I want a simple wedding, but log kya kahenge? Aargh...

I am getting married in April next year. But, before you start bombarding me with congratulatory messages, there are a couple of things I want to tell you about myself. One: I despise every nonsensical tradition ever made. Second: I hate the fact that my parents are going OTT with my wedding.

Ladies, I am not belittling you if you dream of a Karan Johar kind of a fairytale wedding. But, I am truly not a fan of all the band baja baaraat and blitz. I like things as simple as possible, which means no eye-blinding jewellery, no head-spinning trousseau, and definitely no unnecessary drama on the D-Day. Now, if you are commending my budget-friendly way of celebrating and wondering what's the problem, you are probably ignoring one teeny-weeny detail: It's an Indian wedding!

How can you expect no faltu kharcha if your daughter is getting married? In fact, no amount of reassurance from the guy's family is enough to satiate my parents' sense of social obligation. If you have been or are in my shoes, you would understand how difficult it is to make your mommy and daddy understand that you don't want them to throw away their hard-earned moolah on just a party!

 

Every conversation I have with them ends with just one sentence every time: Log kya kahenge. Man, who are these 'log' who have no other business but to butt in our personal matters. Why the hell do they care about how heavy my lehenga is or how many tonnes my jewellery weighs.

And it doesn't end at this. It's the ever-growing pile of gifts for the extended family that is driving me crazy.

Though our constitution has innumerable laws prohibiting every form of dowry, it should also have an article or two on the mindless exchange of presents. People, it's not Christmas, it's not Diwali--so stop with the nonsense! 

 

Anyhow, if there's one thing this pre-wedding tamasha has taught me, it's the amount of influence the society (read: relatives) have on our day-to-day lives. Is it impossible to break free from the norms and for once do something that the heart really wants? Sadly, with the maddening hullabaloo overshadowing a pure, lovely relationship I have actually started dreading my upcoming wedding.

The happiness has been replaced by guilt and remorse, and it gets worse every time I see my dad adding an item to his to-do list. Like really, what was the point of educating me and asking me to become a self-sufficient human being? After all, if my parents feel the need to dissipate every bit of their savings, then I as a daughter, have failed to make them understand that they do not need to compensate the family that is taking me in.

So, while I battle pride every day, I imagine a parallel universe where weddings do not translate into drainage of money and resources.

 

Also read: Getting cold feet? 5 signs it's more than just wedding jitters