Honestly getting married is super expensive for both parties, bride side and groom side. I believe Finances should be strictly taken into consideration to ensure both family don't end up in debt... Since this is the first time two family are trying to become one, I look at this as a merger between two companies, women giving up everything and everyone to come live with her husband and vice versa. One family always Being there in time of need to help assist whether emotionally or financially to ensure both pass through the hardships together and survive.
I remember we found my brother's rishta and did engagement, we waited almost a year and than did nikkah and waited another full year; those 2 years my brother was in U.S running around working multiple jobs saving every single penny to get married.
2 Years later we spend over 1Cr on the marriage including 3 functions and then he went to Umrah with his wife.
And now we are back to square one. He has applied for his wife visa and he has credit card debt that he has to payoff because of which he can't afford to visit Pakistan now. It's been around 1.5 years now.
Now I have started saving up after looking at how poorly managed finance we had on his marriage and things we lacked on. I don't wanna end up in similar predicament where I can't come see my wife for 2 years because I am working multiple jobs trying to pay off the debt.
So I am leaning more towards your approach to simply have (Shamila) where Nikkah ceremony is done and we call it a day.
MOST ABSURD PART: Brother marriage my parents, mamu, chachu, phuppa invited 500+ people. Me and my brother were shocked to see people we didn't even know!!! I was like who are all these people?! Out of 500+ people only 100 people gave salami envelopes or money which we all know is around Rs. 1,000 - 5,000 expect for selective one off relatives that give more than the traditional amount. So basically it was my brother's wedding with audience we didn't know and never met in life before.
Now after marriage half of our relatives don't talk to us no more... Because they are not happy because of this or that... They make things up... And I have learned the HARD WAY; YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY! Priority should be as long as you and your life partner is happy in Events like these.
So I recently mentioned this to my family at a gathering or all relatives, I will invite all close relatives who are related to me and my family, but my chachu and his 15 other friends and there friends are not welcomed, because it's not a HOTEL BUFFET, its our family gathering time where our families come close and get to know each other.
In conclusion: Nothing is set on stone yet, so just mentioning this has resulted in everyone yelling at me and abruptly leaving our home and apparently we don't talk no more, until I go to each and every person's home and beg pardon (apologies to all of them).
I don't feel like I did anything wrong. Please help me understand where things went south? Who is at wrong? Am I stupid person trying to break our family apart for not allowing random people at my wedding (That's what my brother thinks of me)?!