Weddings and Government restrictions amidst COVID-19? 

Weddings during coronavirus are nothing compared to the usual wedding ceremonies in India. Due to the nationwide outbreak, many couples had to cancel their dream wedding or go for a minimalistic event. Few came up with their tiny wedding ideas which are unique in their own way. 

Weddings during the coronavirus have proved to be far more aesthetic and efficient in terms of management. Planning to organise a ceremony, so what is the new normal in weddings during the coronavirus?

Are people getting married & hosting weddings during Coronavirus Pandemic? 

Yes, they are not only having their wedding party but literally celebrating their big day too. People are wholeheartedly having their marriages amidst COVID-19. The main reason behind this is time and planning. Planning a wedding tactfully makes it easier at tough times. 

Who wins at the end: Sima Taparia’s professional match-making or wedding planners’ efforts?  At the end of the day, marriages are only about having time with loved ones. This is simply what makes a wedding special. So, keeping a few things in mind those couples planned their weddings during coronavirus day wisely. 

• Is the Government allowing weddings during the coronavirus?

The Government of India never prohibited social events after the partial lockdown was taken up. But what they did was make strict rules to stop the spread of coronavirus. To be honest, we all have heard the lady gives COVID-19 directions before every phone call. The real application came in hand, at these weddings during Coronavirus. 

• Twenty People limitation on wedding guests

No, social distancing isn’t enough for stopping the Coronavirus. The government of India strictly prohibited gatherings and crowds. Which directly limited the total number of guests as well. The maximum number of people allowed inside a banquet hall is just 20. Yes, they had to scribble out almost half of their close relatives from the guest lists.

Sad right? But unfortunately, this had to be done for having weddings during coronavirus. That didn’t signify that the families could book a relatively smaller marriage hall. Whereas, they had to book a usual place, for just 20 people. Reasonable enough, as bigger space makes more room for social distancing. 

• Social Distancing is a mandatory action  

From day one, the World Health Organisation is blabbering about keeping social distancing from one another. By this, we know that it is best to keep a distance of about 3 feet away from someone. Isolation, Quarantine, and social distancing are few completely new terms added to our vocabulary. 

But without this, the spread is immediately at surge. So, that is the reason why every wedding hall added circles and squares on the ground. No, that is not any kind of design but barriers meant for a queue or gathering. These weddings were individually organized with this in mind, without which the Government would restrict the function. 

• “Mask” a mandatory accessory to be worn at a weddings during coronavirus

All the above measures aren’t enough because a mask is a mandatory part of today’s attire. For the last seven to eight months, no one has been out of their homes without a mask. Similarly, weddings during coronavirus are nothing different in this case. All the guests, family members, the bride, and groom have to have their masks on. 

Even the wedding vendors had to stay masked for safety. The World Health Organization and the Government of India, have strictly made it clear to the people that without wearing a mask the person is keeping himself at risk as well as his surroundings. Unless wearing a mask, you aren’t allowed inside the wedding venue. 

• Air Conditioning is a big “NO-NO”

This is sounding like an extremely weird restriction but at the end of the day, it is one of the most important safety measures propagated by the Government of India. Weddings during coronavirus aren’t allowed to have air conditioning. The simplest reason is the problem with the mechanism of the machine. 

What an AC does is circulate the warm air above the room, and spread the cooler air around the rest of the space. In this process, there are possibilities that once in a while someone has to open their masks for either eating or anything else. If he or she happens to be infected by the virus, then their germ might travel and contaminate the air of the entire room.  

• Guests have to install the Arogya Setu Application

This is an extra measure, brought to you by the Government of India. Meant for almost every person travelling or happens to be in a social event. Well, what it does is give proper and verified pieces of information about the latest Govt. measures, and has the feature of self-declaration as a COVID-free citizen. 

Every guest has to have this on their phones before they enter the wedding premises. What it does is, show all the latest travel and medical history of the person. Without this, almost all other measures are turned illegal inside weddings during coronavirus. 

• Sanitization on regular intervals is a must

When they aren’t having a virtual weddings during coronavirus, then it is known quite a well that sanitization and hygiene are of utmost importance. All guests are supposed to wear masks and carry their personal hand sanitizers. Every frequently touched place or pole needs to be cleaned on a regular interval. 

All wedding vendors are supposed to keep the minimum hygiene in the product that is served to the guests. For example, clean food and serving as well. 

 Suggested protocols and tips for weddings during Coronavirus

• Health Screenings at the entry post

Not necessarily the government made this a rule, but it is best for keeping all guests safe and free of contamination. Any person crossing the normal temperature of 97℃ is a potential carrier. So, use thermal thermometers to keep the wedding arrangement safe and sound. Inform all your guests that, if they have been having a fever or any other sort of symptoms; they should be abstaining from coming to the wedding. 

• Nothing’s better than a sanitization tunnel

Instead of having someone standing to pour sanitizer on the guest’s hand; construct a sanitization tunnel that is going to sanitize them completely from head to toe. Even if they gathered some germs on the way, then that is safe with sanitization. Hence, this is extremely useful and beneficial for the safety and utmost hygiene. 

• Outdoor wedding venues are the next best thing

Now, that we know that we cannot take a smaller banquet hall or compact place; it is best to book a place which is either having a lawn or is entirely outdoors. Though outdoor banquet halls aren’t safe choice during the rainy season. But inside an enclosed place, the risk of contamination rises to a lot. So, it is best to go for a place that has lawns for guests to lounge around and have a gala time in an open space. 

• A buffet is the best choice

The next best thing is to have a buffet, instead of a sitting arrangement. The risk of sitting all in a row is entirely wiped out as soon as a buffet system comes into play. This will reduce the fear of person to person contact and will help the wedding planners manage a small crowd in an easier manner. 

Weddings during coronavirus are a completely new thing but this new normal has not lost the glamour of an Indian wedding. The love and the warmth that is shared within families have successfully won the battle with the Virus. Maybe things are arranged differently but marriages are at the same place with all the love and new challenges.