Arranged Marriages in a COVID-19 World

This pandemic has put a halt to any talk of marriage. Being great and patient people, we buckled up and waited it out. Now over a year later and with no end in sight, a new paradigm is emerging. Desi singles and their parents have turned to online dating sites or matrimonial sites to find the perfect match. One such popular site is Texas-based shadi.com which offers a safe and easy platform for arranged marriages in a COVID-19 world.

As arranged marriages have moved online, the number of matching candidates has increased exponentially. From the dozen or so choices with the local aunty to 100s or even 1000s of perfectly acceptable matches online. With advances like zoom.com and google meetings, face to face conversation is easy to setup.

Online matchmaking and arranged marriages in a COVID-19 world have a great many advantages:

The couple meets through their families.

As we all know, normal dating is not possible due to the closure of restaurants and cafes. In an arranged marriage, both families are very involved. They make sure to keep meeting the children’s in-laws. While restaurants and cafes are closed, the families can meet at home in a comfortable and safe atmosphere.

More convenient than normal dating

Above all, it will be quite difficult to find a good, safe and convenient dating spot or café. The best someone can do is spend time with their beloved in the car going on long drives. This means spending too much time together right from the beginning. So, the couple will not have the space to decide if they want to be together or not. Keeping in mind the pandemic, the couple is at risk of going down with coronavirus.

Less expensive, more meaningful

Lastly, an arranged marriage during the pandemic means small home weddings. This means only close family and friends are invited. Most importantly, the wedding is a cozy and happy event with just the close loved ones from both parties. Let’s not forget the reduced expenses for a large crowd and heavy catering.

Overall, arranged marriages during the pandemic have been less stressful, expensive, and inconvenient. Most weddings in 2021 are exactly what a shadi is: a small and happy celebration between two families.