What’s more beautiful than two people getting through life, falling in love, and proclaiming it in front of their friends, family, and some strangers? They say the wedding business is an evergreen industry. But coronavirus knows no boundaries. So, are people just not getting married anymore? Are we going to miss out on all the wedding fun, for good? Apparently not. People only learned to adapt and do what it takes. What’s happening in the epicenter of the pandemic, you ask? Lovers in Wuhan, China, almost crashed Alipay, a marriage application app used there, for online marriage applications in early April as posted by Chinese social media platform Weibo, as quoted by the Week. After a 76-day lockdown, the app witnessed a surge of applicants by 300 percent. Few couples were left refreshing the app while there was a temporary freeze.

In April, the New York Times spoke to many couples who found creative ways to get married amidst the pandemic. The stories revealed how the most intimate human relationships had found their way through the unprecedented chaos. In first of many, Thomas Quinones, a city court judge in Yonkers, New York, married a couple on Facetime. Another couple had a self-uniting ceremony with two of their friends as witnesses. And while some couples maintained a 6-ft distance from each other, some exchanged rings over their gloves.

In India, weddings look slightly different. They are mostly drunken nights, sangeet dances, over-the-top pool parties, a 26-course meal, an extravagant display of wealth, and whatnot. From Beyonce concerts to golden lehengas, it’s all fair game. There is always something headline-worthy about Indian weddings, and why not? Priyanka Chopra made heads turn all around the world with her 75 ft. Long Ralph Lauren’s wedding veil and India welcomed the foreign ‘Jiju’ they didn’t know the country needed. “Big Fat Indian Weddings” is not a myth, after all. 

Love in the times of coronavirus has seen some out of ordinary weddings. In a classic-New York-move, a couple got married on the streets (you heard that right) of New York City. They shouted, ‘I do!’ as their friend officiated the wedding from his fourth-floor apartment window. This proves how couples don’t want to wait until the end of this pandemic, mostly because we see no end to the virus anytime soon. 

Kish and Ang have families spread across India and Australia. The onset of coronavirus made the future seem uncertain. So they decided to have a cozy, private “quarantine” wedding on ‘Zoom.’ Kish, a 25-year-old digital media planner, flew down from New York to Melbourne to meet her long time boyfriend. Kish said she landed in Melbourne four days before the Australian government announced that international travelers must be quarantined for 14 days. They felt lucky even to be together. With the situation changing rapidly, they didn’t want to wait. They had an intimate yet exceptional wedding ceremony. They connected their families on a ‘Zoom’ call. All hail the digital age. A honeymoon is out of the question, but they are glad for all the time they are spending together in quarantine.

Kish says their families are looking forward to hosting a big bash. And Indian weddings being very ritualistic– making it a celebrated affair. While some are happy about giving up the catering expenses and extravagant decorations, some may be disappointed or even heartbroken about not having their dream wedding. 

And for those who are planning a small gathering as things slowly start to open up, WHO released the following pointers to keep in mind–

1. Always check local guidelines before planning your event.
2. Brief guests about precautions before the event starts; during the event, remind guests of these precautions and ensure they are followed.
3. Choose outdoor venues over indoor spaces — if indoors, ensure the area is well-ventilated
4. Minimize crowding by staggering arrivals and departures, numbering entries, designating seats/places, and marking the floor to ensure physical distancing between people of at least one meter.
5. Provide all necessary supplies — hand hygiene stations, hand sanitizer or soap and water, tissues, closed-lid bins, distance markers, masks.

Today, the perception of weddings is changing around the world. Many of us complain about weddings being superfluous expenses, but we are already looking forward to attending our next, with all the 263 food stalls (and the live counters). Apart from frivolous fun, weddings always guarantee a family reunion. Destination weddings become mini-vacations for loved ones. But be it a big, small, or no wedding at all, don’t let love die.