Weddings go on a diet as slowdown bites

Worth up to $50 billion a year, the industry in India is feeling the pinch

MUMBAI－India's weddings are famously lavish－lasting days and with hundreds if not thousands of guests－but this season many families are cutting costs even if it risks their social standing.

It is symptomatic of a sharp slowdown in the world's fifth-largest economy, with Indians spending less on everything from daily essentials to once-in-a-lifetime celebrations.

Growth has hit a six-year low and unemployment a four-decade high under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prices are rising too, squeezing spending on everything from shampoo to mobile data.