It’s wedding season. Love is in the air and money is flowing out of bank accounts fast.
Traditionally, it was the role of parents to fund the wedding ceremony of their children completely. This is no longer the norm. Today, couples are stepping up to fund their own wedding expenses. A lovely gesture, we must say. We wanted to know what parents think about having their children chip in so we went out and spoke to a few. Here are some of the heart-warming responses we got.
Ravi & Veena Seetharaman
“It was always our dream to have a beautiful wedding for our daughter, Prerana. But right from the start, Prerana wanted a simple temple wedding. She was very clear that she did not want us to spend a lot of money. But of course, we reached an agreement and had a lovely wedding event. The one wish Prerana had was to have a good photographer capture all the precious moments from the wedding. Prerana didn’t want this to become an additional expense adding to our budget, so she insisted on paying for that herself. You know for any parent, when your child takes up any sort of responsibility, be it monetary or otherwise, it makes you feel very proud. When you see your children work hard to make their dreams come true, it tells you that you have imbibed the right kind of values in them. And that feels really, really good.”
Leela Das
“My son and daughter, both had beautiful weddings. Organising the two weddings, getting everything in order for a smooth affair, was really memorable and easy because my children dived right in to help. My daughter, Sunandaa, she’s a software engineer. When she got married she insisted on paying for half of the wedding expenses. The same with my son, Basant, who took it upon himself to pay for half of his wedding expenses. My children have been very supportive that way right from the start. Whether it’s helping out with things at home or other smaller affairs, they always say, “Ma, we want to help”. As a parent, if I have to put it in one word, it makes me feel ‘great’. It somehow tells you that your kids are now standing on their own feet. So much so that they can afford to pay for their weddings! It made me very happy and proud.”
Dilip Biwalkar
“Our daughter Prachi’s wedding was a memorable affair. We had about a year to plan the entire wedding. So, from a planning point of view, there were no hurdles. Even from a financial point of view, we had it comfortably covered. However, Prachi was very keen to play a part in the wedding expenses. She had saved up over the years specifically for her wedding and felt it was important for her to contribute since she wanted the ceremony in a particular way. Even though there was no need for her to do so, she didn’t want us to spend our savings on her wedding. When children voluntarily come forward to contribute and share expenses, even as small gestures, as parents it gives us a real sense of pride and happiness.”
Shanthi Reguraman and Venkataraman V
“We had braced ourselves mentally for all the financial stress for our daughter Sharada’s wedding. Although, we started out wanting just a small civil ceremony with close friends and family, at some point we buckled to peer pressure and made it a day-long affair, with the Muhurtham and the reception to follow. Sharada and Giri made things absolutely easy for us by planning every single detail. They had “Process owners” and multiple excel files with the costing comparison, vendor details, process start and end dates marked. From a financial point of view, they were adamant that they pay for their wedding. This came as a surprise to us. We didn’t agree initially, but they explained why it was important for them to do it and we respected that. It was a proud moment for us to know that our little girl had become so self-sufficient that she was able to fund her own wedding along with her husband. It amazed us that they both strongly believed that their wedding was their responsibility and that is why we agreed as well. Ultimately, it was truly their own wedding.”
Whether you are a parent or the one getting married there are always expenses to be managed. Check out how you can use Credit Cards, Personal Loans and more to have a beautiful wedding just like this celebrity couple!