Weddings in India showcase a mixed-pot of culture, traditions, and heritage that comes from its various regions. It’s not just about two individuals coming together but it’s also an emotional family affair. Hence, the grandiose of the various processions make up for a giant profitable industry. With more than 10 million weddings per year, the Indian wedding industry is one of the biggest industries across the globe. According to a report by KPMG, the current valuation of the wedding industry is more than $50 billion in India.
As the lockdown restrictions start lifting slowly, weddings too have resumed. The news end anxious days for many couples who are planning their weddings in the coming few months.
Yashaswi and Uday are getting married in December 2021. Speaking to Asian Voice, Yashaswi said, “Organising a wedding in itself is such a huge responsibility. Throw in Covid-19 confusion to that mix and it becomes a nightmare for every couple. For instance, things like shopping, meeting up with make-up artists and other vendors, which would have ordinarily been the most exciting parts leading up to a wedding have now lost its charm as we are now resorting to virtual shopping and meetings.”
One of the biggest challenges experienced by most soon-to-marry couples is the guest list and the booking policies of venues. Speaking about the same Yashaswi said, “We always wanted a close intimate wedding with immediate family and close friends. So that per se has not affected my plans. As we have planned a destination wedding with one of the most trusted brands named Taj Hotels in Jodhpur, it adds a security blanket as they have a refund/postpone policies in case restrictions come into play during that period. Mostly, all hotels require the full payment to be done at least two months before the wedding. We have paid the initial instalments and are keeping our fingers crossed.”
Ever since the pandemic hit us, sanitizers, masks, infrared thermometers and RT-PCR tests have become essentials at wedding celebrations. And now there’s a new addition as soon-to -be-wed couples want vaccinated guests only and are sending out invites asking friends and relatives to timely plan inoculation.
Yashaswi said, “We understand that some guests may not be able to secure their second dose due to government policies. In any event, we will be asking everyone for a negative RT-PCR test at least 48 hours before taking part in the wedding festivities. This would help all the attendees feel secure and at ease and they can thoroughly enjoy the functions.”
Praerit and Garesa who are getting married in November this year, told the newsweekly, “In these uncertain times, it’s obvious that normalcy is hard to achieve, especially during weddings or any social gatherings. Taking into consideration the health, restrictions, mindset, people’s fear- a lot has changed. One of the other challenging tasks is to decide who to invite, as we want everyone to be present in our happy times.”
Rajesh Ravani, founder of Zion Unlimited, said, “The extension of lockdown in dates from April to June-July and then indefinitely has resulted in a loss of business especially in the Gujarat based venues. Thankfully, the Gujarat Government has now permitted 150 guests at weddings. We are trying to manage a few things for our venues now. Of course, we cannot go against the Government guidelines, but we have convinced people to host a day time wedding instead of the night, so that we can adhere to the night curfew.”
Though there is a growing trend of destination weddings outside India, currently people are preferring domestic destinations.
“From traditional locations like Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jaipur which never go out of style to interest in unexplored venues like Mussoorie, Jim Corbett National Park, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kerala, India is at the peak of intra-national weddings,” Mr Ravani added
