Big fat summer weddings find cool ways to beat the heat

People in Kolkata have been experiencing a rather uncomfortable weather for the past few days owing to the heat wave. But cultural events and weddings continue to take place as per schedule — albeit with proper precautions. No wonder, the demand for air-conditioned venues has gone up in the city.
Sucharita Roy Chowdhury, director of a city hotel and a resort, said, “For the past two years, open spaces were in demand for wedding parties because of the pandemic.But now, air-conditioned halls and banquets are back in demand because of this unbearable heat. Guests who had booked our gardens and lawns are now cancelling it and opting for air-conditioned halls for the wedding functions.”


The families of brides and grooms are taking extra precautions to ensure that wedding functions take place smoothly. Atreyee Chakraborty, who got married on April 21, says, “When we had zeroed in on our wedding date, we never thought it would be so hot since the beginning of April. Though we had booked an AC banquet, rituals like gaye holud had to be conducted in an open-air space. So, we had to partially cover the space and put pedestal fans for our guests. I kept sipping on cold water, daab-er jol and lassi to keep myself hydrated. Keeping summer wedding in mind, I also opted for a lightweight magenta katan silk Benarasi and told my makeup artist to create a simple, dewy look for me. I wore minimal jewellery.”
Chandrima Mukherjee, another wedding planner who is handling a destination wedding at a hill station, shared, “For a ceremony like haldi, which is performed outdoors, water sprinklers are being installed to control the heat. We’ll use open lawns in the evening if it’s not raining.”


Usually, there are a number of rituals associated with weddings and city photographers are opting for covered areas or canopies where haldi and mehendi ceremonies can be organised. Says Siladitya Dutta, a wedding photographer, “While weddings are taking place in AC banquets, for the pre-wedding photo shoots, we are requesting our clients to wrap up early in the morning when the heat is still bearable.”
Another wedding photographer, Somenath Ghosh, says, “We are keeping wet towels, wearing light cotton clothes and avoiding spicy food during summer weddings. Hydration is a must since we tend to shoot for long hours. ORS with fresh fruit juices along with light meals and salad also keep us going. Since most wedding rituals are held in open-air venues, using sunscreen and sunglasses are a must.”


A wedding celebration is incomplete without good food. But considering the unbearable heat, people are tweaking the menus and going for continental dishes, apart from traditional Bengali meals. Rongon Neogi, who runs a catering service in Kolkata, says, “Keeping the heat wave in mind, people are now opting for lighter meals for the guests. In most cases, wedding parties are avoiding biryani, chaap and other oily foods. There is a big demand for continental food with dishes like stir-fry jalapeno baby corn, cheese and parsley fish and chicken salad tossed with vegetables, butter tossed flavoured rice and roast leg of mutton with roasted potato. Welcome drinks like pina colada, virgin mojito, orange punch, nimbu-paani, aampora sharbat are also a hit.”
Echoing similar thoughts, another caterer Ranjan Panda adds, “I am getting a lot of requests to change the previous set menu. Guests are cancelling mutton and opting for fish and chicken. Along with continental items, guests are opting for traditional Bengali dishes cooked in homemade-style as well.”


1. Opt for light-weight bridal wear, like a sari or a lehenga, for summer weddings
2. Wear minimal jewellery and use fresh flower ornaments for most of the
wedding functions
3. Grooms should avoid silk kurtas. Wear a traditional linen kurta instead
4. For makeup, the foundation used should be matte, as it holds the base for a longer time. It is non-greasy and reduces
extra sweating
5. Eyeshadow and blush should also be powder-based (preferably in pastel shades) to avoid smudges
6. Keep your hair tied up, as open hair might cause sweating and make your hair look frizzy
— Inputs by makeup artist Aniruddha Chakladar & stylist Neel Saha