To have, or not to have a fancy wedding is one of the biggest questions that plague all to-be-married couples. While having the wedding of your dreams, if you can afford it, is completely okay, it can also be a waste of money that can be used elsewhere. The point is, no matter where you stand in this debate, at the end of the day, all you need to do is have fun and enjoy your big day.

As someone who has had a big fat Indian wedding, let me tell you that the things that matter in the end are far different from what you would imagine. From my wedding, way back in 2010, here are the things that matter to me, and the things that I hardly think of, seven years later.

The Guest List

My wedding had over 300 guests and while there were a number of guests who were there because of obligations, and I wouldn't really have called them, I really didn't care about them on my big day. I was happy as long as the people I loved were around me. Honestly, stressing about the wedding list is so not needed. Yes, put your foot down if you are going over budget or if you are genuinely uncomfortable with a particular guest, but for the most part, you'll hardly get time to mingle with your guests, you'll be too busy getting married.

The Food

Well, I didn't even get to eat my own wedding food. What with the insane ceremonies and the huge task of getting pictures clicked with almost everyone, we had no time to eat. I remember wolfing down a biryani in two minutes flat before I went back on stage. And trust me, no one came up to me and spoke about the food either. In the end, all those menu samplings and crazy planning faded away to a mere dinner that people came to, ate and left. If you ask me, stick to the budget that you have for food and don't try and put extra money into making things fancy. People are going to eat no matter what, and you really don't need that additional stress in your life.

The PhotographerThis is the one thing I would say is worth fighting for. If you don't have a good photographer you are going to end up with some crappy wedding memories and that's no fun. However, despite investing in a fancy album and printing a whole lot of pictures, we have barely looked at any of it. The HUGE album lies somewhere in a cupboard and the closest we come to looking at our wedding pictures is scrolling through the Facebook album. So yes, go ahead and invest in a good photographer, but the post production work and a video are hardly worth the money.

The Wedding Dress

I spent a bare minimum on my wedding lehenga and that is something that I am forever grateful for. This might sound clichéd but you will look beautiful no matter what, and the amount of money you pump into your dress barely matters. Plus the huge lehenga and all the wedding finery is simply going to rot in one corner of your cupboard, without coming to any use for the rest of your life. I still take pride in spending the bare minimum on the dress and using all that money elsewhere.Read more at:black evening dress | www.marieaustralia.com/vintage-formal-dresses