of hard work, passion, and dedication reflected on one of the country’s most recognized morning shows.
It was an emotional experience.
For nearly a decade, Vidhi has dedicated her career to helping couples navigate the complexities and beauty of multicultural celebrations. To see those conversations elevated to a national platform—and to hear the importance of South Asian fusion weddings discussed with such care and thoughtfulness—was incredibly meaningful.
Almost immediately, messages began pouring in from friends, family members, industry peers, past clients, and fellow wedding professionals. Text messages, social media comments, emails, and phone calls filled the day with congratulations and words of encouragement.
Many people shared how proud they were to see her expertise recognized on such a large stage. Others expressed gratitude for seeing South Asian and multicultural weddings represented in a way that felt authentic, relatable, and inclusive.
While being featured on national television was certainly exciting, what made the moment truly special was the overwhelming sense of community behind it.
It served as a reminder that The Marigold Company has never simply been about planning weddings. It’s about creating meaningful experiences, preserving cultural traditions, and helping couples tell their stories in a way that feels true to who they are.
Watching the segment alongside her family on May 29 was a full-circle moment—one filled with gratitude, pride, and a renewed appreciation for the incredible couples and communities that have trusted The Marigold Company over the years.
A PROUD MOMENT FOR THE MARIGOLD COMPANY
Being approached by Good Morning America was an incredible honor.
Not because it validated our work—we’ve always believed deeply in the value of multicultural celebrations—but because it provided an opportunity to elevate the conversations we’ve been having with couples for years.
Every day, we witness the beauty that emerges when couples feel empowered to define tradition for themselves.
We see families come together across cultures. We see guests learn about customs they’ve never experienced before. We see couples create celebrations that feel deeply personal while honoring the generations that came before them.
Those are the stories worth telling.
And we’re grateful to Good Morning America, producer Isha Battu, correspondent Ashan Singh, and the entire production team for helping bring those stories to a national audience.
As fusion weddings continue to evolve, one thing remains true: The most memorable celebrations aren’t about following a formula. They’re about creating a wedding that feels unmistakably, authentically yours. And that’s a story worth celebrating.
