Corona Daily 474: A Wedding in Melbourne

My Catholic friend, T, and I grew up in the same building in Bombay. Later, he migrated to New Zealand. His family grew and dispersed internationally. One of his daughters, D, and her English boyfriend live in Melbourne. Their long planned wedding was set for the 27 March this year, in a Melbourne church.

A small Indian wedding may have more than one hundred guests, and this was an international wedding. The bride’s large family arrived from Auckland in the middle of March. As they were checking into the hotel, T got a call from the church. The Australian government had started closing all non-essential services.

‘But the wedding service is essential’, said T.

‘Yes, yes. We are trying to convince them we are doing God’s work. But I want you to know we can allow a maximum of forty people.’

The family spent a worried night, making lists, and striking out names. On the wedding day, some close family members would need to stay back at the hotel. 

Good news arrived the following day. India had cancelled all outgoing flights. All Indian guests dropped, with T’s conscience clear. This arithmetic happiness lasted briefly. The church called and put the maximum attendees at twenty.

Fortunately, the same evening, flights from the UK were cancelled. With his family and the best man stuck in London, the English groom would be alone at his wedding.

The same evening, the hotel asked the wedding party to vacate.

‘We can’t do that. See how many rooms we have booked, including a bridal suite.’

‘That’s right. You can stay on, but we won’t be able to provide any service. You will need to clean the rooms, and cook for yourself. Our staff is not allowed to enter.’

Meanwhile, a phone call confirmed the bride’s trousseau and groom’s three-piece suit couldn’t be delivered. The shop was shut. You will get them in April or May, the caller said.

The church called next to say they were not sure the wedding would happen. But they were keeping an eye on the developments. You will need to be flexible, they told T.

On Friday 20 March, when Australia closed all borders, T called the church. We are ok to bring forward the wedding to tomorrow, he said.

We don’t work on the weekends, the clerk from the church said.

On Monday morning, 23 March, D was multi-tasking, cooking and vacuum cleaning. T called her. ‘We have to rush’, he said. ‘The church has just said we can have the wedding today at 11.00’. D removed her apron, and began looking for something decent to wear at her own wedding.

*****

At the church’s entrance, D’s sisters went in first. The clerk stopped D. We can’t allow any more people, he said.

‘I am the bride’, D said.

‘You don’t look like one’, the man thought, but let her in anyway.

The elderly pastor kept his social distance from everyone. He was technology-agnostic; otherwise he could have Zoomed in for the service. He made sure the family members stood in different corners of the church. He then welcomed everyone to the celebration. Vows and rings were exchanged.

I forgot to ask T if the couple removed their masks to kiss.

The wedding party rushed from the church to the hotel and then to the airport. They were told one last flight would leave for Auckland that evening. They made it.

‘Thank God, the wedding happened as planned’. Said T’s wife on the flight.

‘More or less.’ Said T.

Ravi