The beginning of November brings a familiar shift in the air. The breeze turns cooler, the year inches closer to Christmas, and wedding season officially kicks off. Yes, it's that time again when your best traditional outfits come out of the wardrobe and your weekends are booked with back-to-back shaadis.

If reports are to be believed, India's 45-day wedding season starting November 1 is set to be massive, with an estimated 46 lakh weddings expected to generate Rs 6.5 lakh crore in spending.

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So, who among your family and friends is tying the knot this year? Or maybe it's your big moment? Wedding season always arrives with its own kind of excitement; the music, the energy, the emotions, and of course, the fashion. From sangeet choreography to picture-perfect outfits, everything needs to be just right.

To help you prepare, we spoke to industry experts to decode what to expect this wedding season.

The jewellery game

Chaitanya V Cotha, executive director, C Krishniah Chetty Group, feels that jewellery will be contributing nearly half of the total spend this year, and despite bullion volatility, couples are investing more in meaningful heirloom pieces rather than purely ornamental sets.

Cotha feels that lab-grown diamonds are going big this year with gender-fluid jewellery on the rise. "Nearly one in five urban grooms now buys pieces for himself, from diamond bands to minimalist bracelets," he tells India Today.

As for design, it is all about lightweight modular. Convertible necklaces, detachable earrings, and travel-friendly sets are replacing heavy traditional jewellery.

To this, Priyanka Jawahar Noria, COO, Estele, adds that this wedding season is all about celebrating individuality with a mix of old and new. "Brides are choosing elegant polki and kundan pieces, but in more modern styles.