Every year, we see a new trend in the wedding business, whether it is medifacials or facelifts. This year, the wedding trend has taken a completely new level with weight loss injections.
Mounjaro bridal packages are now a trend in the urban cities of India, where brides-to-be and grooms (sometimes) are getting injections to lose those extra pounds and look more snatched before D-day.
For generations, everyone has wanted a slim, fair bride, and when the rishtas approach, they first check how a girl looks rather than how educated she is. Their taunts, negative comments, and continuous fat shaming have always been painful for that girl, who loses her confidence with every rejection. So, to boost their confidence, they try to lose weight in any possible way.
Earlier, it was through rigorous dieting or excessive gymming, and some of the negative outcomes of these fast weight loss trends have already resulted in people losing their lives.
This time, many brides-to-be are opting for these medical weight loss injections. Doctors have noticed the sudden rise in queries with the approaching wedding season.
Brides-to-be are visiting aesthetic clinics and directly asking for the weight-loss injection. Their questions are no longer about the safety; rather, they want to know, "How fast can they lose weight?" “Is it possible before the wedding?" "Are they too late for the treatment?"
The belief of these “Mounjaro Brides” is simple: that they will feel confident only when they lose some weight. This reflects a broader sociocultural association between body image and self-worth, which has been documented in body image research.
Many specialists report that a large number of patients seeking obesity treatments are couples whose work demands fixed timelines. While doctors acknowledge this growing demand, they continue to emphasise that such treatments should be prescribed only when medically necessary and not simply for cosmetic reasons.
This raises serious concerns not just about their physical health but also their mental health. Body image dissatisfaction can significantly impact psychological well-being and decision-making related to health.
GLP-1 drugs (Tirzepetide) such as Mounjaro or Ozempic are drugs approved by the US FDA for type-2 diabetes (blood sugar control), and they also lead to weight loss. Tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist that enhances insulin secretion and reduces appetite.
Later, on March 20, 2025, Eli Lilly launched this drug in India for diabetes and weight loss.
In India, tirzepatide is a prescription-only medication, and its use should be strictly supervised by a qualified medical professional. Off-label use for purely cosmetic weight loss remains a concern among healthcare experts.¹
This is a weekly injection regimen where the patient usually starts with a lower dosage, and the dose is increased gradually for steady and lasting weight reduction.
These drugs reduce appetite and prolong the feeling of fullness, which contributes to reduced caloric intake and weight loss.
Clinical studies suggest that meaningful weight loss with these medications occurs gradually over several weeks to months, not within a few days or weeks, making them unsuitable for last-minute aesthetic goals.²
The fast weight loss may be coming at the cost of poor health and serious side effects.
People opting for these weight loss drugs commonly show side effects like constipation, dry mouth, belly pain and hair loss. Clinical trials have reported gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea as the most common adverse effects.
Studies have also shown that, in rare cases, it may also lead to some serious side effects such as acute kidney failure, acute pancreatitis (severe swelling and irritation of the pancreas), allergic reactions at the injection site, nervousness and tremors, which may affect the overall health of a person. These risks are relatively uncommon but clinically significant and require medical supervision.
These are new drugs and are still under study and do not address the root causes of weight gain, like lifestyle, eating habits, sleep, and metabolic conditions.Simran Agarwal, an ISSA and NESTA-certified Dietician, Jaipur
While often well tolerated, these medications are not risk-free and require careful patient selection and monitoring.¹
These medications are typically indicated for individuals with type 2 diabetes or those with obesity defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or 27 or higher with associated comorbidities, and should not be used without proper medical evaluation.
Studies have also shown that discontinuation of these medications may lead to weight regain, especially if lifestyle changes are not maintained.³
Still, many doctors from big cities are offering these packages to their brides for faster results. They are promoting it as a safe and surgery-free procedure for weight loss. Some experts have raised concerns that aggressive marketing strategies may influence individuals with body image concerns to opt for these treatments without fully understanding the risks.
Even some celebrities are openly sharing their experiences about Ozempic and Mounjaro on different social media platforms without any credibility. Public discussions on social media platforms may sometimes lack adequate medical context, which can influence public perception.
MedBound Times connected with Simran Agarwal, an ISSA and NESTA-certified Dietician from Jaipur, Rajasthan, for her expertise on weight-loss. She said, "Medications like Ozempic & Mounjaro are not a sustainable long-term solution for most people; they were originally developed for managing Type 2 diabetes, and their use purely for weight loss should be approached with caution, as they often come with potential side effects.”
Healthy and long-lasting weight loss comes from building sustainable habits, nutrition, a balanced diet, and regular physical activity, rather than relying solely on medication, according to Simran Agarwal.
The rise in the trend of “Mounjaro brides" with the availability of the drug at a lower rate and aggressive marketing raises serious ethical concerns regarding the potential misuse of medical therapies for cosmetic purposes.
The high cost of these medications may also limit accessibility, raising concerns about inequitable use and the growing commercialization of medical weight loss.¹
Health care experts are having debates on the use of this drug. Until the government and the regulatory bodies take a crucial step, it is the responsibility of every individual to make a mindful decision while following these trends.
References
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Prescription Medications to Treat Overweight and Obesity. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed April 8, 2026. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/prescription-medications-treat-overweight-obesity
Jastreboff, Ania M., Louis J. Aronne, Ahmad M. Ahmad, Sean Wharton, Mary Kathryn Connery, Amal S. Alves, et al. “Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.” New England Journal of Medicine 387, no. 3 (2022): 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038
Aronne, Louis J., Naveed Sattar, Deborah B. Horn, et al. “Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial.” Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 331, no. 1 (2024): 38–48. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.24945
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