3 brides-to-be talk about the challenges of postponing their weddings during the pandemic

In the face of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, uncertainty is the new normal. And as the entire planet came to a screeching halt owing to the rapid spread of COVID-19, so did multiple already-planned summer weddings around the world. “It would have been my sangeet today! It still hurts thinking we could have been getting married right now,” sighs Sonam Babani when I call her over the weekend. The fashion blogger was set to tie the knot with her fiancé, entrepreneur Neil Sanghvi, in Turkey this month. “We decided to move the date two days before WHO declared a pandemic. We were in Turkey on a recce trip at the time. That’s when the borders were starting to be sealed. When we landed back in Mumbai, the airport was so eerie. Postponing the wedding was the only logical step,” she says.

Ditto for bride-to-be Rhea Khurana, founder of decor brand re|arrange home, who was slated to marry Avik Chatterjee (director of Speciality Restaurants Ltd) in Istanbul in the first week of May. “We were in the city for a recce in March. But the growing uncertainty and spread of the virus all through Europe made us realise that it would be safer to push the wedding ahead.”

New Delhi-based wedding planner Mallika Agarwal, founder of Panodrama Events was set to wed her beau of six years Sanchit Wahi (head of marketing and communications, AM Hotel Kollection) in early April, with the pre-wedding gatherings starting as early as March end. “We’ve been together for so long that the wedding was really about celebrating with our friends and family; most of whom were to fly in from San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, London, Germany and Italy. While we did briefly consider switching to an intimate ceremony with our immediate families, it just didn’t feel right without everyone else.”

Dealing with the stress, the vendors, and the backend

Khurana admits that it was an emotional decision to make, especially after six months of meticulous planning, but both families also realised that practicality was the need of the hour. “We had 400 guests of all ages flying in from all over the world. Their safety was our top priority, and it would have been unfair to put them at risk,” she explains. “Cancellation of tickets for the immediate family and the wedding crew also had to be tackled immediately. Moreover, contracts had been signed and advances paid, so we had to deal with the situation swiftly.” Khurana and Chatterjee’s guests were staying between Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul and Çırağan Palace Kempinski, but the events of their three-day wedding were spread across other locations like Feriye Palace and Çubuklu 29 too. “The biggest logistical hassle was dealing with the various venues, which was challenging.” She had also paid heed to nuanced details while planning her functions. For instance, the mehandi was a locally-inspired Grand Bazaar set-up with Turkish spices, handmade soaps, and customised evil bracelets for guests to choose from. So, there were many loose ends to tie up.

Babani, whose venue was a Marriott Bonvoy property, found the hotel to be very accommodating. As were most of her other wedding makers such as Vishal Punjabi of The Wedding Filmer, who she adds, readily agreed to work around her revised dates whenever they get finalised. “We were working with the top names in the industry. This worked in our favour because their response to the situation was very professional. We are now trying to work out our next steps for the artists we had originally booked.”

What about the bridal outfits now?

As a fashion influencer, her bridal wardrobe was the focus of Babani’s preparations. She had planned to unveil the details on Instagram with her #NeilDownForSonam virtual wedding. “My outfits were custom-made, and I had worked closely with the designers to create these looks. They were all mid-production when we decided to postpone the wedding,” she says. “But none of my looks were seasonal or theme-oriented. We kept them true to my personality, so they will work even if we need to change the destination. Only my haldi outfit by Sabyasachi hadn’t been made yet, so I have the option to choose another piece from the label at a later date.”

Agarwal had planned to wear Varun Bahl (the designer is also her friend) for the mehandi, and received her bespoke Tamanna Punjabi Kapoor wedding lehenga just two days before the lockdown was enforced. Her pre-wedding ensembles by Anita Dongre, Torani, Jodi and Sukriti & Aakriti were ready too. “I don’t plan on changing a thing about my wardrobe, or my vendors. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, and will remain the same.”

Khurana too is excited to wear the lehengas she originally ordered from Manish Malhotra and Tarun Tahiliani for the sangeet and wedding respectively; both timeless pieces, she admits. “I had ordered my mehandi outfit from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla a little late, so I could put that on hold, with the option to make changes if needed. Their team was incredibly sweet about it.”

Working towards Plan B

All three, like many others who are in the same proverbial boat as them, have decided to postpone the wedding indefinitely for now. The post-pandemic world will be a different one, and there will be many factors to consider—Are people feeling safe enough to travel yet? Are local destinations more practical now? How have businesses been affected?—before any decisions are made. For Babani, the ‘why me?’ has been replaced by a sense of solidarity from words of support she received from other brides. Khurana adds, “You want the atmosphere at your wedding to be positive. Your friends and family should be there to celebrate you, without having to worry about anything else. All I’ll say to other brides is that we will get the chance to do this right soon enough.” Agarwal agrees, both as a planner and a fellow bride-to-be. “We are all in the dark here, so don’t stress yourself out trying to figure out the future. Take each day as it comes, it’s really the best anyone can do right now.”

Also read:

What can you do if you had a wedding planned, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

Celebrity couples are postponing their weddings in light of COVID-19

5 brides reveal what they would have done differently on their wedding days