Wedding Reception Cancellations Highest In India Amid Covid

With 23 per cent of couples going ahead only with the wedding ceremonies amid Covid-19, marriage reception cancellations in India is higher compared to other countries, according to a survey of to-be-weds in 15 countries.

However, wedding ceremony cancellations in India will remain low with 76 per cent of couples going ahead with the chosen dates, the report by wedding technology company The Knot Worldwide revealed on Monday.

But most couples will reduce the size of their guest lists (68 per cent) and hire fewer vendors (60 per cent) to ensure that Covid-19 norms are followed.

Abiding by local rules and regulations, a vast majority of to-be-weds (80 per cent) will encourage social distancing -- between people and tables, said the survey.

About 90 per cent of the couples in India will be inviting only immediate family and close friends. A quarter would want their guests to take a COVID-19 test ahead of the event as a precautionary measure, the results showed.

"We are glad to see that couples in India are staying positive and are keen to celebrate their special day, despite the pandemic, by making necessary arrangements and precautions," Ankur Sarawagi, India Country Head, The Knot Worldwide, said in a statement.

At the ceremony, 75 per cent of Indian couples will conduct temperature checks for attendees, said the survey. Guests will be provided with hand sanitisers, face masks, and members of the staff and vendors such as photographers and makeup artists will be required to wear masks or PPE kits.

The traditional concept of an Indian wedding, one that spans through days, has also changed with 27 per cent of the couples opting for several small events on one day with limited people rather than several large one-day events.

Only 40 per cent of couples in India anticipate that their budget will be 25 per cent or more lesser than what they had originally planned, according to the "Global COVID-19 Weddings Report."

The findings are based on data among 9,767 couples who originally had weddings planned between October 2020 and February 2021. The survey was fielded in September 2020 to users who have provided their email address to the company.