Marriage is a relationship of a new life, happiness, respect, and emotional bonding between two families. Celebrations are meant to create memories of joy, not moments of discomfort, humiliation, or pain for the sake of entertainment. The recent viral wedding video from Kashmir has once again raised an important question in society has celebration slowly turned into a performance for cameras and social media attention?
This viral video clip, it shows how the groom is continuously defending himself from excess foam and snow sprays, whereas all other people are laughing and cheering. No one seems to care about his comfort, honour, or even safety. The foam spray has dangerous chemicals, and inhaling it at gatherings will lead to severe health complications. However, what should have been a matter of concern has become a form of entertainment for the public.
This incident has led to different opinions being formed both in Kashmir and outside. On the one hand, some people justified the incident as merely fun behaviour, a new trend, or a playful celebration among youngsters. On the other hand, for many people, this video signified more than just that. The whole idea of humiliation, emotional apathy, and shaming others has become normalized under the pretext of fun.
It is important to understand that this wedding video is not only about one groom or one wedding celebration. This phenomenon represents the bigger picture of social change occurring in society as a whole.
From foam throwing, snow spraying, excessive firecrackers, road shows, loud DJ culture, uncontrolled dancing, and even using individuals as objects of fun, many wedding trends today are increasingly shaped by social media visibility rather than cultural values. Weddings are no longer viewed only as sacred family ceremonies. They are gradually becoming public performances designed for cameras, reels, and instant online reactions.
Sociologists and economists often describe such behaviour as “conspicuous consumption”, the public display of wealth, status, extravagance, and lifestyle to seek social validation or attention. Expensive decorations, luxury convoys, loud celebrations, extravagant entries, staged videos, and dramatic wedding moments are increasingly performed not for emotional meaning but to impress viewers both online and offline.
This transformation raises an important social question: when did weddings stop becoming intimate family occasions and start becoming social media productions?
It is said that Kashmiris have been renowned for their saadgi, sakafat, and taehzeeb since ancient times. Weddings conducted in old Kashmir had much warmth, spirituality, simplicity, nobility, and affection. There was no scarcity of happiness, but there was a sense of balance between all celebrations, which were held with humility and reverence.
Earlier, weddings focused on relationships, blessings, prayers, togetherness, and community bonding. Families gathered not to compete socially, but to participate emotionally. Simplicity was never considered weakness. In fact, simplicity itself reflected dignity and cultural depth.
In today’s times, many festivals are becoming more and more affected by comparison culture. Social media is constantly showing off the luxurious wedding events that take place, starring famous personalities and influencers. Gradually, even common families start being influenced by such trends, without caring about their compatibility with their personal beliefs and traditions.
Social media has brought about swift changes like marriage ceremonies. Marriage has become content that is meant to be recorded on reels and social media videos that go viral. Every minute of the event is well planned to ensure that something interesting goes viral online.
Videos created merely for temporary fame spread across the internet within minutes. Many of these trends cross moral, cultural, and ethical boundaries. What appears entertaining for a few moments online can later become a source of humiliation, regret, or emotional discomfort for those involved.
One of the most concerning aspects of such trends is the disappearance of personal boundaries. In many wedding functions today, individuals are often subjected to embarrassing acts publicly while everyone around laughs or records videos. Sometimes the person involved may remain silent due to social pressure, fear of appearing “boring,” or concern about ruining the mood of the event. Silence, however, should never be mistaken for comfort or consent.
The viral groom video precisely reflects this concern. While the crowd viewed the foam spraying as entertainment, the groom’s body language reflected visible discomfort. He repeatedly attempted to shield himself from the excessive spraying. Yet, instead of stopping, people continued because the moment itself had become a spectacle.
This raises another important question: have people become so accustomed to recording moments that they no longer observe human emotions?
Modern celebrations increasingly prioritize reaction over reflection. A shocking moment gains views. A humiliating act becomes “funny content.” Public discomfort becomes entertainment. Gradually, society begins losing sensitivity toward emotional boundaries.
The problem also revolves around health and safety issues. The chemicals in excessive foam sprays are known to pose respiratory, ocular, and dermatological problems, which become even more problematic in crowded and open places. The firecrackers used in weddings create environmental pollution along with health hazards and inconveniences to the people. The loud sound produced by DJ sets often annoys the old, sick, students, and residents in society.
Despite these consequences, such activities continue because they are socially normalized and digitally rewarded. The more dramatic the content appears, the more likely it is to go viral.
The social media platforms themselves are not to blame. They have contributed greatly to communications, creativity, awareness, education, and connectivity. Some gifted people found their calling on social media. People were kept connected despite the distance. Social problems got their due attention. Small businesses grew through social networking.
This issue arises when social media starts affecting human behaviour in a negative manner. In the competition of getting views and likes, values, dignity, privacy, and even emotional sense are compromised by a lot of people who now focus more on external appreciation than experience.
Wedding ceremonies must always be celebrated as an emotionally significant event in one’s life. The reason being that a wedding is an event wherein two people come together to start their life based on respect, empathy, and understanding towards each other.
An elegant wedding is not defined by noise, extravagance, or viral attention. Elegance lies in warmth, dignity, grace, emotional comfort, and respectful celebration. A beautiful wedding is one where guests feel welcomed, elders feel respected, families feel emotionally connected, and the bride and groom feel safe and valued.
Unfortunately, in the current celebration culture, entertainment tends to be confused with humiliating activities. The society needs to distinguish between tafreeh and tazleel. Enjoyment should never be at the expense of making anyone feel embarrassed, insecure, shameful, or emotional.
Humiliation masquerading as celebration has lasting effects on the emotions of those involved. It might appear that many people are laughing while inwardly they are very uncomfortable or distressed. Social pressure within any gathering makes one unable to express feelings of embarrassment. At weddings, when there is much public focus, people tend to endure such embarrassing moments just to avoid confrontation.
It is also notable that weddings have become more commercialized and competitive in nature. Most families feel obliged to spend money way above their means so as not to look poor in the eyes of others or receive condemnation for such actions.
This competitive mindset damages the original spirit of marriage. Weddings become less about emotional union and more about public display. Families experiencing financial pressure may even enter debt to organize socially “acceptable” ceremonies.
Kashmir, known historically for emotional depth, hospitality, and cultural dignity, now stands at a social crossroads. On one side exists tradition, simplicity, and community warmth. On the other side exists digital pressure, performative culture, and increasing obsession with visibility.
The challenge is not modernization itself. Societies naturally evolve with time. Technology, creativity, and changing lifestyles are all part of modern life. The real concern is whether modernization should come at the cost of dignity, culture, and emotional sensitivity.
True progress is not measured by louder celebrations, expensive spectacles, or viral popularity. True progress reflects maturity, empathy, awareness, responsibility, and balance between modernity and values.
Many elders often express concern that younger generations are gradually drifting away from cultural restraints and social humility. While every generation adopts new trends, preserving the moral and emotional foundation of society remains essential. Traditions evolve, yet values such as respect, dignity, and compassion should never disappear.
The viral wedding footage is an exact example of the above point of view. Although the crowd found the foam to be fun, the body language of the groom showed his discomfort clearly. He tried multiple times to protect himself from the excessive use of foam. But despite all this, it went on because the situation itself was amusing.
Another very important question is, has the practice of filming moments taken away all human emotions from us?
Are people celebrating happiness, or performing happiness for social approval?
Are cultural values being preserved, or gradually replaced by temporary online trends?
These questions deserve serious reflection, especially in a society deeply rooted in emotional and cultural identity.
Social media fame remains temporary. Viral videos disappear within days as new trends replace old ones. Yet, the emotional impact of humiliation, embarrassment, or disrespect can remain with individuals for years. Recorded moments shared publicly also create permanent digital footprints that people may later regret.
In our weddings, where mothers, sisters, daughters, elders, and families gather together, there should always remain a sense of honour, privacy, modesty, and ehteraam. Every moment does not need to be exposed publicly for validation from strangers online.
A society becomes emotionally healthy when it values human dignity over temporary entertainment. Celebrations should strengthen relationships, spread happiness, and create peaceful memories. They should never become platforms where people sacrifice emotional comfort for public amusement.
Kashmir’s identity has always been deeply connected with grace, simplicity, hospitality, and respect. Preserving these values in changing times is not backwardness; rather, it reflects cultural maturity and social consciousness.
The question therefore remains: are we organizing weddings to build blessings, love, and lifelong memories, or merely to impress society and attract online attention?
Before following every trend, before recording every moment, and before turning people into objects of entertainment, society must pause and think carefully about the emotional, cultural, and moral consequences of its actions.
Because in the end, celebrations that protect dignity are remembered with respect, while celebrations built upon humiliation eventually reveal the emptiness behind the noise.
About the Author: Shoiab Mohmmad Bhat is a writer, social educator and researcher from Baramulla, holds a master’s in Gender Studies and a BED. He writes on social issues, education, and gender perspectives, promoting awareness and positive change.
shoaibhat2018@gmail.com
