Getting Married
Two financial lives are about to merge — plan it
The wedding
Indian wedding typical range: ₹15L (intimate) to ₹1Cr+ (large). Set whatever's realistic for both families.
The two of you
Wedding cost split
Total
₹25 L
Affordability of your share
Your combined monthly picture after the wedding
Combined income
₹ 2,10,000
/ month
Combined surplus
₹ 1,45,000
69% of income
Realistic surplus (post-honeymoon)
₹ 1,35,250
15% lifestyle inflation typical
Higher earner
₹ 1,20,000
Drives term-insurance need
Combined emergency fund target
₹3.9 L
6 months of combined essentials, in liquid funds.
Family-floater health insurance
₹10 L
₹10L+ floater covering both of you. Premium ~₹15-25k/yr at age 30.
Term cover (higher earner)
₹2.2 Cr
~15× annual income — protects the dependent spouse if higher earner dies.
Your Action Plan
Wedding share is on track — keep the discipline
Keep the wedding money in a liquid fund or sweep-FD. Don't risk it in equity for a sub-12-month horizon.
Have THE money talk before the wedding, not after
Whose accounts merge, who handles bills, how investments stay (joint/separate), what each person's debt and financial habits look like. The avoidable fight is the unspoken one.
Build a 6-month combined emergency fund: ₹₹3.9 L
Your combined monthly burn just doubled. The single-income safety nets you both had before don't add up — build a NEW joint emergency fund post-honeymoon.
Get family-floater health insurance — ₹₹10 L cover
Switch from individual policies to a floater that covers both. Cheaper per person and simpler to manage. Compare from 3+ insurers before locking in.
Update term insurance, nominations, and beneficiaries
If you both already have term plans: re-evaluate cover (15× annual income for higher earner). Update beneficiaries on all life insurance, PF, mutual funds, and bank accounts. Most people forget this for 5+ years post-marriage.
Lifestyle inflation is real — typically 15-30% in year 1
Bigger house, dual-income confidence, social spending — combined expenses creep up fast. Set a hard combined-budget review at month 6 and 12 post-marriage.
Don't take a personal loan for the wedding
Wedding loans at 14-18% APR are the worst possible start. If you can't afford the wedding cash, scale it back. There is no rule that the wedding must be a particular size.
Don't merge debt without merging vision
Premarital debt should be discussed and ideally paid off before fully joint finances. Otherwise the higher-debt partner's history becomes the joint burden.
Calculators that help with this