The Saga of Big Fat Indian Weddings and Financial Burden

Hans India

2 days ago

Indian weddings are known to be grand, colorful, emotional and deeply rooted in traditions. Weddings in India are not just a union of two people but a grand event that brings families, relatives and friends together to celebrate the event. Beneath the celebration and glamour of Indian weddings lies the truth - the financial burden that families face in fulfilling the cultural expectations and maintaining their social status.
Weddings which are meant to be a joyous occasion filled with fun, laughter, love and blessings have unfortunately become an event to display wealth and status. And guess the saddest part. Instead of attending the spiritual union and showering their blessings on the newly wed, people today are keener to know who had the best decoration and who served the best food.
Why Are Indian Weddings So Lavish?
The recent Indian wedding of the son of a prominent business family made global headlines for its grandeur and celebrity appearances that included top international celebrities. While this wedding gained a lot of attention for its extravagance, people began to question – What is the true meaning and purpose of a wedding?
Though lavish weddings are not an obligation for ultra-rich families, they become a burden for common people. For most families, pressure to host grand weddings comes from societal expectations, a desire to impress, and the age-old belief that a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. In many communities, it's seen as a reflection of the family's social status. This mindset leads to excessive spending, sometimes even beyond one's means.
In some regions, the dowry system which is strictly and legally banned still exists in subtle forms like gifts, gold and cash. This further increases wedding expenses. This adds another layer of pressure on the bride's family, contributing to the growing financial burden.
The Hidden Side of a Lavish Celebration: Wedding Debt
'Mr. Sharma has spent 10 lakhs on his daughter's wedding decor. We have to do better'. This is the attitude that most Indian parents have. The unwanted need to compare creates pressure to stay ahead of others.
When the desire for a grand celebration is more than the financial ability, families often turn to wedding loans. This is especially true for middle-class families who wish to keep up with the trends but lack sufficient savings. These loans come with interest, and repayment can take years, affecting future plans like buying a home, investing in a business, or even saving for children's education.
You might see the smiling faces of parents in wedding pictures, but under these smiles, they are silently worrying about the debt from the wedding they have taken.
Are we falling into the trap of Consumerism?
The wedding industry in India has seen an incredible rise in the past decade. Celebrity weddings have created unrealistic expectations. From simple temple weddings, people are turning to destination weddings. With an estimated worth of over Rs 3.7 lakh crore and growing, it's one of the biggest industries in the country. From wedding planners to makeup artists, photographers to florists, it provides jobs and livelihoods to many. But at the same time, it feeds into a cycle of consumerism in weddings.
No doubt Indian weddings are personal, emotional and joyous, but turning them into an occasion to display status or wealth takes away the charm of the occasion. If we take away the societal pressure and focus on things that truly matter in a wedding - love, togetherness and support then weddings can become less about the burden and more about the bond.