PATNA: Limited number of guests, smaller venues, masks and sanitisers, limited menus, the
weddings that have been planned under the shadow of the pandemic are far from the traditional, grand affair they generally used to be.
The second wedding season this year is slated to commence in the next few days. However, the pandemic has made it difficult not only for the residents but is also causing heavy losses to banquet hall owners, wedding planners and
event organisers.
Ankit Kumar, founder of a Patna-based event management firm said, “Last year, we had almost 25 weddings to plan and organize. But this year, the number has reduced to 10. This has affected our business as people have curtailed the events in the wedding as well as the guests list. In fact, many people are not roping in wedding planners.”
He added, “The pandemic has shifted the priorities of families. Instead of long guest lists and lavish food spreads, people are giving more preference to sanitisation of the wedding venue.”
The band parties, which generally made huge profits during wedding season, are also ruing heavy losses this year. Suresh Prasad, founder of a city- based band party said: “We are paid Rs30,000 to 35,000 for a wedding. We have got bookings for around 30 weddings for this entire wedding season which is much less than the previous year.”
He added: “Due to the pandemic, we are taking proper care of sanitization and also have lesser number of people in the group to ensure physical distancing.”
The pandemic might have affected the business aspect in the big fat weddings but the excitement of couples remains the same.
Sumit (29), is planning to get married this wedding season. He said, “My wedding was postponed in the summer season due to the pandemic but now we have decided to solemnize it ensuring all the safety measures. We have invited only 50 guests and sanitization is our top priority rather than decoration or lavish food.”
Shimpy (32), a resident of Boring Road said that attending a wedding amid
Covid-19 pandemic involves lot of risks. “We have been invited to attend two weddings this season but we will be attending those virtually as they have virtual arrangements for the guests too through video calls.”