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Journalism of Courage
When I was busy researching for this story, I’d shared the idea with a friend of mine. Their immediate response? “Don’t tell me this is an actual thing!” Weddings today aren’t just about traditional rituals and saat pheras. They’ve transformed into multi-day celebrations filled with travel, late nights, indulgent meals, and non-stop socialising. Modern-day brides and grooms are becoming increasingly wellness-focused, prioritising guest comfort and recovery over anything else. And intravenous (IV) drips, once restricted to hospitals and medical clinics, are now appearing on wedding mood boards—as hangover cures or instant glow bars.
Remember Alanna Pandey’s mehendi ceremony? The highlight of her pastel-hued celebration was an IV infusion bar, reviving guests back to the pink of their health. If matcha bars and yoga sessions are considered fair game, why should a needle delivering antioxidants into our veins be left behind? An Indian wedding has gone viral online for doing just that. Instead of walking over to an IV therapy clinic, they brought the clinic to their wedding!
An Instagram reel uploaded by a leading Delhi skin clinic, Skulpted by Kan, shows an IV drip station next to the swimming pool, with wedding celebrations continuing in the background. “POV: You’re at a destination wedding…and instead of nimbu paani, there’s a legit IV bar next to the poolside 😭🔥If you’re hosting in 2025…this is a flex that actually helps people,” they mentioned in the caption of their post.
While the founders came from a good place, the internet was not so kind, raising medical safety concerns as well as highlighting a rising shift from the tradition and culture of Indian weddings. Indianexpress.com spoke to industry and medical experts to find out whether this wedding trend is just a gimmick or here to stay.
Dr Harsimran Kaur, Medical Advisor and Consultant Dermatologist, Kaya Limited, explained that IV drip therapy involves placing a small cannula into a vein and delivering a tailored blend of fluids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and electrolytes directly into the bloodstream. This bypasses the digestive system, allowing faster, more predictable absorption than oral supplements.
“Unlike a facial or a sheet mask, IV therapy is invasive and systemic: every ingredient goes straight into circulation and reaches vital organs. That is why, in a clinical setting, it is always preceded by a detailed medical history, appropriate checks where needed, and clear documentation of what is being infused, at what rate and for what indication,” she shared.
Subbarayudu Chinthakommadinne, co-founder, Nimativ Wellness and IV Therapy Clinic, Bengaluru, believes an IV drip station at weddings offers a quick and effective wellness solution, helping people feel refreshed, energised, and camera-ready throughout the festivities.
According to him, a regular on-site IV experience includes:
According to Dr Kaur, IV drips can be considered medically safe when three non‑negotiables are met: proper patient selection, the correct formulation, and an appropriate environment.
“In healthy adults, under the supervision of qualified doctors and trained nurses, using sterile, single‑use consumables and evidence‑based dosages, the risk profile is generally low, and side effects are usually mild and short‑lived,” she said.
However, that does not mean zero risk.
Even in ideal conditions, Dr Kaur said that local irritation at the insertion site, bruising, or transient discomfort may occur. “More serious complications–such as infection, vein inflammation, allergic reactions, fluid overload or electrolyte imbalance—are rare but real, and are the reason IV drips must never be treated like a beauty beverage,” she said.
The same IV that feels like a wellness boost in a clinic can become unsafe if done on the wrong person, at the wrong speed, in the wrong setting.
Dr Mikki Singh, head dermatologist at Bodycraft Clinic, agreed with Dr Kaur. “In crowded party environments, lapses in sterility, rushed cannulation, reuse or mishandling of equipment, and poor documentation can raise the risk of infection,” Dr Singh said.
“Safety is our highest priority. All IV drips at Nimativ Wellness are administered under strict medical protocols,” said Chinthakommadinne. Their team ensures safety through pre-procedure medical screening for every guest, only using registered nurses and doctors trained in IV therapy, sterile, single-use medical consumables. “Emergency-response readiness and on-site monitoring, along with WHO-approved formulations sourced from accredited pharmacies, make sure there is strict adherence to infection-control standards,” he added.
“IV drip station packages typically start from ₹45,000–₹1,20,000, depending on the number of guests, duration of service, custom IV menu and location and scale of events. Individual drips range from ₹3,500–₹12,000 depending on the formulation,” said Chinthakommadinne.
Dr Singh added that wedding‑focused providers usually charge per guest and often require a minimum booking (for example, 30 drips per event), so a station can easily run ₹70,000–₹1.5 lakh or more once logistics and staffing are included.
Dr Kaur advised guests to treat a wedding‑time IV drip like any other medical decision, not a social obligation or photo-op. Before agreeing, it helps to pause and ask:
“If any of these answers are unclear, it is safer to skip the drip, prioritise water, balanced food, paced alcohol intake and rest, and if needed, schedule IV therapy later in a proper clinical setting,” she said.
For couples and planners, IV bars might feel like the following “wow” element after gourmet cocktails and oxygen bars. Dr Kaur believes that once needles, veins and intravenously delivered drugs enter the picture, you are no longer just curating an experience—you are implicitly associated with a medical intervention. With that comes responsibility.
“Responsible hosting means partnering only with licensed medical teams who can share credentials, protocols and emergency preparedness upfront. It means accepting that a legitimate provider will turn guests away if they are not suitable candidates, will not push high‑dose or fairness‑linked formulations, and will insist on maintaining a mini‑clinic environment within the venue instead of setting up next to the DJ console,” Dr Kaur concluded.
Celebrations can be experimental, but healthcare should remain conservative. Enjoy the music, the food, the outfits and the photos—but let any needle that enters your vein be guided by science, ethics and medical expertise, not by what is trending on social media this season.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
