Valentine's Day

LUCKNOW: With the craze for getting married on Valentine's Day gaining ground among young couples, all guest houses, DJs, band parties and  priests here are over booked for weddings to be held on the day. 



According to an estimate over 3,000 couples would tie the nuptial knot this February 14 in Lucknow and nearby areas alone with the result that couples trying to get into wedlock on the day are finding it difficult to arrange guest houses, DJs, band parties and priests as most are over booked. 



This year there is "shubh lagna" (auspicious time) for marriage onValentine's Day which is the reason most couples are preferring to get married on February 14, Pundit Umankant Mishra said adding that he was performing three marriages on the day. 



The craze for getting married on that particular date is costing dear to those who had not planned in advance as they are finding that all guest houses and marriages lawns are already booked. 



Ashish Kumar, whose daughter insisted on marrying on this particular day, said that as the marriage was planned only last month he did not get booking in any guest house. 



"Now I am organising the marriage functions in a park near my house. Somehow I could arrange for tents and catering. Even punditji was not free but ultimately he agreed as we were his old clients," Kumar said. 



Even DJ and band parties have a tight schedule on February 14 and they are not taking any more assignments. 



"We have eight band parties and all are booked. We generally keep a party free for any VIP request. But for the 14th we are expressing our regrets to everyone," said an employee of Azad Band, considered to be the most popular in the city.