Indian wedding budget calculator.
Pick your tier, guest count, and city. We'll break down realistic 2026 spend by category — so you can argue with vendors from a position of data.
How the numbers are calculated
We start with a per-guest base cost that varies by tier (budget ₹3,500/guest; mid-range ₹9,000/guest; luxury ₹22,000/guest), apply a city multiplier (tier-1 1.3×, tier-2 1.0×, tier-3 0.8×), and split it across categories using the spend distributions we see in real Indian weddings. These are 2026 prices in INR.
Two categories are fixed (don't scale with guests): wedding website and AI concierge. A wedding website usually costs ₹0–₹15,000 (or free with most platforms). An AI concierge — Mandap Chat is one example — is a flat ₹5,000 for the whole wedding, regardless of guest count, which is why it scales especially well past 300 guests.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Indian wedding cost in 2026?+
A mid-range Indian wedding with 400 guests across 3–4 functions costs ₹40–80 lakh in tier-1 cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore. A budget version with the same guest count runs ₹15–25 lakh; a luxury destination version starts at ₹1.5 crore.
What's the single biggest line item?+
Venue + catering combined. They usually account for 45–55% of the total budget. Decor is next at 12–18%, followed by photography and bridal outfits.
How much should I keep as a contingency?+
10–15% of your total budget. Indian weddings reliably exceed estimates because of late guest additions, last-minute decor upgrades, and vendor cost creep.
Is it cheaper to do a destination wedding?+
Almost never. Destination weddings save on venue ostentation but add travel, hotel buyouts, and logistics. Goa, Udaipur, and Jaipur destination weddings typically run 20–40% more than the equivalent city wedding.
What's the most over-budgeted category?+
Bridal jewellery — often planned at ₹5–10 lakh but ending up at ₹15–25 lakh once the family sets are added. Plan jewellery before everything else so the rest of the budget stays honest.
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Other free tools: 12-month planning checklist · Hindu wedding dress code · South Indian wedding glossary