Play safe and socialise

KOCHI: Weddings, birthdays, festivals and get-togethers, celebrations offer a chance to catch up with long lost friends and distant relatives. However, that was far from the case this year. With the Covid-19 crisis overshadowing most of 2020, celebrations in general and weddings in specific shrunk from being grand, over-the-top events to more personal and intimate affairs with not more than a hundred guests in attendance. Navigating uncharted territories, event planners, organisers, hotels and resorts launched attractive and affordable packages to cater to the dwindled scale of the big Indian fat wedding.

Well streamlined social distancing practices, intelligent seating layouts, strategically placed signboards, sanitising stations and vigilant staff were part of special packages offered by hotels addressing the concerns of customers. “Apart from regular Covid-19 protocols, we offered table service in our banquet halls to ensure minimum physical contact. The most asked queries we received from our clients were about the available space and how social distancing can be maintained in the given event venues. 

The current package has been till the end of March 2021 and we will be amending the benefits and offers included based on government regulations,” says Shana Ninan, cluster marketing communications manager, Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty. The hotel has an ongoing Rs two lakh package for weddings.

With the guest list pared down to the closest members of friends and families, event management companies have seen a shift in customer emphasis on making the celebration more personal and customised. The smaller-scale of the function has translated into more attention to decor, photography and curated elements tailor-made to the client’s needs. 

“Earlier, events would involve a bigger crowd. People would hardly pay attention to the decoration. Now, little details have become very important. Clients are demanding a flawless set taking time to select even minute components.

They are also keen about including personalised elements like name tags and menu cards and custom gifts for each of their guests. In fact, we have observed that clients are now ready to shell out more for decor, they want the stage to photograph well,” says Anumodh Varghese, founder of Dreams Florists and Decorators.