LPG Crisis Hits India’s Wedding Season; Over 25000 Weddings From Punjab To Chennai, Pune To Hyderabad Affected

Across India, weddings are usually synonymous with abundance - elaborate feasts, endless buffets, and kitchens working round the clock to feed hundreds or even thousands of guests. But an unexpected crisis involving commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is threatening to disrupt this carefully choreographed ecosystem, leaving families, caterers and banquet hall operators scrambling for solutions.

From Hyderabad to Indore, Chennai, Pune, and large parts of Punjab, the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders is beginning to ripple through India's peak wedding season, threatening events that families have planned for months.

The disruption is widely linked to geopolitical tensions in West Asia that have affected LPG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. With supplies tightening, the central government has prioritised domestic household consumption of LPG, leaving hotels, caterers and marriage halls struggling to secure commercial cylinders used in large kitchens.

A rough estimate says at least 25,000 weddings across the country are hit by the LPG crisis.

Punjab: Over 10,000 Weddings Face Uncertainty

The scale of the crisis is particularly visible in Punjab, where thousands of weddings are scheduled during the current auspicious period.

According to a The Tribune report, more than 10,000 weddings are expected across the state this week. However, a sudden halt in commercial LPG supply since late Monday night has left caterers and banquet halls uncertain about how they will manage large-scale cooking.

Sukhdev Singh Sidhu of the Punjab Marriage Palace and Resort Association said the industry learnt about the suspension of commercial cylinder supply only on Tuesday morning. An emergency meeting of association members was called to discuss contingency measures.

The shortage is also affecting households hosting wedding ceremonies at home. In Patiala, families preparing for weddings are reportedly scrambling to arrange extra cylinders after caterers warned that supplies may not last through the ceremonies.

Industry representatives say the crisis may worsen within days. Amarbir Singh, president of the Punjab Hotel and Restaurant Association, said most establishments maintain reserves that last three to five days, after which kitchens may struggle to function. As a backup plan, he has advised members to consider temporarily switching to traditional coal-based chulhas.

Hyderabad Caterers Turn to Firewood

In Hyderabad, the shortage has already started affecting caterers responsible for preparing large wedding feasts.

According to Siasat.com, commercial LPG supply in the city has dropped to around 30 per cent of normal levels, forcing caterers to improvise. Mohd Naseer, who runs a catering service, said he has been struggling for over a week to secure smaller cylinders.

"After that is exhausted we don't know what will happen, and we may have to cancel orders and wait till gas is available," he told the publication.

With his schedule packed during Ramzan and the wedding season, Naseer has started using firewood to cook biryani, reserving the limited gas available for dishes that cannot be prepared over a wood fire.

A meeting between hotel owners and distributors on March 10 reportedly ended without a solution, with distributors admitting that they themselves were unable to secure additional supply.

As per the reports in the Telugu media, there are over 2,000 weddings are scheduled in one week in the Telugu-speaking states.

Madhya Pradesh Weddings Forced to Simplify Menus

In Madhya Pradesh, the LPG shortage is forcing caterers to rethink elaborate wedding menus.

According to a report in The Times of India from Indore, more than 2,500 weddings are scheduled across the state until March 15, one of the busiest wedding windows of the year.

A typical wedding with about 1,000 guests can consume 15 to 20 commercial LPG cylinders, depending on the menu.

Tejkul Pal Singh, president of the Bhopal Hotel and Restaurant Association, said the industry currently has only a few days' worth of fuel left.

"This is the peak wedding season, and we are completely booked until March 15. We made commitments to families who had made advance payments," he said.

To conserve fuel, caterers are already making adjustments - reducing live cooking stations, simplifying menus and avoiding dishes that require prolonged high-heat cooking.

Ajay Jain, zonal chairman of the MP Catering Association, said some kitchens are shifting to diesel bhattis and electrical appliances as temporary alternatives.

Chennai Hospitality Sector Feels the Pinch

The shortage is also beginning to affect institutions and wedding venues in Chennai.

Managers of corporate canteens, hostels, and wedding hall dining facilities say they are preparing for possible disruptions. According to industry representatives, the price of commercial cylinders has surged sharply.

"Dealers are charging more than ₹5,000 per cylinder, up from around ₹2,000," G. Karthik, treasurer of the Tamil Nadu IT Hostel and PG Owners Welfare Association, told The Times of India.

The association, which represents more than 15,000 hostels and paying guest facilities, has already begun rationing services - halting the preparation of items such as coffee, tea, chapatis and dosas to conserve fuel.

Wedding caterers in the city are facing similar pressure, with some reportedly asking families to arrange cylinders themselves for upcoming events.

Pune Wedding Venues Monitor the Situation

In Pune, where nearly 1,000 banquet halls and wedding venues operate, the shortage has created uncertainty in the hospitality industry, Hindustan Times reported.

Banquet operators say the difficulty in procuring LPG cylinders may affect large-scale cooking if the crisis persists.

Amit Kedari, owner of Kedari Residency, warned that prolonged disruption could force businesses to cut services.

"If the supply of fuel and cooking gas is affected in the coming days, it could lead to price hikes and even shortages. In such a situation, we may have to temporarily shut down lodging operations as providing food for guests could become difficult," he told the English publication.

Venue owners say they are currently monitoring the situation closely while preparing contingency plans.

Government Prioritises Domestic Supply

Amid growing concerns, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has emphasised that household LPG supply remains the top priority.

To prevent hoarding and ensure equitable distribution, authorities have introduced a 25-day mandatory gap between domestic LPG bookings.

Officials also point to the rollout of e-KYC verification and Delivery Authentication Codes (DAC) aimed at eliminating "ghost consumers" and streamlining distribution.

However, on the ground, consumers and businesses report long waits, jammed booking helplines and uncertainty over deliveries.

Weddings - Months of Planning at Risk

For many families, weddings involve months of planning, advance payments and carefully curated menus. The sudden LPG shortage is adding unexpected stress to already hectic preparations.

Event organisers warn that even a brief disruption can create logistical chaos.

"Families plan weddings months in advance and caterers cannot cancel bookings at the last moment. Even a short disruption in LPG supply can create chaos during peak wedding days," said Indore-based event organiser Rakesh Gupta.

With auspicious wedding dates continuing over the next few weeks, the hospitality industry hopes that supply chains stabilise quickly. Otherwise, India's grand wedding feasts - often the centrepiece of celebrations - may have to be scaled down, simplified, or in some cases, cooked the old-fashioned way over wood and coal fires.