Big, fat weddings are fast adapting to the new normal in Kolkata – Times of India

The pandemic may be the largest disruptor in recent history but it hasn’t been able to take the spirit out of the big fat Indian wedding. Weddings have shrunk in size, but according to city wedding planners, they have become more personal and lavish. “In the past, families would hire us to conduct the ceremony. Now, they are taking more initiative and are more involved in the process,” said Sneh Chaudhury, a wedding planner.
Outdoor venues more in demand
Almost all families now prefer open, outdoor venues for the big day, as the risk of infection is considered high in air-conditioned enclosed spaces. “Moreover, most of the large open-air locations are by the EM Bypass and so, people used opt for indoor venues to avoid the pollution. But now, the air is less polluted, making people opt for open spaces,” said Dinesh Khaitan, another wedding planner.
Devlina Kumar, who tied the knot on December 9, said, “We wanted an open-air venue for our wedding reception as confined spaces are not considered safe now. The guest list is small, in keeping with government norms, so we plan to a have bigger get-together in March.”
But be it indoors or open-air, weddings this season are defined by one word – cleanliness. “Everyone is fussy about sanitisation and cleanliness. Even venues are being chosen based on how they are being sanitised,” said wedding planner Bhavna Hemani.
Opulence galore
Flowers are the essence of winter weddings. But the pandemic had led to a shortage in supply of flowers and so the decorations were mostly being done with artificial flowers. “But since local trains started plying, things are almost back to normal,” said Rehan.
Moreover, as the number of guests is less, people are spending more on decorations. They are going for more lavish dining table decorations and expensive cutlery. “There are also a lot of personal touches, as family members are more involved now. It is a different experience even for us,” said Sneh Choudhary and Sumeet Mehta, who plan and choreograph weddings.

More personalised parties
Since large gatherings are barred, families are going for a different way to invite more people. According to wedding planners, they are simply increasing the number of parties so that all the planned guests can be invited in small groups. “It was only mehendi and sangeet in the pre-COVID world. Now, there are pre-mehendi and post-mehendi parties along with the main event. If 500 people were invited to the mehendi, now they are divided into three groups,” said Sneh.
Interestingly, the wedding planners often encounter a problem. During parties, many guests often forget restrictions. For instance, many forget to wear masks and often share food from the same plate. “Then we have to remind them about the restrictions and in most cases, they listen to us,” said Rehan.
Food
According to Vikash Singh, the executive chef of a city five-star hotel, they try to source as many local ingredients for the dishes as possible for weddings menus. “We know that locally sourced ingredients have health benefits. So, starting from beverages to the food, we try to use local ingredients,” he said.
Beverages
Even the beverages use local spices like jeera and turmeric. Turmeric milk, cumin and cinnamon-infused water, fresh fruits detox drinks are quite popular now. Welcome drinks include fresh tender coconuts, masala chaas etc.