In a marriage there are recoverable and non-recoverable expenses. In case of divorce non-recoverable expenses can not be redeemed.
The money spent for Marriage hall, rich food, light music, decorations, bridal and bridegroom makeups, if Bus or Van arranged to pick and drop relatives, printing invitations are can not be redeemed by divorce.
The jewels given as dowry, cost of dresses for spouses not for relatives (In some marriages new dresses will be gifted to relatives), vessels presented to Bride are can be redeemed.
In short money, spent to buy asset in marriage can be redeemed after divorce. Money spent for services in marriages can not be redeemed after divorce.
One of my neighbor spent around 4 lakhs for food alone in their daughter’s marriage. Within six months she returned home and applied for divorce. The 4 lakhs spent for the food which was served to more than 2000 people attended the marriage can not be recovered. They may need to spend another 4 lakhs or less for her second/next marriage.
Nowadays, divorce seems to be happening often. Many love marriages are ended in divorce like ‘bounce back’ after marriages. Couple might have been loving for years and years, but after marriages they get divorced quickly.
Arranged marriage done bombastically by the parents with their ‘last money’. If the marriage get divorced, they are empty to cover the expense of another marriage.
An government employee who spent is retirement fund to his daughter marriage. He lavishly spent all his money in the marriage. Within 2 years his daughter’s marriage life broken. Either she divorced or got divorced. Now the ’emptied’ father does not have money to do the second marriage.
It is better to avoid spending too much in marriages since there is no guarantee that the marriages will last for long time. Keep some reserve fund for second marriage if divorce happened.
If you are the father and about to spend 10 lakhs for your daughter’s marriage, here are the options to manage second marriage.
1) keep a reserve fund.
2) Do not spend too much in marriage, like finish off the marriage within 1 or 2 lakhs. Give the portion of the amount periodically to your daughter in the next years. This may avoid the divorce initiated from your son-in-law since year s/he will receive some lump sum amount. During these years they might have settled down to live and adjust with each other with their respective negatives.
It is similar to the periodical payout release in Reverse Mortgage Loan.
If you belong to middle class or upper middle class income group, beware of spending too much or emptying yourself in your kids marriages.
Divorce has penetrated the middle class society. Divorce is no longer the property of Cine actor/actress. Educated middle and upper middle class couples are engaging in divorce casually. For them ‘divorce’ is not a big word or unreachable horizon like previous generations.
Parents may need to get their kids marry once, twice, or more. So reduce the expense spent for marriages.