You both are right.  Traditionally, paying for the wedding was the responsibility of the parents of the bride.  Nowadays both families help pay for the wedding and in many cases, the Bride and Groom are paying for their wedding themselves.  The best solution is a compromise; have each family pay for a portion of the wedding.  Discuss his reasons for not wanting parents to help with the expenses. Some parents might become too controlling, overriding your wedding vision with theirs. Some parents will just help and add opinions when needed.  In the case where your parents are demanding, give them responsibilities that won’t take away from your vision.