BENGALURU: Couples tying the knot in the city are a troubled lot with prices of commodities, including vegetables and flowers, surging due to the recent rains. Many couples who had booked outdoor venues are also having to shell out a lot of money to shift their wedding indoors.
Arun Kumar, whose daughter got married at a banquet hall near Basavanagudi, said, “I had booked a garden for the marriage as it was cheaper than the hall. I had even paid an advance to the manager for floral decoration, but had to change plans at the last moment.”
On an average, premium outdoor venues are available for `45,000 to `50,000. The cost of halls with electricity for a 24-hour block comes to around `3.4 lakh. So making last-minute decisions is difficult and given that this is the marriage season, bookings are not easy to get.
Shamim, owner of a decorators’ service near Commercial Street, said, “We are getting requests from our clients to put up water-proof reinforcement for the erected shamianas. On short notice, it is difficult to arrange water-proof covers.”
The main ingredients of most weddings, bananas, coconuts and flowers, are also pricier now. Vishwanath Kamath, who runs a catering service, said, “It is a nightmare. Vegetable prices have gone up and clients who paid an advance for the wedding are not ready to pay extra.”
Flower prices too have risen. A Shantinagar-based florist said flower prices were already high given the festive season.