Day two of World Events Economy Week (WEEW) 2026 brought together wedding professionals, hospitality leaders, destination experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders at the HITEX Exhibition Centre, reinforcing India’s growing influence in the events and celebrations sector.
As India’s first integrated platform dedicated to the events economy, WEEW 2026 combines three flagship forums under one umbrella: the 5th South India Wedding Planners Congress (SIWPC), India for MICE, and the Creative Economy Conclave.
A key highlight of the day was the panel discussion, “Wed in India: Are We Ready?”, which explored India’s preparedness to become a preferred global wedding destination. The session featured Hari Kishore, who shared insights into government initiatives, infrastructure development, destination readiness, and collaborative efforts aimed at strengthening India’s wedding tourism ecosystem under the “Wed in India” initiative.
Speaking on the occasion, A. Balaram Babu highlighted the growing stature of the SWAAN Awards, noting that the third edition received more than 200 nominations and featured a rigorous evaluation process conducted by an independent jury and overseen by legal experts to ensure transparency.
SWAAN Awards Recognise Industry Excellence
One of the major attractions of Day 2 was the presentation of the SWAAN Awards, which honour excellence, creativity, and innovation across India’s wedding and celebrations industry. This year’s awards attracted more than 150 entries across 35 categories, with winners selected through a structured judging process.
Among the Gold Award winners were:
- Shruthi Jain and Bahanan K. Areeckal for Best Sangeet Event and Best Wedding Event.
- Abhiram Rajan for Best Wedding Photography.
- Deepak Vijay for Best Wedding Videography.
- Siddarth Talwar for DJ of the Year.
- Srivalli Padmanabhini for Best Mehendi Event.
- Jagadeeswari Event Planners for Best Reception Event.
The awards recognised professionals who continue to elevate standards across wedding planning, photography, entertainment, event design, and related services.
With strong participation from wedding planners, destinations, hospitality brands, and industry leaders, SIWPC continues to establish itself as one of India’s most influential platforms for the wedding and celebrations ecosystem.
WEEW 2026 will continue with India for MICE on June 14 before concluding with the Creative Economy Conclave on June 15, bringing together leaders from tourism, business events, media, culture, technology, and the creative industries.
