With COVID cases consistently low, the big fat wedding returns to NCR

From venues to caterers and bandwallahs, everyone says they have been double booked for the first time in two years
Ever since the pandemic hit, one of the major changes in our society has been the way we organise and approach weddings. Due to social distancing demands and restrictions on public gatherings, the big fat Indian weddings we were used to gave way to smaller, intimate dos, sometimes even at the houses of the groom or bride.This is all set to change this month. November 14-15 is the first saaya – the traditional auspicious date considered good for Hindu weddings – of this wedding season. Wedding industry insiders estimate that there will be over 20,000 weddings in Delhi-NCR alone over the two auspicious days, and a further one lakh over the next one month. This has finally brought some cheer to the beleaguered wedding industry in the capital. From venues to caterers and bandwallahs, everyone says they have been double booked for the first time in two years.

Manish Singh, who operates three wedding venues in Gurgaon, says, “The numbers of bookings are almost back to the same level as it was before the pandemic. Of course, with COVID-19 restrictions and protocols in place, our operating costs are a bit higher but it is still a welcome trend.” The increase in the number of weddings this season is also partly due to many people postponing their weddings earlier due to COVID-19. Akshay Rajput, a wedding planner, says, “In the last one-and-a-half year, a lot of people postponed their wedding due to lockdowns, restrictions and the second wave. They see this season as a good opportunity and don’t want to wait further. COVID-19 can be unpredictable, so people are taking advantage of cases being low right now.”

Many, whose plans were on halt for months, have now decided to get married at the first available instance, which happens to be the first saaya. “Many people who had booked earlier in the year but cancelled when the second wave hit are also re-booking now. November14-15 this year is busier than some of the pre-pandemic years,” says Ranjit Kapoor, who looks after wedding decoration and catering services in multiple wedding venues in Gurgaon.

Wedding Bands in NCR say they are fully booked
During all of last year and much of this year post the second wave, bands were absent in baraats because of rules and people’s unwillingness to spend on them for smaller weddings. But now, bands say they are fully booked for the season. Ashish Nassa of the Haryana Band Association says, “For November 14, many bands in Gurgaon have two-three bookings. This is very different from last year when we hardly had any work.”
While there is still a cap on the number of guests at wedding functions in NCR, venue owners and wedding planners say the hosts are not limiting the scale of celebrations anymore. “It’s not as if there were no weddings last year but the numbers were down drastically. This year, even if people are limiting guest numbers, they are not compromising on the scale of the wedding. The bands are back for the baraats, even live music and other things are being requested,” says Ashish, a wedding planner.

‘This is the first time since the pandemic that an auspicious day has low COVID cases’
The eleventh day after Diwali – known as the Dev Uthavani Ekadashi – is considered auspicious for weddings and other ceremonies, as per the Hindu calendar. It traditionally marks the beginning of the wedding season. This year, the date marks the first time in almost two years when such a saaya is coinciding with very few active cases and eased COVID-19 restrictions in Delhi-NCR. Sunil Singh, who operates wedding venues in south Delhi, tells us, “People in Delhi wait for saayas and mahurats. This is the first time since the pandemic that an auspicious day has relatively fewer active cases and very little restrictions. So, there is a huge rush for bookings. The first saaya – November 14-15 – is particularly busy. Most people made their bookings months in advance.”
Limits and guidelines for weddings in NCR
In all three cities, venues have been asked to ensure sanitisation, thermal screening and adherence of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour. Most venues like lawns, banquet halls and farmhouses in the city say that they have made arrangements to comply with the administration’s guidelines.