How Much Does A Middle-Class Indian Wedding Cost?

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    Most intriguing: how much do Indian weddings often cost? We explained why, but first, let's examine the question of why weddings cost so much. India is home to numerous faiths, each with its own own history and practises. Marriage in Hinduism is viewed as a spiritual union between two souls.

    This ritual marks the halfway point through the life cycle, one of sixteen total. In honour of the Vedas, Hinduism's earliest sacred scriptures, which stretch back at least a few thousand years. In Hinduism, a man's identity isn't fully formed until he finds a wife and gets her support.

    Marriage is seen as concrete evidence of a family's social and economic standing in India. Therefore, families in the upper middle class spend a considerable amount of money on the wedding, and preparations begin years in advance.

    With an annual wedding rate of 10 million, the wedding business is booming. First off, considering that hundreds, if not thousands, of cards are manufactured for each wedding, the wedding card industry sees anything from Rs. 80 to 100 billion yearly.

    Furthermore, the Indian wedding estimates put the value of the industry at EUR 34.5 billion, expanding at a phenomenal 20–25% annually. The average cost of a wedding in a major city is between Rs. 25 lakhs and Rs. 70 lakhs, while online matrimonial companies earn between Rs. 200 crores and Rs. 250 crores per year from users' registration and "matchmaking" fees.

    The wedding day is the day that everyone looks forwards to the most. It's a happy time when two people and their families come together as one. Wedding rites and traditions vary greatly from one faith and culture to the next. Depending on culture, religion, caste, desire, and financial resources, the wedding festivities could stretch for days.

    A wedding is a significant social and cultural event in India. It is with this in mind that all parents begin putting money down for their offspring's weddings. There are expenses associated with any wedding size. The total cost of a wedding depends on a wide variety of activities and circumstances.

    The cost of a wedding reception is difficult to predict due to the unpredictable nature of inflation. However, practically everyone wants to invite all of their closest friends and family members to celebrate their big day in a spectacular fashion, despite the hefty cost.

    Weddings require extensive preparation to run smoothly. Numerous resources, including wedding cost estimators and individual wedding planners, exist to ease the burden of wedding preparations.

    Choosing a budget for the wedding, or estimating it, is the first order of business. First, you need to settle on a budget and then use it to direct your spending.

    From the above list of rituals, it is clear that Indian weddings are an expensive affair. Since the dowry system is more common in Northern India, wedding expenses there are higher than anywhere else in the country.

    As a means of raising funds for their daughter's wedding, some families in India will occasionally risk losing their land or even sell it. The wedding expenses on the bride's side are typically more than those on the groom's. This is due to the dowry system.

    Wedding expenses might include everything from the Pundit's charge to the Mehendi ki rasm and the Mandah. Inflation has made modern living quite expensive. However, the sum spent on a wedding differs from one family to the next, depending on their economic status.

    Weddings for the impoverished often cost between Rs10,000 and Rs1,000,000 because the couple cannot afford to take on any additional debt. The weddings of the lower middle class often cost between one and three million rupees.

    Middle-class couples often spend between Rs2 and Rs7 million on a wedding, whereas upper-middle-class couples may spend anything from Rs5 to Rs20 million, or even more than Rs40 million in some extreme cases.

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    Middle-Class Indian Wedding

    Food

    Catering is one of the important details to focus on in an Indian wedding. Generally, expenses for food is calculated as cost per plate.

    The total cost of the food will be the number of invitations times the price per dish.

    The price per plate will vary with the selection of appetisers, entrées, salads, and desserts.

    A caterer who offers a wide variety of cuisines may charge anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 rupees (or more) each serving.

    You should expect to pay between 300 and 800 rupees for a basic plate of food.

    The typical cost of food and drink would be between 1 and 5 lakh INR per year.

    It's commonly held that guests will recall the quality of the wedding meal years later. Therefore, it is not a smart idea to cut corners on your food budget. The average hotel banquet will give you a per-plate price that includes the banquet fee. The size of the banquet facility, the available decorations, and the catering options are all factors to consider.

    However, not all hotels require guests to use the hotel's catering services, and other event spaces don't even provide catering. In such a circumstance, you're free to hire any food service provider you like. This could end up being a cost-saver.

    If your event space allows it, another great choice is to have in-house chefs prepare the food instead of using caterers. When you've settled on a caterer, it's time to start thinking about the food.

    To make the most of your catering budget and menu selections, you should find out how many dishes and combinations the caterer offers. You should prioritise quality above quantity. Furthermore, if you want to try something more exotic, the price per plate could go from Rs 600–800 to Rs 1800–2000.

    Clothes and Dresses

    Indian weddings are full of colourful clothes, for the groom and the bride, it is one of the most special days of their lives.

    Bride's designer lehenga may cost between 50,000 and 1 lakh rupees, while Groom's sherwani, suit, etc., would cost between 20,000 and 80,000 rupees.

    The total cost of clothing for the household will be between one and five lakh rupees.

    It would cost a phenomenal Rs. 2,50,000 to buy fashionable garments for the wedding, and families sometimes splurge on jewellery.

    Investing in some high-quality jewellery will easily set you back between Rs. 3,00,000 and Rs. 5,00,000, while printing the invitations will run you somewhere between Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 30,000. As an added expense, hiring a professional photographer may cost each family between Rs. 1,50,000 and Rs. 2,00,000.

    What is the cost of Wedding Photographers in India?

    This depicts the happy moments at the beginning of a new life together and will be treasured forever. These days, you can choose from a variety of photographic styles. You can get a pre-wedding shoot, and you can choose from candid photography, traditional photography, videography, cum photography, and drone photography.

    If you need quality photos but don't want to break the bank doing it, consider hiring a freelance photographer or using the services of an amateur photographer. Get camera-savvy friends or family to capture the special moments at smaller gatherings, and engage a professional photographer for the larger occasions, if cost is a concern.

    Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so naturally you'd like to have some photos taken to remember it by. But the standard wedding photographer will charge you a pretty penny for their services. Instead, you can hire your relative or acquaintance who likes to take photos on the side. Freelancers abound, and many of them are willing to work for less than the going rate.

    How can you save on the cost of an Indian wedding?

    You can save a lot of money on the decor if you use paper and lighting instead of expensive flowers. DIY (Do It Yourself) ideas can help you save money and add a personal touch to the decor for smaller events. To spruce up the location without breaking the bank, try using artificial flowers, lighting, and fabrics like dupattas or sarees.

    Give traditional wedding cards a miss

    Traditional wedding card invites are passé. Sumathy Bachchan, the proprietor of wedding planning agency Wedding Sutras, recommends, "Come up with ideas for making individual e-invites, or set up a wedding website or video that your guests may access. This manner, you will save on the costs of printing and delivering wedding cards." Only print a modest number of invitations if some of your relatives aren't likely to use email.

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    Capture precious moments for less

    It can be quite pricey to commision the services of a well-known professional photographer to capture your wedding day on film. Find local photographers or independent artists who may be willing to work for less. To which Singhal further comments, "Reviewing a photographer's previous work is another option for finding someone to do the job. When compared to the competition, their services are more cost-effective and they offer novel solutions ".

    Middle-Class Indian Wedding

    Rent jewellery instead of buying

    The practise of renting jewellery for weddings is becoming more common. "Renting allows brides to accessorise with high-end jewellery without breaking the bank. They can shop until they find an item that is a perfect fit for their ensemble, "as Rentjewels' Co-Founder puts it. It goes on to say that you may "easily save a few of lakhs" by renting jewellery instead of buying it. Renting a bridal set from an internet store or marketplace would cost you between Rs 2,500 and Rs 15,000.

    Get your outfit stitched or rent it.

    Wedding attire is another large outlay because it is often worn only once but can be rather pricey. What Srivastava has to say about it "There are currently wedding dress buyback programmes available from a number of designers. Picking up a pattern and having it custom-made in your area is another affordable option."

    Popin Designer owner Hitesh Dharod has observed, "People are coming up to the idea of renting wedding outfits, which can help them save up to 60-70%." The rental price for a bridal lehenga or a sherwani for the groom begins at about Rs 2,500. If the concept of renting your wedding attire isn't attractive, you can always buy an item, wear it once, and then resale it on one of the many websites that exist.

    Book the right venue

    "Instead of a premium hotel within the city, consider a venue in the outskirts to save money," advise co-founder of wedding planning agency. Planners also recommend scheduling the festivities for the off-season, when prices at hotels and reception halls drop significantly. For example, Pratish Ambekar, MD of Mumbai's iLeaf Ritz Banquets, says, "Having your wedding on a weekday instead of a weekend will also help you save a good deal."

    Try to find a location that doesn't require you to utilise their in-house caterers and decorators, as these will likely drive up the cost of the event. Srivastava argues that "If our clients have the option of working with their own chosen vendors, we can help them save a lot of money by suggesting open ground sites. Furthermore, the tax component for a 3–5 star hotel is 35–40% greater than it is for open grounds, which is 10-15%."

    How to Plan your Travel for your Honeymoon?

    Spending time together as a couple is of utmost importance. After several days of partying, this is the time to unwind and relax. The secret to a successful honeymoon is careful preparation. Whenever possible, stay away from areas that are likely to be overrun with people and need extensive travel. The objective is to spend time with one another and build relationships.

    In order to save money, some couples opt for a more modest ceremony and reception, and spend lavishly on their honeymoon. More and more newlyweds are jetsetting off to exotic locales for their honeymoon. But India also offers a wide variety of exciting, picturesque, and luxury honeymoon options, from seaside resorts to mountain retreats.

    Honeymoons in India or elsewhere require careful preparation and money. Places like Thai, Asia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Islands, and the Mauritius can be visited on a little budget.

    Ten percent of your total budget should be set aside for miscellaneous charges such as stag and hen parties, vendor tips, chair and fan rentals, gifts for the priest, and travel.

    If you follow the advice given above, you can have the lavish Indian wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. You may put that extra money into your future together in more productive ways than a lavish wedding.

    Planning your own wedding, whether a modest Indian affair or a lavish celebration, may be a stressful experience. It's either/or: either take care of the wedding preparations or entertain your guests. Hiring a wedding planner is a great way to take the stress out of organising the event and focus on enjoying yourself.

    The stress of organising the big day can be alleviated when you hire a professional wedding planner to do the heavy lifting. Not sure where to start when it comes to wedding preparations? Find and book the best Indian wedding services.

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    Frequently Asked Questions About Indian Wedding

    An average Indian wedding could cost between 20 lakhs to 5 crores. A person in India is estimated to spend one-fifth of the wealth accumulated in his lifetime on his wedding.

    In the case of the upper-middle-class wedding cost, banquet weddings scale up to anywhere between Rs. 25 and 70 lakhs.

    Also, regarding income expectations, nearly 70% of the women expected their spouses to earn between `50,000 and 1 lakh per month. Almost 20% wanted to marry a man earning more than `1 lakh per month.

    Wedding Under 15 Lakhs is a fairly good healthy budget to start with. You can get reasonably good wedding vendors, venues and outfit choices within this.

    India's National Council for Applied Economic Research, which defines the middle class as those with household incomes between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh per annum, estimated India's middle class to be 153 million in 2010.

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