In 2020, my cousin turned 25. According to Indian society, she has reached the age when the family should start planning for her marriage, otherwise what will the relatives and society say and think. But nature had some other plans and dropped a bomb “COVID19”. Full lockdown in India. No trade, no shopping, no business was operational except wedding business. Who cares for COVID19, more important was to get my cousin get married and go to ‘good family’. And, these good families were also seeing brides for their sons as eagerly as we were and we got suitable match for her.

Government allowed entry of 50 people in any wedding. Here came the confusion. When groom side is inviting 50 people how will they calculate when they have to bring bride along with them as they will become 51 now. Jokes apart, they managed that well too. As what may come, wedding is most important in life and that too when my cousin has turned 25, just imagine. She is getting old and clock has started ticking, I think. 

People who were not directly related or involved in the wedding were having opinion that this is the best way of getting married. Less people, less expenses and less Sho-Sha which will always help bride's family especially father (Financially). But my cousin had different set of opinion. She was sad because now though she has got a groom (most important part of getting married) but wedding would have no excitement, no heavy lehanga, no DJ, no 1000 people to see, no Sho-Sha and above all no Foreign trip for Honeymoon. Can you imagine!! But getting married was important as she has turned 25 and clock was ticking.

Here comes bad news, groom was tested positive with COVID19, a week before wedding date. Everyone was disheartened. All arrangements were cancelled. All booking were cancelled with refund of half the money. It created too much stress and despair around both the families. But again as you all now by now that getting married was important as she has turned 25 and clock was ticking.

Finally, we invited 50 guests for the wedding. Expenses did not changed but their form has changed. Now we were spending our hard earned money on sanitization machines, masks, social distancing, testing each and every guests for Covid19. We equally spent same amount of money on 50 guests which we would have spent on 1000 guests in normal scenario along with additional stress of COVID19. God Forbid, No attendee, no family member should get affected with this. But getting married was important as she has turned 25 and clock was ticking.