Celebrity weddings are getting more and more security-conscious. It is getting so difficult to keep off curious fans and the media crush that celebrities are forced to employ tight security to keep the events away from the public eye and the media glare. There seem to be more bodyguards and security guards than guests at such weddings these days.

A decade and a half ago, Sachin Tendulkar kept his wedding in Mumbai off-limits to the media. To satisfy media requests for the wedding photograph of the bride and groom he released one, much like royalty does, the day after the event. In those laidback days, some newspapers did not even bother to use a picture that they thought was a handout.
With the media spotlight getting more glaring over the years, Mahendra Singh Dhoni conducted his wedding in such a hush hush manner that he even forgot to inform his closest friends where the venue was and how to get there. It is said that Suresh Raina was quite lost about when and where to turn up if he wanted to surprise his close friend.
While Sehwag seemed very possessive about his wedding and how the media would be kept away, he did not seem so shy later when he released pictures of him and his bride on honeymoon, maybe because the honeymoon trip had been sponsored by one of those expensive tourism and holiday ventures.
Cricketers’ weddings are getting to be even more secretive than those of filmstars who are that much more media-conscious and hence try to strike a balance. It is in handling the lives of players that cricket boards have got to be much more sympathetic now than they used to be. They are more like concerned in-laws now in looking after the young colts.
With Kapil Dev close to the bowling world Test bowling record in the mid 90s, his wife Romi insisted on traveling to each venue so as not to miss the magic moment.
Team management was going so strictly by the rules then that they would not allow Mrs Dev to stay in the team hotel even if she hired a room on her own. It’s a different scene altogether today.

Wives allowed to travel with players
With separation and divorce rates tending to rise because of the hectic cricket schedules filled with events and travel, the cricket boards of South Africa and Australia have a positive player support policy by which they allow families to travel freely with the players over a specific period on tours.
During the recent India-England series in England, ECB had also put up a children’s playing area for the kids of cricketers at the Oval with attendants to look after the younger ones. The Indian players were at ease to see their families happy though that did not do much to help their performances in the Test series that was lost 4-0.
“In our days, we had to take permission before every tour. Nowadays, there are rules regarding which part of tours families are allowed to accompany players,” says Kris Srikkanth, chairman of selectors.
With all players eligible for single rooms, wives on tours are no more an issue as it used to be with players having to shift in with colleagues to make room for those whose wives are accompanying them. “It is much easier these days. With so much cricket being played, it’s only fair that a player is allowed to have his wife touring with him,” says Sadagopan Ramesh, former Indian opener
Some restrictions apply only to world events like the World Cup. Otherwise, wives are free to travel on tour, according to a BCCI source. It appears even the BCCI is like an avuncular figure concerned with family issues and the happiness quotient of its players.