I've Dreamed Of A Big-Fat Indian Wedding, But The Pandemic Had Other Plans For Me...
( words)
*For representational purpose only.
My marriage was arranged, but not until I was 25 years old, and I was completely okay with it. I quickly registered myself on matrimonial websites. It's strange that the proposal arrived the very following day.
Our families then conversed, matched the typical horoscopes, and talked more, and soon, my marriage was fixed.
It's ironic, considering my profile was the shortest-lived on the marriage sites. My husband had been looking for a bride for approximately three years and had never imagined that his 'ideal' encounter would be on a matrimonial site.
Not to mention that he never believed in internet dating in the first place. Following all this, we got to know each other, and the sparks flew.
We spoke over the phone and video-called after a week. We also met each other's parents via video calls.
My spouse is an expat, and the lockdown was in effect at that time, so the initial interaction was limited to video calls. To say the least, we were both drawn to each other.
As the only child in the family, my parents always desired a dhoom-dhaam Indian wedding. I, too, desired a grandiose wedding. Unfortunately, this picture-perfect dream wasn’t going to happen because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We realised it soon, but only after already calling off the engagement twice.
Nonetheless, we got engaged over a video call, and despite the uncertainty and chaos, everything just felt right...
We then began wedding preparations, and thanks to Instagram businesses, it was a complete hit. Right from makeup to the mandap, we booked everything online.
Our magnificent yet intimate (50-people) wedding took place at the Guruvayur Temple, a famous wedding venue among Keralites. We then returned to Chennai and had our reception among family and close friends.
Following this, we both travelled back to Dubai for a short honeymoon. Now, there were occasions when I became disoriented and fatigued as a result of the entire procedure.
Nonetheless, we overcame every obstacle together, from lockdown to his 14-day quarantine prior to the wedding. Yes, it was tough, but I wouldn't have it any other way!