New Delhi, November 22, 2025: What started as a wellness fad in upscale salons has now infiltrated the most unexpected venue: wedding celebrations. Imagine this, between the champagne toasts and dance floor, guests are lining up not for another cocktail, but for an intravenous drip of vitamins and electrolytes.
Marketed as the ultimate cure for hangovers, fatigue, and even to enhance that so-called wedding glow, "IV drip bars" have become the new must-have luxury at high-end weddings.
But behind the Instagram-worthy aesthetic of these mobile IV stations lies a concerning medical reality.
Wedding fantasies have evolved dramatically over the years. Yesterday's exotic dishes and fish tank massages have given way to something that blurs the line between celebration and clinical setting.
Guests who are seeking to feel their best are potentially exposing themselves to serious health risks in an environment ill-equipped to handle medical emergencies.
Dr. Parul M Sharma, an eye surgeon, didn't mince words when she described the trend as "DUMB & horrifying." She shared a sobering anecdote: a colleague who landed in a coma after receiving a multivitamin injection, saved only because the incident occurred in a hospital with immediate access to emergency care.
The message is clear: even the safest medical settings can trigger life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in susceptible individuals.
Dr. Sidhaant Nangia, known as TheLungDoctor on social media, outlined the primary dangers through his X (formerly, twitter) post that includes:
Infection from the cannula site
Air embolism: (air in the veins causing stroke)
Vitamin toxicity
Research from a tertiary care hospital in Kerala supports these concerns. In a study analyzing 262 adverse drug reactions (ADRs), the intravenous route was the most common culprit, accounting for nearly 60% of cases. The majority of affected patients were females, and the study emphasized that any medication can produce unintended and potentially serious effects alongside its benefits.
An adverse drug reaction (ADR) is an unintended, harmful response to a medicine that occurs at therapeutic doses and can range from mild (like nausea) to severe (like organ failure).
Obtaining IV access might appear routine, but it's a medical procedure with genuine complications that are often underestimated. A comprehensive study1 on local complications of intravenous access revealed critical insights that should give pause to anyone considering a non-medical IV drip service like the one happening at these weddings.
The research identified high-risk groups requiring careful monitoring: females, diabetics, smokers, obese individuals, and those undergoing major procedures. Key recommendations included:
Maintaining strict aseptic technique
Changing IV catheters every three days, even without visible complications
Avoiding placement over joints
Ensuring trained medical personnel perform the procedure
According to Dr. Sandy Wang from the University of Rochester Medical Center, the answer is surprisingly ambiguous: maybe.
While IV drips containing fluids, electrolytes, vitamins, and medications can help rehydrate the body and ease symptoms like nausea and headaches, they're not always necessary or even recommended. IV fluids should typically be reserved for patients who cannot keep anything down orally, particularly water.
More concerning, Dr. Wang notes that bloodwork should be checked before administering IV fluids, as they can be dangerous for some patients. In fact, starting IV fluids unnecessarily can prolong hospital and emergency room stays.
The simpler solution? Drink plenty of fluids including water, electrolyte beverages, broth until your urine runs clear. It's less glamorous, certainly, but far safer and more practical.
A recent comprehensive review published,2 examined the scientific basis for IV vitamin therapy. While several anecdotal reports suggest subjective improvements in energy levels, mental clarity, and recovery from dehydration or fatigue. But the effectiveness and safety of IV vitamin therapy as a general wellness tool for healthy individuals remain uncertain.
The scientific evidence is limited and largely anecdotal. The review called for rigorous long-term clinical trials to evaluate safety, sustained efficacy, optimal dosages, and to distinguish genuine physiological benefits from placebo effects. Until such research exists, the expansion of IV vitamin therapy into wellness markets warrants critical assessment.
Nutrition and Exercise Coach Somesh Pal captured the absurdity perfectly: "Never imagined weddings will become a medical event."
Dr. Aniruddh Mishra offered a balanced perspective: "While those IV drip bars at weddings look luxurious, let's keep it real: oral hydration (like drinking water or electrolytes) is enough for most hangovers. Save the IV stuff for serious dehydration situations and only in a proper healthcare setting to dodge risks!"
His advice underscores a fundamental principle of medical care: just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be, especially when safer alternatives exist.
Adverse drug reactions rank as the sixth leading cause of death among hospitalized patients. This statistic alone should give pause to anyone considering IV therapy in an uncontrolled environment for non-medical purposes.
Weddings are meant to be joyous celebrations, not venues for unnecessary medical procedures. The allure of a quick fix for hangovers or fatigue is understandable, but the risks far outweigh any perceived benefits particularly when administered by potentially unqualified personnel in non-medical settings without proper emergency equipment or protocols.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this trend is the normalization of medical procedures as luxury amenities.
Medical treatments belong in medical settings. When luxury trends blur that boundary, safety becomes the real casualty.
Disclaimer: This article is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions related to medical treatments or procedures.
1. Chaudhary MK, Dhakaita SK, Ray R, Baruah TD. Local complications of intravenous access - an often underestimated entity. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(12):6073-6077. Published 2020 Dec 31. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1649_20
2. Alangari A. To IV or Not to IV: The Science Behind Intravenous Vitamin Therapy. Cureus. 2025;17(6):e86527. Published 2025 Jun 22. doi:10.7759/cureus.86527
(Rh/VK/MSM)