Wanted: Non-saaya wedding dates

With the fear of a third Covid-19 wave looming large, couples are thinking beyond auspicious time periods, moving towards non-saaya dates

Picking a wedding date is about choosing an auspicious date, in consultation with a priest or pandit. But now, with the fear of a third Covid-19 wave looming large, couples are thinking beyond auspicious time periods, moving towards non-saaya dates.

The trend of non-saaya wedding dates is being welcomed as a refreshing change (Photo: Shutterstock)

According to data put together by WeddingWire India, a wedding technology platform, there has been a 76% surge in demand for non-saaya dates, or dates that aren’t conventionally considered auspicious. And, this trend is being welcomed as a refreshing change.

“Given how rooted Indians are in their culture and customs, the surge in demand for non-saaya weddings is a favourable change for the wedding industry. This radical change which was envisioned 2-3 years down the lane has been fast-tracked by the pandemic. If the trend continues to strike a chord with the consumers, it will drive new revenue opportunities for professionals in a $50 billion Indian wedding industry,” says Anam Zubair, associate director of marketing at WeddingWire India.

Echoing similar views, Mehak Sagar, co-founder, WedMeGood also feels that Covid-19 further ensured that this trend gains steam. She says, “There are a lot of reasons why this is happening. With the uncertainty around, couples are planning with shorter timelines when cases are low, combined with the fact that they often get off season benefits for the same. It just makes a lot of sense to pick a date that’s convenient, where the weather is good and falls on a weekend.”

Other wedding vendors including photographers, decorators and planners are also of the view that convenience and unpredictability are stimulating the trend. Megha Israni, founder of Israni Photography, which recently shot the Disha Parmar-Rahul Vaidya wedding, says, “We don’t know when the next Covid-19 wave is going to hit us. Couples don’t want to plan too many things for the future and are hence, comfortable in opting for non-saaya dates.”

Aashna Saran of Aash Studio, which was in charge of décor at actor Dia Mirza’s wedding, feels off season opens up a pool of options for couples to choose from, while photographer Ankita Asthana, co-founder of WeddingNama, believes this trend has turned weddings into a year-long business, rather than a seasonal affair. The changes is also benefitting wedding vendors in getting more bookings. Another photographer, Shrey Bhagat, co-founder, Knotting Bells has been witnessing a drastic change in weddings taking place in off-season months. “We have witnessed a rise in off-season weddings, as we have several weddings lined up during September-October. Couples have started looking at monetary perks, as wedding vendors during a non-saaya days, charge a low package,” he says.

Some also feel safety has taken precedence over deciding a date. “The new order of priority is checking government rules on number of guests, safety, availability of venue, budget and then the date,” says wedding planner Namha Malhotra, founder, Castles & Coasters.