The pandemic has forced everyone to adjust to a new normal, and the wedding industry is one such business that has adapted in unique ways. Unlike earlier, the ‘great Indian weddings’ have now shifted online or are conducted with a limited number of guests. In such a scenario, one family from Madurai found an interesting way to collect wedding gifts from loved ones-- they printed a QR code on their wedding card.
Those invited to the wedding that happened on Sunday, could scan the QR code on the card and transfer money to Siva Sankari and Saravanan, the bride and groom, via Google Pay or PhonePe. Pictures of this unique invitation are also doing the rounds on social media. The culture of giving ‘moi’ or a cash gift to hosts of any function is prevalent in Tamil Nadu. Since weddings have now become a restricted affair, this practice has become restricted too. However, Siva Sankari and Saravanan’s guests can simply scan the wedding invitation to give gifts to the couple. The idea also meant a step towards increasing cashless transactions and reducing the risk of infection, with lesser guests and lesser hands that the money passed through.
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"About 30 persons had used the QR code facility and gave cash as their wedding present," said TJ Jeyanthi, Siva Sankari’s mother. Jeyanthi, who runs a beauty parlour in Madurai, added, "This is the first time such a thing has been attempted in our family."
Before the wedding on Sunday, pictures of the wedding invitation became widely popular on social media, with people appreciating the unique idea. "I have been getting many calls on this. Similarly, my brother and others in the family have been getting lots of calls since Monday morning," Jeyanthi remarked.
Last month, a newlywed couple delivered the wedding feast to the homes of their relatives and friends who had watched the wedding online.
(With inputs from IANS)