Floods, liquidity crunch, skyrocketing gold prices cast shadow on big fat, lavish Punjabi weddings

The floods in parts of Punjab and a limited flow of liquidity have cast their shadow on the otherwise lavish Punjabi weddings this season, which kicks off on Wednesday and continues till the first week of January.

Ranjit Singh, president of the Resort Association of Amritsar, said there has been about a 20 per cent fall in hotel bookings this wedding season compared to the same period last year. He added that most weddings are now being organised within a budget of Rs 5-7 lakh, followed by the Rs 6-10 lakh range, while weddings exceeding Rs 15 lakh remain few.

Wedding planner Happy Narulla noted that many families have cut down on the number of functions this time. “Even after the reduction in GST rates on commodities like cars, it hasn’t led to higher spending. Only a small section of people are gifting cars; most prefer FDRs, gold ornaments, or other assets that can help the couple in the long run,” he said.

Jeweller Pankaj Khurrana said that despite skyrocketing gold prices, people are still purchasing gold, though in smaller quantities, mostly in coins, to avoid heavy making charges. The trend has shifted towards lightweight jewellery, he added.

Many jewellers are sourcing ornaments from Mumbai and Coimbatore, where artisans craft lightweight jewellery using imported machinery from Turkey, Singapore, and Italy. Italian machines, in particular, are known for their precision in producing fine light designs. “A set that once weighed 20 grams can now be made in 10 grams, while a gold chain that used to weigh 10 grams can now be produced in just 3 grams,” Khurrana explained.

Meanwhile, DJs, bands, caterers, decorators, and beauty parlours report a visible dip in business compared to last year. Most organisers are focusing on diverse menus featuring continental, Indian, Mughlai, and Thai cuisines, while décor trends lean towards glitter and kitsch.

Though destination weddings in Amritsar continue to attract some outsiders, their share remains small and limited to hotels. A few city residents also prefer to travel outside Punjab to host weddings.