My friends and family laughed at me. Having a cashless wedding is next to impossible here as lavishness from both sides is a must, says Jai Singh
Many women complain that their spouses don't spend enough money on them, but Richa Singh had no such problems. In fact, it was lack of funds that introduced Richa to her husband Jai Singh. And playing Cupid, albeit indirectly, was demonetization.
Jai Singh said that he met Richa while standing in a long queue outside an ATM. "We got to see other a lot as we had to withdraw money every day. We started talking and before we knew it, we were talking about marriage."
The marriage was unconventional, more so because Richa and her husband came from different backgrounds — she was Jain and he was Sindhi. But parental opposition was nullified as Jai's in-laws knew exactly what his salary was, thanks to demonetization again.
With parental objection out of the way, the wedding took place in December last year. But as Jai pointed out, to celebrate the unique set of circumstances that brought them together, the couple decided to have a cashless wedding.
Singh said, "My friends and family members were laughing at me. To have a cashless wedding is next to impossible. Lavishness from both sides is a must." He added that many of his family pleaded with the couple to change their minds but they were adamant.
The main problem they faced was organising a wedding in an area which did not recognise cards, and PayTM still had not caught on. The only solution was a dharamshala belonging to Jain Trust.
"The Jain community here contributes a certain amount to the trust each month. As a result, they can use the dharamshala free of cost," said Richa Singh.
It was a unique affair. The couple even invited guests through WhatsApp and SMS so as to not spend cash on invitation cards. All ostentatious ceremonies of wedding were also banned.
Looking back, the couple said they have no regrets about their decision. "Demonetization is a good thing for the country," they say. And certainly, it seems, for some couples.
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