The 'New Normal' and Not So Big Indian Weddings of 2020

Weddings are getting smaller, attuning to the 'new normal'. Who could have thought that the concept of big fat Indian weddings will fall off to only 100 guests?

All businesses across the globe have been largely affected and the wedding industry is no exception. Weddings across India have been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most weddings of 2020 have been pushed to November and December or the beginning of next year.

Couples and wedding planners are all gearing up for the wedding season keeping up with the ‘new normal’. Neither big nor fat Indian weddings are going to be really different post the COVID-19 lockdown. While social distancing norms are to be followed, bride and grooms are now opting for stylish masks to go with their designer wedding outfits. Wedding are not anymore, a huge affair; they will be smaller and more intimate. Due to the lockdown, the soon to be brides and grooms have definitely got some more time to plan their weddings and make the necessary changes.

In a conversation with us, bride-to-be Namrata Jaiswal, a resident of Rajarhat, Kolkata, who will getting married this December revealed the hindrances that she had to face due to the pandemic. “I was supposed to get married on May 1^st, that has now been pushed to December. With having all the wedding jitters, things were happening so fast alongside that it was too overwhelming for me to cope up with. Everything was planned, but just a month before the functions kicked off, the government had declared the lockdown. The pre-wedding had to be stopped halfway through, bookings were cancelled, everything came to a sudden halt but now, things have started moving ahead for which I’m really glad”, said Namrata.

“I have always wanted an intimate wedding but my parents never agreed. Previously, we had a list of around 900 guests, which had to be cut down to 100 guests only. Now, since the pandemic is not going away any time soon and we have to move on with our lives, keeping in mind the government regulations, so we decided to have the wedding in December,” added Krishna, Namrata’s soon-to-be husband.

Wedding planners and venue owners will be guiding couples and their families through the rules they have to follow in order to ensure everyone’s safety. Given the current situation, we spoke to the manager of Raajkutir, Swabhumi who said in his statement, “We have installed sanitisation fans at the venue entrance so that all guests walking in, are sanitised without taking much time and effort. Temperature reading is compulsory and everyone at the venue will be provided with hygiene kits that will include sanitizer, tissues, disposable masks, gloves and face shield. Seating arrangement will be made in a manner that everyone maintains social distance.”

Cullinan Events is a new Kolkata-Delhi based wedding planning company that works on a motto of turning dreams into reality. Rishika Jain, founder of Cullinan Events, tells us about her new venture, about finding ways to cater to the needs of her clients and also about the shift from big-fat Indian weddings to intimate weddings. “The pandemic has taken a huge toll on the business. Weddings have become more close-knitted but the grandeur remains the same. The number of guests is now limited to 100 but the brides definitely do not want to compromise on anything else”, she said.

Sharing her experience from one of the weddings that Cullinan Events had planned post-lockdown, Rishika said, “Couples now want star-rated venue to be booked in order to maintain all safety protocols. Stylists and makeup artists had to sanitised all products and work in PPE kits. Not more than 5 persons are allowed in the bride or groom’s room. We’re trying to level best to deliver the desired outcome and also follow government guidelines.”

To maintain distance, couples are sending e-invites through email and WhatsApp. Technology has to be added to the wedding checklist since the ceremonies are being streamed on Zoom or Google meet for guests to who cannot attend. While the Indian wedding season gets started, the only need is to find ways to safer celebrations.