Life Talk

Wedding season is coming and my budget is already crying

From November to February I have, so far, seven weddings. Two cousins, three college friends, one colleague, and one family friend I have met twice but my mother says it is 'compulsory'.

Each wedding is not one event. It's mehendi, sangeet, the wedding, sometimes a reception in another city. Outfits for each, gifts, travel. I'm a freelance photographer so ironically I'm also sometimes asked to 'just bring your camera' for free.

I did the maths in a spreadsheet (of course I did) and it is roughly a month and a half of my income. I love my people but this is not sustainable.

How do others handle this? Repeat outfits? Skip some functions? Give smaller gifts? Is there a polite way to say 'I'll come for the wedding but not all four days'?