As the world continues to adjust to the ‘new normal” of social distancing and no contact, a couple in Madurai, India, printed Quick Response (QR) codes on their wedding invite so their guests could transfer cash gifts directly into their accounts.

According to news reports, the culture of giving cash gifts to the hosts of any function is prevalent in that area.

People invited to Siva Sankari and Saravanan’s wedding recently had the option to send them monetary gifts by scanning a code printed on their wedding invites, instead of presenting cash in envelopes.

It was the bride – a programme analyst in Bengaluru – who thought of the idea of printing QR codes on the invites.

“About 30 persons had used the QR code facility and given cash as their wedding present,” Jeyanthi, the bride’s mother, was quoted as saying.

Jeyanthi, who runs a beauty parlour in Madurai, added, “This is the first time such a thing has been attempted in our family.”

The move also helped relatives who could not attend the function to also send gifts to the couple.

The wedding industry had seen various innovations and changes ever since the coronavirus pandemic restricted the number of people who could meet at one place.

The pandemic gave rise to the culture of ‘Zoom weddings’ – with a number of couples opting for virtual ceremonies over huge gatherings.  — ndtv.com