Newage wedding gifts: Bitcoin and emoney
Say no to showpieces-thatmust-be-gifted-to-others gifts, and join the I-wante-money crowd. What are we talking about? The tech-savvy Indian bride and bridegroom have warmed up to the idea of hearing their e-wallets go ‘kerching!’ at the wedding. Couples are now confidently telling their guests to transfer credit to their e-wallets or even gift cryptocurrency.
Take Niti Shree and Prashant Sharma — the duo recently had what’s perhaps the world’s first Bitcoin wedding, where any and all wedding gifts were only accepted in Bitcoins, the hottest new investment instrument. The couple was considerate enough to initiate in the crypto game those who had no clue about it. The wedding cards had a step-by- step guide. Prashant says, “We had attended some weddings, and were confused every time as to what we should gift. So one could say that the decision to opt for a Bitcoin wedding came from the personal pain of being confused about gifting. Another reason for it was our interest in cryptocurrency, and we decided to merge the future with technology and gifting.” He adds, “A whopping 95% of attendees gifted us in Bitcoins, which was great!”
Another couple, Aanya and Suchit, encouraged cash gifts coming into their e-wallet or account by getting the QR code and account number printed on their wedding invite. They said, “In Indian marriages, there’s the highest exchange of money and going digital is the way to a cashless wedding!”
Kabir and Maanya, from Gurgaon, also encouraged guests to wire money or give shopping vouchers as gifts.
“E-wallet and wire transfers seem to be a hot pick,” says wedding planner Mukta Kapoor. Guests, too, have got smart. Ankit Sethi, a Delhibased entrepreneur, opted for e-shopping vouchers for his friends who were getting married, so that he could avoid gift duplication.