Weddings can be the most enjoyable event if you belong to an Indian family. Each ceremony brings many relatives under one roof; so the event is not only important for the bride, groom, their siblings and parents but also for all uncles and aunties (chacha, mama, dadi etc) in the family. On one hand, Indian weddings are truly enjoyable but on the other, they tend to also bring a few problems. It is important to cope with these typical problems efficiently to “save” one’s big day. Let us discuss some common issues faced during big fat Indian weddings along with their solutions.
1. Lengthy guest list
Image: Pixelena Studio
Indian families usually want to invite everyone they know. It is a common problem in this society. Despite creating a wedding budget, the host is not able to stick to it on account of the elaborate guest list. Often, the invitees also bring their own relatives and friends for the events. It obviously gets very difficult to cut down the guest list once relatives demand that they be allowed to bring their own families/friends.
Solution
It is very important to invite guests according to the venue capacity and budget. Here is a simple solution: tell your relatives in advance or immediately after finalizing the wedding date that the plan is to invite only close family members since it is going to be an intimate family function. By doing so, relatives won’t get the opportunity to invite their own plus ones.
2. Not setting a proper wedding budget
Many families define a budget for the wedding but often times, they don’t follow it strictly. This may result in trouble. For example, if you reserve 20% of the total budget on venue decoration and then increase it to 30% just to decorate the venue with expensive LED lights or exotic blooms, then other important things like jewelry, dresses and venue charges could take a backseat. In the end, you may have to compromise on less or arrange for more funds.
Image via Cineyug Celebrations courtesy Cupcake Productions
Solution
Stick to your budget no matter what. Remember that it is better to look for quality but avoid extravagance at the same time. While estimating your budget keep the latest rates in mind to avoid surprise bills.
3. Annoyed relatives
It can be quite embarrassing to discuss this issue-but it is a major Indian wedding problem. If you are not having any annoyed relatives then you can consider yourself very lucky. During weddings, most of us try to satisfy our close relatives with whom we have had tiffs in the past. We often have to go out of our way to ensure their comfort. Despite doing everything, some relatives are simply too difficult to please.
Solution
You cannot please everyone. Do invite your annoyed relatives open-heartedly, regardless of whatever has happened in the past. It might help to involve senior family members to resolve these clashes. Chances are that everything will be fine and the happy occasion will help you patch things up. But if they stay annoyed and angry, then perhaps it is best to just ignore them and enjoy the ceremony. After all, you’ve done your duty of inviting them.
4. Relatives giving advice unnecessarily
Image: Kaustubh’SPhotographY
This happens when several family members come together before the wedding day; they start advising and sharing their personal experiences with the bride/ groom. Some might have had bad experiences and such advice can end up confusing the bride/groom especially if they are having an arranged marriage. While it could be a good thing to share certain things, time and situation do matter a lot.
Solution
Let the bride/ groom enjoy their pre-wedding events. While it is the responsibility of elders to advise them, one should do so in a positive way. Bride/ groom to be: if someone shares their negative experiences, just ignore them. Stay positive. Not everyone will have the same set of experiences in life.
5. Noisy kids
This is a common issue in Indian weddings. People often bring their young children who tend to create a lot of noise. Obviously, we cannot say no to bringing kids. But the disturbance can be annoying to the wedding management team and the hosts during the rituals.
Image: PhotoAlchemy
Solution
If possible designate a small play area near the banquet hall where the ceremony is taking place. Assign a responsible relative to keep an eye on them. Many hotels provide this facility. If it’s not possible, ask the ushers to seat people with children at the back. This way, if any child creates a ruckus, the parents can easily slip out. Also designate rooms where young ones can nap.
6. Food wastage
In Indian weddings with buffet style meals, people often fill up their plates with excess food and not eat it all. This leads to a lot of wastage.
Solution:
It is best to go for served, seated meals. This way, waiters can serve as much as is needed. Request the caterers to donate left over foods to orphanages and soup kitchens etc.
The above problems are discussed according to typical Indian weddings; these are not personally targeted to any group of people. Hope the solutions will help you in managing your wedding efficiently.
Author Bio
This guest post was written by Hassan Khan Yousafzai. Hassan is passionate about Digital marketing and has an educational background in Software Engineering. Along with that, he is also known to bridge the gap between marketing and development department at Techvando. Hassan has advised numerous brands to help them gain online traffic and profitable leads.
