Weddings go over budget for one reason: costs are added one at a time with no overall plan. Decide the split first, then book vendors to fit it.
A sample split of ₹15 lakh
This is the starting split in our free wedding budget planner. Change the percentages to suit your family.
| Category | Share | On ₹15 lakh |
|---|---|---|
| Catering (food & drinks) | 25% | ₹3,75,000 |
| Venue | 18% | ₹2,70,000 |
| Bride's outfits & jewellery | 14% | ₹2,10,000 |
| Decoration & flowers | 8% | ₹1,20,000 |
| Photography & video | 7% | ₹1,05,000 |
| Haldi, mehendi & sangeet | 5% | ₹75,000 |
| Buffer for surprises | 5% | ₹75,000 |
| Groom's outfits | 4% | ₹60,000 |
| Invitations & return gifts | 4% | ₹60,000 |
| Travel & guest stay | 4% | ₹60,000 |
| Makeup & mehendi artists | 3% | ₹45,000 |
| Music / DJ / band | 2% | ₹30,000 |
| Pandit / ceremony | 1% | ₹15,000 |
Five rules that keep you on budget
- Fix the guest list first. Catering and venue are almost half the cost and both depend on headcount.
- Keep a 5% buffer and don't spend it until the last week.
- Track "paid" and "still due" separately. Advances feel small; the balance payments all land in the final fortnight.
- Save on invitations. A digital invitation for WhatsApp costs a fraction of printed cards, and you can still print a few for elders.
- Get every vendor quote in writing, including taxes and overtime charges.
Other free wedding tools
- Marriage biodata maker with 45 designs
- Wedding invitation maker for WhatsApp and print
- Kundli Milan for 36-point guna matching
