Swara Bhaskar and Fahad Ahmad share their wedding checklist: ‘Yaar dost hone chahiye, party honi chahiye, but…’

“We did a lot of stupid things. Accha time spend karo, ghoomne jao, ek doosre ko explore karo, travel karo,” Ahmad told Radio Mirchi Plus.

Swara added that even if you have been dating for years, give yourself 1-2 years after marriage to understand your relationship. Next, she highlighted the importance of family planning and encouraged couples to discuss it openly at an early stage. Lastly, she said, “Hire an excellent wedding photographer, and if you are into those wedding reels on Instagram, give your phone to a digital marketing manager and enjoy your wedding. You won’t be able to do it on your own. If you really want to post reels, designate this duty to a specific person,” she advised.

Swara and Fahad’s wedding. (Source: Instagram/@reallyswara)

Focus on the right things

Rima Bhandekar, Senior Psychologist at Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, said that linking one’s self-worth to external metrics of success and what’s trending on social media can be detrimental to mental health, relationships, and finances in the long run.

“It can lead to anxiety and a mindset in which the person rigidly believes that their special moments in life and their worth are fixed by metrics like packages, assets, or social media virality, which can fluctuate anytime. This creates self-doubts, and failures feel too personal, and gradually the sense of identity becomes shallow and fragile,” she explained.

To let go of this mindset, Bhandekar suggested noticing where attachment to external factors creates a void in your life. “When things do not go as planned, treat yourself with compassionate thoughts. Quit measuring yourself in the moment through someone else’s parameters of success; this is your life journey point, and focus on creating memories on your terms,” she said. Foster a support circle where your uniqueness is celebrated. The stats about you will never tell the complete picture of who you are.

Gurleen Baruah, organisational psychologist and coach at That Culture Thing, added that from a psychological perspective, maintaining a strong marriage while fostering positive relationships with respective families requires effective communication, boundary-setting, and a commitment to shared values.

Encouraging open dialogue about childhood experiences within the marital relationship can deepen understanding and empathy. “Partners can share how their past family dynamics shape their current perceptions and behaviours. By validating each other’s experiences and offering support, couples can foster a sense of emotional connection and solidarity, strengthening their bond as they navigate family interactions together,” she told indianexpress.com.

Finally, she added that recognising patterns of behaviour influenced by past experiences can help partners develop strategies for managing potential conflicts or misunderstandings.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.