Celebrating in time of Covid-19
DISAPPOINTING: ZOOM WEDDING LACKS INTIMACY
Traditional celebrations have been thrown out of the window since the lockdown to combat the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the world in March.
Baby showers are usually small events so many go ahead.
Traditional celebrations have been thrown out of the window since the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the world in March. Many people had no choice but to cancel weddings, birthdays, graduations and house-warming parties.
Level 1 kicked in yesterday, allowing people to have larger gatherings, but during Level 2 some people decided to go ahead with their plans and make sacrifices so their celebrations could take place.
Baby showers are a joyful occasion for the soon-to-be mother and usually meet the requirements of 50 people or less.
Amogeleng Pewah initially thought that her sister Keitumetse Pewah Mulaudzi’s baby shower was unlikely to happen and the mom to be thought so too.
Pewah said: “We planned in July. My sister was set to give birth in September so we went ahead and wanted to celebrate the arrival of our new family member. The planning was very hectic, a few times we thought about cancelling.”
She said people weren’t receptive at first and had challenges with managing the contributions that would go to décor, catering, the outfit, the photographer and the cake.
They invited close family members and friends, making up about 15 people. What helped the most was having the shower at their family home.
After a few hiccups, Pewah said the baby shower went very well. Asked whether she would have changed anything if it weren’t for Covid-19 lockdown, she said: “Well, not really, it would have cost more, there would have been more people invited, a venue would have been booked, so we ended up saving a lot.”
Popular content creator and makeup artist Lindy Lin’s dream wedding was already planned when the president announced the lockdown. The uncertainty was unsettling. “The venue had been booked and paid for and all the décor and dress plans went out the window.”
Lin has been engaged to partner Joao Paulo DeSaude for about two years and the couple has decided to go ahead with their wedding in October in Cape Town.
“I don’t have a wedding planner but nowadays companies pretty much take the reins which definitely makes things easier, at a cost, of course.
“I find a lot of my ideas have changed since I first started planning. For example, half the number of people will be attending, and now adding face masks as a gift ... who would’ve thought!”
They did decide to cut 50 guests in line with the regulations. She joked that one of the other setbacks was trying to fit into her dress after winter and lockdown.
One Zoom wedding guest, Aneesa Adams, who virtually attended a close friend’s wedding in August, said it lacked intimacy.
Moving into a new place is also a big deal, as many new homeowners like to share their joy with others. So with people finally allowed visitors, Fisani Mbense’s house-warming party was a spur of the moment event.
“I initially wanted a new car, went to a few dealerships but they declined my offers. I saw an article for a place to rent and put in my application, it was approved and I moved in.”
People were so happy for her that an impromptu house-warming just happened as people brought in drinks and pizza to mark the day.
Despite the challenges of the “new normal” some people have managed to make the most of it.