Weddings

This Couple’s Weekend-Long Wedding During the Pandemic Included Covid Testing and Air-Purifiers

The couple married at the bride's parents' private residence and offered guests and vendors Covid tests before the special day.

In 2019, Amar proposed to Amrita during a romantic trip to Richmond, Va. “I had gone there for dental school, and I had a soft spot for the city,” explains Amrita. After she said yes, the couple set their sights on an eight-to-nine-month timeline, planning a luxurious weekend-long event. That is, of course, until Covid threw a wedge into their plans. “2020 was a year full of surprises,” says Amrita, adding that their original May wedding date had to be pushed back. But, not by much. Amrita and Amar quickly rethought their wedding plans to throw an updated celebration in late September.  

Initially they planned to get married at Amrita’s parents house and have their bigger celebrations, such as their traditional Indian Sangeet and Mehndi, as well as their reception, at the spacious Gaylord in National Harbor. Due to Covid, they decided to change the event by combining the Sangeet and Mehndi and hosting it at Amrita’s parents house on the Friday eve of their wedding. They then opted for a traditional Sikh ceremony on Saturday morning followed by a lunch outside that included the couple’s first dance, as well as the father/daughter dance and the mother/son dance, and a small outdoor afterparty, postponing the formal reception indefinitely. “It all worked out in the end, ” says Amrita. “It was not how we initially planned, but we could not be happier with how everything turned out.”

For decor, the couple chose a “multi-color market theme” for the Sangeet, featuring a magenta, teal, and blue palette, and a Cherry Blossom-color them for the ceremony, which featured shades of pink and Champagne.

“We wanted an elegant market theme for the Sangeet, something fun, colorful but still classy,” they said, and for the ceremony, “a more formal look with shades of pink and neutral colors.” The wedding party were dressed in mint green, cream, Champagne, and gold. The colors, Amrita says, complemented the wedding outfit she found and fell in love with when she was in India.

The couple splurged on Covid testing onsite, mask requirements, air purifier systems, and more. “We offered Covid testing to our guests and vendors before and after the wedding and asked our bridal party and close family/friends to get tested on their own if they were unable to come to our provided testing,” explains the couple. They also incorporated wedding-day signage to remind guests to wear masks, sanitize regularly, and even guide them to temperature checkpoints throughout the event, as well as air-purifiers. “We also had the restroom trailers wiped down throughout the [wedding],” says Amrita. “It was really important to us to make our guests feel as comfortable as possible.” Following their wedding the couple postponed their international honeymoon plans, but did a mini-moon at the Salamander Resort. 

Check out their wedding below to see more of their vibrant celebration. 

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The Details:

Photographer: Audra Wrisley Photography Venue: Private Residence | Planning & Design: CG & Co EventsFlorist: Prashe Décor | Catering: Bollywood Bistro | Wedding Day Signage: Minted | Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist: Sarah Rillon of The Makeup School by Sarah Rillon | Bride’s Attire: Sabyasachi | Groom’s Attire: Frontier Raas | Music/Entertainment: DJ Volcanik Transportation: Sunny’s Limo | Sangeet Mask Vendor:  SRKCreationIN on EtsyWedding Day Mask Vendor SmartTie on Etsy | Restroom Rentals: Got U Go Valet: Atlantic Vaket Henna: Henna by Shazia Tent: Ace Party Rentals | Lighting: Amaryllis Designs | Food and Bar Stations: Something Vintage Rentals

 

jacqueline-tynes
Assistant Editor, Washingtonian Weddings

Jacqueline comes to Washingtonian with close to five years of digital content experience and SEO best practices. She previously was a senior editorial associate at WeddingWire, specializing in wedding fashion, and before that, an assistant at Vow Bride. Originally from Norfolk, Virginia, she now lives in Columbia Heights.