Aparna & Abhirup’s Virtual Wedding Journey Amidst the Pandemic
“I found the commitment to build a life together more romantic than flowers & chocolates”
Aparna and Abhirup met at B-school, went from friends to more. After many years of navigating their journey, decided to get married in the middle of the pandemic, opting for a virtual wedding! “It was a mental decision for both of us, but we simply couldn’t wait to start our new life together,” says Aparna.
Their relationship was always more about making it work in the long run rather than over-the-top gestures. “There was no ‘going down on one knee’. Rather long conversations about how to manage investments and finances, What we wanted out of life. Also, how to meander through the cultural differences as I am a Kannadiga, a true blue Bangalorean and he is a Bengali with very strong roots. Call me boring, but I found the commitment to build a life together more romantic than flowers & chocolates,” she explains.
Let’s dive into their virtual wedding journey from the start-
The Wedding Planning
“We naively thought that convincing our parents & fixing the dates would be the hard part. We prematurely breathed sighs of relief. Boy, were we wrong!” The couple was initially supposed to get married on June 10th, which did not happen due to obvious reasons. After a lot of round tables, complete with translators and military-style planning, they finally landed on July 27th as the wedding date. Against pretty overwhelming odds, managed to stick to it.
The Live Stream & Virtual Wedding
The live stream was especially important to their wedding because a big number of invitees, including Abhirup’s parents and extended family, were unable to attend in person. “Our guests were full of appreciation for the live stream and thoroughly enjoyed it. One of Abhirup’s cousins said that if not for the live stream they would’ve missed out on this intercultural experience. Photos just don’t replace the feeling of watching something live. The chat feature, especially the separate chat rooms, made it almost like a Netflix Party where they could interact with each other even though they were logging in from different parts of the world.”
“I personally, have always wanted a very low-key wedding. A virtual wedding is a perfect compromise, allowing a large number of people to view and be part of the wedding, without making the atmosphere too claustrophobic. Virtual weddings are surely here to stay we are lucky to have the tools to stream weddings,” adds Aparna
The Gift Registry
“I knew that a registry was the way to go. Having been on the other side of the fence and picking gifts for friends getting married, I know how tedious the process is. And how many gifts tend to get repeated. I actually found Wedding Wishlist when I was looking for online registries in India. It has been a godsend. Friends, colleagues, and families alike really appreciated the registry and the ease with which they were able to send gifts. Especially in these times, when a lot of our invitees could not physically make it, ordering off the registry was how they felt like a part of the wedding.”
Tips for Other Couples
Here’s everything they recommend if you’re getting married anytime soon!
- Deciding to get married in these times is a big decision and you have made it, so firstly, congratulations. It’s a big step!
- As with life, the mantra is ‘go with the flow’. Many of the things we decide we NEED at our wedding are just things some movie or some company has successfully marketed to us. What you should not budge on though, is the safety and health of everyone involved. If you’re choosing to get married in a public place ensure the number of guests doesn’t exceed the Govt. specified standard. Ensuring social distancing to the greatest extent possible and sanitizers and masks for everyone. This is not just limited to invitees. It includes the staff, caretakers of your venue, the cooks, drivers, and the numerous other people who work to ensure the wedding can take place.
- Weddings in these times are likely to be quieter, more sober affairs. That doesn’t have to mean they need to be boring or that they ‘don’t feel like a wedding’. Hence, a virtual wedding is a good choice in corona times. It’s a great time to gain some perspective about what really matters and from what we derive happiness.
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