Planning guide

How to build an Indian wedding budget, step by step

Set one total that everyone contributing agrees on, list each event with its guest count, and split the total by event before you split it by vendor. Price venue and catering per guest, get written quotes for everything else, keep a contingency line for surprises, and track every deposit and due date in one place.

Updated 8 November 2026 · Desi Shaadi & Co.

Why budget by event, not just by vendor?

A desi wedding may have four or five events, each with its own venue, food, decor and guest count. If you budget only by vendor (all catering, all decor), it is hard to see that a large sangeet is using most of the money. Budgeting by event first lets you decide where you want to spend: many couples keep the haldi and mehndi small and put more into the ceremony and reception.

Step 1: How do we agree on the total?

Start with what you and your families can comfortably spend, not with what weddings are said to cost. Have an open conversation with everyone contributing: how much each side is giving, whether it is a fixed amount or covers particular events, and who makes the final decision on each event. Traditions about which family pays for what vary a lot, so agree on it early and write it down.

Step 2: How do we split the budget across events?

List every event, its likely guest count and whether it needs its own venue. Then give each event a share of the total. A simple way is to rank the events by how much they matter to you, and give the most to the top ones. Write the amount next to each event before you request any quotes, so the quotes are measured against your plan rather than the other way round.

Step 3: How do we estimate the biggest costs?

Venue and catering are usually priced per guest or have a minimum spend, so they grow with your guest list. For each event, multiply the per-guest price from your quotes by the guest count, then add the venue’s fixed fees. This is the clearest way to see how many guests your budget allows for each event.

• Per-guest costs: food, drinks, chairs and tables, favours, invitations.
• Per-event costs: venue hire, decor, DJ and lighting, photography hours.
• One-off costs: outfits, jewellery, the wedding website, the priest or officiant, the marriage licence.

Step 4: How do we compare vendor quotes fairly?

Send every vendor in a category the same brief: the events, dates, hours, guest counts and venues. Ask for an itemised quote that lists what is included, the number of staff, and any extra charges. Then compare like with like. A lower price that leaves out a second photographer, setup and teardown, or travel can cost more in the end.

Step 5: Which costs do couples forget?

• Taxes, service charges and gratuities, which are often not in the headline price.
• Overtime if an event runs late, and fees for early setup or late teardown.
• Vendor travel and parking, and meals for vendors working long days.
• Outfit alterations, extra outfits for family, and gifts exchanged between families.
• Permits or fees for a baraat, fire in the mandap, or outdoor sound.
• Guest transport and hotel room blocks, if you are covering them.

Keep a contingency line in your budget for these and anything else you have not priced yet, and only spend it once something actually comes up.

Step 6: How do we keep the budget on track?

Record each quote, contract amount, deposit, due date and payment in one place, and check it each time you book something. When one line goes over, decide straight away where the money will come from. The free wedding budget tool on Desi Shaadi & Co. lets you set a budget, track estimates and payments, and plan by event, shared with your partner.

Frequently asked questions

Keep planning

Work out guest numbers with our guest list tips, follow the 12-month checklist, or browse all our planning guides.