Wedding plans go awry with Punjab govt’s latest cap on guests

RESORT AND MARRIAGE PALACE OWNERS FLOODED WITH CANCELLATION REQUESTS; FEAR THAT THE LOSSES MIGHT RUN INTO LAKHS

LUDHIANA: Punjab government’s decision to limit gathering to 10 people at weddings has left scores of families in a quandary.

Hundreds of weddings as well as other celebrations were all set to be organised in the coming days across the state with a limit of 50 people for indoor and 100 for outdoor events. Monday’s announcements have now shelved people’s plans while resort and marriage palace owners are flooded with cancellation requests.

With a number of weddings scheduled for the coming weekend, there prevail utter chaos and confusion among the families as the guests had already started arriving.

“It was only on April 8 that the state government had relaxed the cap on number of guests at weddings from 20 to 50. Earlier on March 18, when the gatherings were restricted to 20 people, many of our clients had cancelled the bookings and shifted the venues to other states. Now, with a limit of only 10 people, nothing can be organised. We are getting cancellation requests, which would result in losses that could run into lakhs for us,” said Vikas Shrivastav, spokesperson, Ludhiana Marriage Palace and Resort Owner Association.

Vice-president of Ludhiana Marriage Palace Welfare Association, Inderjeet Khurana, said, “The decision made by the state government is condemnable. The sudden move has left not only the resort owners, but several families in the lurch too.”

Other sectors have been hit as well. Over 200 workers are engaged in a single wedding, including florists, caterers, photographers, and decorators among others.

In Jalandhar, Manoj Kumar Chodha of the Cabbana Resort and Spa said 25 to 30 events were scheduled to be held in the coming days at his resort.

“I have been calling the families to inform that as per government guidelines, we cannot hold the events for the next 10 days and these stand cancelled. April and May were two months when the resorts could have seen some activity, but all we stare at are losses,” he added.

A resident of Patiala said a wedding in their family was planned for April 24 and their guests, who had arrived from abroad, had even completed the 14-day quarantine period. “Invitation cards were distributed and several activities were planned for the big day, but now we are left with no option but to postpone the wedding,” said Deepali Batra, whose daughter’s wedding was scheduled for April 24.