A Couple’s Guide to an Intimate Wedding and a Gift Registry!
“We’re glad the pandemic has created a new version of weddings in India”
Niharika & Aniruddh tied the knot in July, right in the middle of a partly locked-down India. As the pandemic was becoming bigger, the big fat Indian wedding was decidedly shrinking in size. And one would imagine this situation would be quite heartbreaking for couples. But for Niharika & Aniruddh, the joy of starting their new life, and being able to do it in an intimate manner using live streaming and a wedding gift registry, was far more important….
The couple shares their story and how they planned their intimate wedding with a wedding gift registry.
How we fell in love… our story
We first met in 2014 when working together at an NGO in Bangalore. We spent the next two years slyly getting to know each other through our love for dogs, anime, and puns before accepting that we’re great together. When the time came for the big proposal, we were both on the same page.
Thankfully, we’re both the kind of people who would choose something small and intimate over something grand and public. The proposal was perfect—a surprise at home with candles, fairy lights, the right music, and lots of adorable pictures. We initially planned to wait a few months in 2020 before getting engaged but that idea didn’t last past February.
COVID & wedding planning
As with many families in India, wedding planning actually started before the engagement. We were en route to a traditional big wedding and reception until COVID-19 put a dent in those plans. So, everything changed in May. While it may seem like lockdown ruined everything, we were happy to have a smaller ceremony where we were actually involved in making it happen.
The joys of a virtual wedding…
We opted for YouTube live stream with Wedding Wishlist as it seemed more straightforward for our elderly relatives tuning in around the world. The team helped us get comfortable with it by taking us through test runs. We received glowing feedback from all our friends and family. They felt like they were part of the celebration, rather than just watching a recording of it.
However, the Gift Registry was the most valuable service provided by Wedding Wishlist. The concept isn’t very popular in India but that’s definitely changing with increasing online activity, especially during the lockdown. We were glad we could add gifts and gift cards from other websites. Also, we really appreciated how the team provided lots of flexibility in the final shipping dates and shipping locations for our gifts.
Honestly, we think weddings tend to cost much more than necessary so we’re glad that the pandemic has created a new version of weddings in India. We hope these virtual aspects of weddings, like the wedding gift registry, website, virtual invites, etc., continue as they make weddings more feasible, efficient, and better for the planet.
Advice for couples getting married in 2020
If you’re okay with a small ceremony of fewer than 50 people, you can definitely go ahead with having a safe, responsible, and socially-distanced wedding. We couldn’t wait to start our life together so we were willing to put up with masks and sanitizer. We strongly advise everyone to prioritize each other’s safety over having a carefree celebration, and a largely virtual wedding with a gift registry is the best way to do so.
Have any questions regarding the wedding gift registry or need some tips and ideas to plan an intimate wedding during the corona pandemic? Join our exclusive WhatsApp group for couples by clicking here!
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