10 Questions Related to Weddings in times of Corona Answered!

Corona- by now we’ve all become very familiar with this word. This small virus which probably weighs less than 5 grams has brought the world to its knees. It has not only affected the economy, our daily life etc. but has also affected weddings. The 50 billion dollars Indian wedding industry will take a long time to recover from this hit that no one saw coming. Weddings are not going to be the same, the changes brought on by Corona are likely to be with us for a really long time. These times are uncharted territories for us and every person all around the world is looking for answers to help them navigate these tumultuous times. 

Corona Wedding FAQs Answered
Corona Wedding FAQs Answered

So, here are 10 burning questions related to weddings in times of Corona answered!

#1. I’m downsizing my winter wedding. How do I politely uninvite guests?

Micro weddings and small weddings are likely to be the only options available to you in these times. While a big fat Indian wedding is what the majority of the Indian brides dream of, it likely is going to remain a dream in corona times. But if you’ve already invited a slew of guests for your wedding, you will have to uninvite them. With the corona lockdown in place and social distancing the norm, getting on a call with all the guests you want to uninvite is the only way. Even when the lockdown lifts, keep house visits to a bare minimum.

So, coming back to the question, get on a call with your guests and politely explain that by keeping theirs and their family’s and your health in mind, you’ve decided to have a small, intimate wedding with just your friends and family. Also, state you’re sorry that they won’t get to be a  part of your big day. If the guest list is a huge divide amongst yourselves and your bridal party and ensure that the person closest to the guest is calling them. 

#2. I’m planning to get married in November. Will this situation be sorted then?

As mentioned before, your wedding is good to go if and if it’s a small, intimate wedding with a minuscule number of guests. The coronavirus is here to stay for a long time, at least until the vaccine is found. So. it’s something that we’ll have to live with till the time comes. Ensure you have a small wedding and intimate wedding. Also, take all corona related precautions and have sanitizers and masks available for everyone. 

#3. What will be the ideal month for a wedding with all the COVID related changes happening?

This situation is something that we’ve never been in before and is something that we’ll have to play by ear and decisions are being taken according to the data collected and by seeing the history of pandemics and also the behaviour of the virus. Since most weddings are scheduled for winter, our strong suggestion would be to have a small ceremony now or to postpone it to next year. Even we doubt that a big fat Indian wedding will be possible. 

#4. I planned a summer wedding but now I’m going to have it in winter. Should I make changes in the venue and wedding colours?

If you had planned for a big fat Indian wedding with a 1000 guests then surely you’ll have to make changes accordingly since micro weddings are the only possibility now which contain about just around 50 guests. Also, you’ll have to change lawn weddings to indoor ones because of the cold. The colour palette of summer and winter weddings is vastly different. While summer weddings mostly have light and bright colours, winter weddings call for dark and warm colours. But a few of the like corals and pastels can be used for summer as well as winter weddings. 

#5. What about my wedding gifts? I don’t want a number of wedding gifts from my well-wishers sent to my venue/parent’s home. 

The best solution to this is to create a gift registry. By creating a wedding registry you snake yours as well as your guests’ lives easy. You can simply add whatever you want to your registry like gift cards, charities, cash funds, products etc. Your guests will simply purchase the products from your registry and we’ll ship it to you as and when you want it. Your guests also need not go searching and guessing for your gifts and you get exactly what you need. 

#6. Are wedding return gifts expected from me even now?

Wedding return gifts are a gesture to thank your guests for being a part of one of the most special days in life. So, yes you are required to give them but more than being a grand gesture opt for a personal one as the guests are going to be people who are really close to you. Something like gourmet along with a hand-written note will hit the mark rather than giving them just some material thing. 

#7. Should I also have a live stream of my wedding for people who can’t attend?

It’s not a compulsion really. If you don’t want to have one you don’t need to have it. But mostly you’ll know more than 50 people who are really close to you that you couldn’t invite to your wedding because of the corona situation. This is a great way to get them to be a part of your special. You can create a wedding website and make the live streaming a part of it or send the link along with your e-invite. 

#8. How do I get refunds from my vendors if I had to cancel them?

With the economic crisis going on, this is a bad situation for everyone to be in. Mostly you won’t be able to get refunds from your vendors booked prior to the situation arising. What you can do is convince them to give a part of the money or reuse them on your later wedding date. Full refunds at this point in time is going to be quite impossible to get unless it’s mentioned in their clause. 

#9. Aside from masks and sanitizers, what precautions must I take at my wedding?

While masks and sanitizers are going to be the new normal at all Indian weddings, there are several other things you need to keep in mind. Have a health professional on standby at your wedding and always remember to maintain social distancing. Ask caterers to ensure maximum safety measures and follow WHO advisory and make temperature checks compulsory for everyone. Also always serve piping hot food and avoid buffets at your wedding. 

#10. What about my pre-wedding functions?

Pre-wedding functions and rituals are an integral part of Indian weddings. These tough times have ensured that you keep only what’s absolutely necessary. For yours and your guests’ safety, don’t have pre-wedding functions that are not necessary like cocktail nights and sangeet. You can opt to do them online though. Also, forget week-long or even 3-day wedding ceremonies. From now on, you’ll have to make do with 1 day or a 2-day ceremony at the max.

Have any questions regarding your wedding planning or need some tips and ideas to plan a wedding during the corona pandemic? Join our exclusive WhatsApp group for couples by clicking here!

Image Credits: Wedding stories Photography

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Comments

  1. I have my marriage on 25th June. I have a question that i have booked my makeup artist and mehndi artist. It is ok to do or not???

    • Sneha Sivakumar
      June 3, 2020 - 9:45 am

      Hi Aditi, if you’re having a small, intimate wedding with less than 50 guests you can go ahead with it. But ensure you and your guests follow the safety guidelines.

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