Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, large gatherings have been ruled out. And for many couples, their wedding day is turning out to be much different than what they had originally planned. From those big fat Indian weddings, we’ve switched to intimate ceremonies, and rightly so. What’s refreshing is that couples are taking this as an opportunity to do something different and are making sure that their COVID shaadi is a memorable affair.
Meet Shreya Mehta and Akshay Sirsalewala, a Mumbai couple who recently tied the knot at the groom’s house. They got engaged last year and were all set for a grand Gujju wedding in 2020. “The first thought was to postpone our wedding, but with the mahurat decided and the fact that we are moving to Bangalore for work together, we figured we’d do it now,” shared Akshay with Humans of Bombay.
Keeping all safety precautions in mind, they took the required permissions and tied the knot with only 20 people in attendance. Around 250 of their guests joined the celebrations virtually and even dressed up for the occasion. “The attendees were on a 4-hour Zoom call, all decked up, and throwing flowers at the screen for the pheras,” said Akshay.
Also read: From Face Masks To DIY Mehendi, This Shaadi Is A Lesson In Keeping It Safe and Stylish
The DIY Decor & Ghar Ka Khaana!
Besides temperature checks, sanitisers and face masks, the wedding meal was cooked at home for everyone’s safety. Ghar ka khaana has a special charm to it and for a guest list of 20 people, it really is the best way to go.
As for the decor, they made a mandap out of two dupattas and even DIY’d a photo booth. The varmalas were stitched by Akshay’s dadi at home using artificial flowers and if that isn’t memorable, then what is?!
Not just this, the groom’s cousins made a cardboard doli for Shreya and a car for him. It even had a ‘Just Married’ number plate. How adorable!
“When Shreya saw her doli, she almost fell to the floor laughing! But then she gave me the biggest smile and I knew that she was finally excited,” shares Akshay. Now that’s what a wedding should be… unexpected, full of surprises and filled with unconditional love.
For her bridal outfit, Shreya played mix-match with pieces from her mother-in-law’s closet and paired it with her sister’s jewellery.
She trusted Meraki By Ritika for her D-day makeup who gave her a soft dewy look with nude pink lips, flushed cheeks and smokey eyes. The addition of a little pink bindi made Shreya look like the quintessential bride. Meanwhile, Akshay complemented her in a pink kurta, paired with white pyjama and a nehru jacket.
Eyeing that lip colour, aren’t you? Well, we loved it too. Here’s a similar shade that you can add to your makeup bag:
Even though the wedding was nothing like what they had planned, it was filled with love and laughter. “It was the first online marriage in our family–one that’s going to be told to our children and grandchildren for years to come,” he signed off.
Pandemic or no, weddings are always going to be special and COVID has certainly taught us that more than the extravagant arrangements, it’s the people and your love for each other that make your celebrations truly special.
Featured Image: Instagram/Meraki By Ritika
Read More From Wedding
10 Things Women Get To Hear At Weddings & No Uncle, Abhi Nahin Karni Mujhe Shaadi!
Aaliyah Jain
Updated: Everything You Need To Know About Ira Khan & Nupur Shikhare’s Wedding Celebrations
Vasudha Sabharwal