30,000 weddings cancelled in Gujarat amid COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the wedding industry in Gujarat, with around 30,000 cancellations the last two months during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, industry sources said.

Around 30,000 weddings planned across the state have been either called off or postponed in the last two months due to the ongoing health crisis, Hotel and Restaurant Association (Gujarat) spokesperson Abhijit Deshmukh said.

March and April are considered the peak season, when maximum number of weddings take place in the state, he said. Giving the idea of a big fat Indian wedding a miss, some couples have chosen to tie the knot in the presence of eight to 10 close relatives, wedding planner Devang Shah said.

Although some relaxations in the lockdown were announced from May 18, hotels, restaurants, party venues and temples are directed to remain shut, making it difficult for people to organise weddings and related functions, he said.

"People have been cancelling their bookings and are waiting for the next auspicious season in December and January. Those who can't wait are getting married at home in the presence of select few family members. Two of my former clients did this," Shah said. While people have the option of organising a small ceremony with only 50 guests, very few were interested, said decorator and caterer Amal Gandhi.

"Who would want a wedding album with photographs of people wearing masks? Moreover, it is also not feasible to arrange food for just 50 guests. Which is why people are calling off their weddings and waiting for things to get back to normal," Gandhi said. Some couples even opted for court marriages and planned to organise a proper wedding ceremony later, he added.

(Photo Credit: PTI)