I Might Go Broke : My Girlfriend Want Me to Spend Over $50,000 On Wedding Ceremony

I’m a 27-year-old man and I’m getting married to the love of my life, Meera, who is 25 years old. It’s important to mention that Meera is Indian, and I’m American. I’m really excited to marry her because she’s an amazing person who brings out the best in me. She’s kind, outgoing, and has a wonderful personality.

I proposed to Meera in March, and she said yes. Both of our families are thrilled about the wedding, especially hers. Indian weddings are known for being grand celebrations. They are not just a one-day event but involve many pre-wedding rituals and celebrations like Haldi, Mehndi, Sangeet, Pooja, and more. And let’s not even get started on the number of guests they invite. It’s common to have a minimum of 600-700 guests.

I remember attending her cousin’s wedding, which had over 500 guests. My mother-in-law mentioned it was a small wedding, but I thought she was joking because I couldn’t imagine a wedding being considered small with that many people. I couldn’t help but laugh and say that I wanted a bigger wedding.

Recently, we were discussing our wedding plans with our families, deciding who to invite. Meera and I had agreed that we wanted a more intimate wedding. However, when we mentioned this to our families, they agreed but said they didn’t want more than 700 people attending.

I was taken aback because 700 people still seemed like a huge number to me. I don’t even know half of that many people! I found it amusing that my mother-in-law made such a casual statement about having a “small” wedding with only 700 guests.

I didn’t say anything at that moment, waiting for Meera to express her thoughts. Surprisingly, she seemed to agree with the idea of having 700 guests. Later, I asked her why she didn’t say anything, and she responded by saying she thought we had agreed on having a small wedding. I tried to explain that 700 people didn’t feel small to me at all.

She then clarified that for an Indian wedding, reducing the guest list to 700 was already considered small compared to the initial 1200.

On top of the guest list, Meera also wants to have a destination wedding at the Six Sense Fort Barwa, a beautiful Rajasthani palace where her favorite actor got married. However, the cost of one room at this palace can go up to $1000 per night. Considering that we are planning a 5-day destination wedding with 700 guests, you can understand why I’m feeling overwhelmed and anxious.

The total cost of everything she wants for the wedding is going to exceed $500,000. She comes from a wealthy family, and her father is covering most of the expenses. However, I feel uncomfortable with him paying for such an extravagant wedding and want to repay him eventually. I’ve tried talking to my fiance about finding a middle ground and cutting down the guest list to 400 people to reduce costs, but she is not willing to compromise. She believes that since her father is paying and we only get married once, we should go all out and not hold back.

I think it’s all becoming too overwhelming, and I believe we should at least reconsider some aspects, like the elaborate stalls and expensive gifts. I’ve already expressed my concerns to her, but she doesn’t seem to be listening or willing to make any changes. If she doesn’t show any willingness to compromise even a little bit, I’m seriously considering calling off the wedding.

I apologize for not explaining clearly earlier why I am hesitant about her father paying for everything. In the beginning, when my fiance introduced me to her father, he didn’t think I was a suitable match for his daughter. That initial impression has left me feeling uneasy about accepting his financial support for the wedding. I want to prove myself and eventually repay him to gain his respect and acceptance.