Coronavirus: Couples in Indonesia take virtual weddings to the next level
Lavish backgrounds, couriers sending food to guests and gifts using digital currency
With wedding ceremonies getting cancelled or going virtual around the world, couples in Indonesia have adopted a unique way of carrying out lavish ceremonies without violating social distancing rules.
The couples pick from fancy wedding banquets to use as a background while guests join through a video call.
According to Vice Media, an US-based digital media company, GM Productions is the company that pioneered the unconventional wedding format in Indonesia.
A video posted on social media shows how they transform a green screen room with one table, the couple and the officiator, into a lavish wedding on screen.
The only people allowed inside the green screen room are the bride, groom, their parents, an official from the Office of Religious Affairs, and some members of the production team, Vice Media reported.
Then the guests, sometimes up to a 1,000 people, receive a virtual ‘invite’ link to watch the livestream.
According to the report, guests appear on a 3x4-metre screen in the studio and take turns talking to the couple, which is a common practice in Indonesian weddings.
The elaborate process also includes food. Couriers deliver souvenirs and food packages to each guest.
The livestream also features a bank account number where guests can send cash gifts to the couple.
According to the article, the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the country reported that the number of marriage requests they received far outweighs the number of couples who went through with a ceremony between April and May.
A spokesperson, Anwar Saadi, said 2,743 couples got married during the period but 15,651 had submitted marriage requests.
To make it easier for couples to get married, the ministry has set up an online portal for marriage requests and scrapped the Marriage Preparedness Certificate that is a requirement in some cities.