How to finance your marriage? Common ways people pay for weddings in India

Weddings often bring a mix of excitement and nervousness. From figuring out a new chapter in the book of life to handling financial decisions that come from the whole affair, there’s a lot to unpack. It is always a good idea to prepare well in advance before the big day. This gives you enough room to save and figure out different financing options. Get the needed help with your planning in this blog explaining how to finance a wedding.

How to finance a wedding: Common funding models
 

A good place to start is getting a feel of all the financing options relevant in today’s time. You can compare them based on benefits and downsides and use a mix of the best models for managing the wedding expense. Listed below are some of the common financing models used for wedding funding in India:

· Savings and investments
 

Your savings and investments in recurring deposits, fixed deposits, and mutual funds can help fund your wedding to an extent. They are often the safest bets, especially if you have a dedicated fund for a wedding.

· Personal loan for a wedding
 

The next best option is to consider a personal loan for a wedding. It lets you spread out the wedding costs into flexible EMIs. You can also expect quick approval based on your eligibility.

· Family-backed funding
 

Marriage holds emotional value. Hence, most Indian families, including parents and close relatives, willingly support you in financing parts of the wedding.

· Splitting costs between partners
 

In today’s era of women’s empowerment and financial independence, both partners can contribute to the wedding expenses. This is another way to lower the financial burden.

· Cash-flow-based steady funding
 

You can also integrate wedding funding in phases. As your monthly income allows, you can book vendors via EMIs, buy jewellery during bonus season, etc. Small steps like these make financing a wedding easier.

Real-life experiences around wedding funding in India
 

To give you more insight into different financing options, here are some real-life stories shared on Reddit addressing the various methods to handle wedding expenses:

· Budget-conscious, modest wedding with proper planning
 

One person wrote: “Spent ₹4 lakhs in total”. They did a small reception with close family and friends. No flashy venue or a large guest count. This is a practical way to fund a wedding. It leads to minimal upfront cost and zero regrets post-wedding.

· Skipping avoidable expenses to get a realistic budget
 

One commenter shared their approach, where they avoided all big traditional costs. Instead of spending heavily on jewellery, they invested in sovereign gold bonds and mutual funds to keep the interest earnings regulated. Many Reddit users agreed to this and concluded that weddings don’t need to be glam.

· Breaking investments to fill the financial gap
 

Another comment says they were “short by ₹2 lakhs as the marriage approached”. This was due to inflated wedding costs and last-minute upgrades. So, they chose to redeem their investments, like FD and mutual funds, to cover the gap.

· Avoiding societal pressure
 

One user argued that a hefty budget, as some parents and relatives expect, is unrealistic. This is especially true when the couple doesn’t have adequate funds. They suggested that good weddings can happen in ₹5-₹10 lakhs too. The key is to not give in to the societal pressure and couples’ families agreeing to keeping things modest.

· Creating a wedding fund
 

Another user recommended cutting lifestyle expenses and redirecting leftover salary into a wedding fund. As a wedding is a planned expense, funding it this way with advanced planning can ease the financial pressure when the actual preparations begin.

Budgeting & cost-saving tips for wedding funding in India

Based on the stories of Indian couples, it is clear that wedding funding in India goes beyond securing finances. The main formula for a stress-free wedding is keeping the budget within reach. Here are some actionable tips in this direction:

· Keep your aspirations in check
 

Most of us have this grand idea of weddings. While there is no harm in it, letting this dreamy idea influence how to finance a wedding is not ideal. You want to decide your budget based on what you can comfortably afford. Having such a realistic approach can help you fund without regrets.

· Lock in the non-negotiables first
 

List the things you genuinely care about. This includes the venue, photography, décor, and more. Allocate the wedding budget to these first and adjust everything else around them. This approach prevents you from overspending on things that take up unnecessary space and bloat up your budget.  

· Compare services for the best deals
 

Banquet halls, make-up artists, wedding planners, photographers, etc., can raise their prices around the wedding season. They are also often overbooked. To avoid such scenarios, it’s best to compare them proactively to get the best deal and avoid last-minute hassle.

· Be smart with jewellery and outfits
 

Gold is often the highest cost when it comes to wedding funding in India. While it is an important part of most cultures, buying new and heavy gold is not always necessary. You can always consider lighter, contemporary options and repurpose older pieces. Also, realistically, wedding outfits are hardly repeated. So, it makes sense to rent some of them to reduce costs.

· Space out payments
 

Most vendors accept a nominal advance followed by instalments. This can act as a boon for you to reduce the upfront cost. You can space out payments across 4-6 months to avoid cash crunches on other expenses.

· Consider a marriage loan responsibly
 

If you are thinking of getting a personal loan for a wedding, treat it like any other financial commitment. Make sure you plan your EMIs in a way that they fit comfortably in your monthly budget.

Final words

As you plan your wedding, you will realise it is not entirely about the money but about practically balancing emotions and expectations. The stories shared above are proof enough of this reality. As you must have noted, they share no single right approach showing how to finance a wedding. There are different opinions circling around financial planning, even more than the mode of financing. So, the takeaway is to plan your wedding funds considering your monthly budget and future goals.

Looking for an easy way to fund your wedding?
 

Explore FIRSTmoney personal loan for marriage by IDFC FIRST Bank—a smart choice for couples planning their big day in India. Here’s why it works so well:

✅ Keep your EMIs affordable with low interest rates starting at just 9.99% p.a.

✅ Close your loan anytime without any foreclosure charges.

✅ Quick approval & 30-minute disbursal. Perfect for last-minute wedding expenses.

✅ 100% digital process, no paperwork – Apply from anywhere, hassle-free.

✅ Multiple on-demand loans for the flexibility to manage extra wedding costs easily.