I work in Bangalore, earn Rs 1 lakh monthly. How do I handle my wedding expenses without harming my financial stability?

At 25 years, I am currently employed in Bangalore, earning Rs 1 lakh per month. Originally hailing from a tier-2 city, my current financial situation includes having Rs 2 lakhs invested in mutual funds, contributing Rs 15,000 through SIP every month, paying a Rs 25,000 home loan EMI, allocating around Rs 30,000 towards rent, food, and other living expenses, and saving the remainder without indulging in major lifestyle expenditures.

Over the past 2-3 years, I have diligently worked towards building my savings and maintaining financial discipline. Looking ahead, my future plans include getting married next year. From what I have gathered, wedding expenses in my society tend to average around Rs 10 lakhs. This prospect is causing me some distress, as I am wary of jeopardizing the progress I have made with my finances. Additionally, given my modest background, I am keen on finding a balanced approach to managing wedding expectations and familial pressures, as well as ensuring continued financial stability.

I would greatly appreciate any insights or advice on navigating this particular phase of life prudently. How have others successfully managed similar circumstances? How can I effectively juggle societal expectations, family demands, and my financial well-being?

Advice by Akhil Rathi, Senior Vice President, Financial Concierge at 1 Finance

First of all, don't be too stressed — milestones like marriage are important and natural parts of life. It's absolutely normal to feel a bit of pressure around them, but with the right financial planning, you can approach this phase with a lot more confidence.

A good financial planner’s role, especially during life events like these, goes beyond just chasing returns; the real value lies in helping you prepare for key milestones like marriage, home buying, children’s education, and retirement — all in a structured and balanced manner. Managing emotions and expectations with financial discipline is just as important as managing investments.

You’ve estimated your wedding expenses at around Rs 10 lakhs, which is a fair and realistic benchmark. However, based on experience, it’s wise to keep a 15–20% buffer, as expenses tend to creep up in the final stages due to family expectations, last-minute upgrades, or additional requirements. Looking at your current situation, you’re saving about Rs 45,000 a month through SIPs and surplus savings after covering your EMI and expenses — that's excellent financial discipline, especially at your age. If your wedding is about a year away and you haven’t yet accumulated the full corpus, the best approach would be to allocate your monthly savings systematically towards safer instruments — a mix of debt funds, short-term deposits, and a small portion in gold for some diversification.

It’s important to remember that life will keep presenting financial milestones — marriage today, education tomorrow, a home upgrade later. These aren’t interruptions; they’re part of your larger financial journey. Building the right mindset now will ensure that future needs are handled with calmness and clarity rather than anxiety. Staying committed to your savings habits, avoiding unnecessary lifestyle inflation, and making goal-based investment decisions will help you safeguard your financial progress over time.

Finally, you don’t have to shoulder everything alone — taking advice from a Holistic Financial Planner can make a big difference. A planner brings a balanced perspective on what's necessary, what’s optional, and how to prioritize without compromising your long-term financial well-being. After all, it’s not about cutting back on dreams — it’s about fulfilling them in a way that strengthens your financial foundation, not strains it.