Wedding Budget Calculator: Plan Your Indian Wedding Expenses
Average Indian Wedding Cost: ₹10–50 Lakh
Indian weddings range from ₹5 lakh (modest) to ₹5 crore+ (destination luxury). The median falls between ₹15–25 lakh for metro cities. The biggest mistake couples make is not setting a firm budget upfront, leading to "scope creep" that adds lakhs in unplanned expenses.
Budget Allocation Framework
| Category | % of Budget | On a ₹20L Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Venue + catering | 30–35% | ₹6–7L |
| Food + beverages | 20–25% | ₹4–5L |
| Decoration + flowers | 10–15% | ₹2–3L |
| Photography + videography | 8–12% | ₹1.5–2.5L |
| Clothing + jewellery | 10–15% | ₹2–3L |
| Entertainment (DJ, band) | 3–5% | ₹60K–1L |
| Invitations + misc | 5–7% | ₹1–1.4L |
Cost-Saving Strategies That Actually Work
- Off-season wedding: June–August rates are 30–40% lower than November–February peak
- Weekday event: Tuesday/Wednesday bookings save 15–20%
- Guest list discipline: Every additional guest costs ₹2,000–5,000 (food + favours). Cutting 50 guests saves ₹1–2.5L.
- E-invitations: Save ₹20,000–50,000 on printing and distribution
Plan systematically with the wedding budget calculator. Set aside a 10–15% contingency fund for last-minute surprises. Consider starting a savings goal SIP specifically for wedding expenses.