Indian weddings are renowned for their grandeur and adherence to traditional cultural practices, typically lasting two to three days and featuring extravagant celebrations.
The average cost of an Indian wedding in the United States, especially in major cities like Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New Jersey, ranges from $230,000 to $300,000, typically catering to around 300 guests.
How Much Does an Indian Wedding Cost?
Punjabi Wedding Flow And Breakdown
One of the most common styles of Indian weddings is the Punjabi wedding, marked by exuberant music and lively merrymaking. This style adheres to a traditional format encompassing several distinct ceremonies.
Roka And Thaka
This pre-wedding ceremony sees the families of the bride and groom visiting each other’s homes for the Roka Rasam, with the groom’s family bringing gifts for the bride’s family.
The ceremony commences with a puja, where all family members seek divine blessings for the couple’s future. The bride typically doesn’t participate in this ceremony.
Chunni Ceremony
During this ceremony, the groom’s family presents the bride with a red scarf or chunni, which is placed on her head, signifying her status as the groom’s fiancée. Dye is also applied to her hands and feet.
Sagaai Or Engagement
This is a pivotal part of the Punjabi wedding, where the couple exchanges rings. It’s a large event, usually hosted in a spacious function hall and organized by relatives. A typical engagement ceremony with 300 attendees breaks down as follows:
| Items | Cost |
| Hotel/Snacks/Alcohol | $3,500 |
| Venue Lighting & Decor/Flowers/Stage | $16,000 |
| Bride’s dress, Groom’s suit, Parents’ Outfits | $5,500 |
| Wedding Photographer &Videographer | $3,500 |
| Total cost of Main Ceremony: | $26,000 to 32,000 |
Mehendi Ceremony
This intimate ceremony usually takes place at the bride’s home, with Mehendi designers creating beautiful henna patterns on her hands. The groom also has a bit of henna applied to his hands.
For a Mehendi ceremony with 300 people, the breakdown is:
| Items | Cost |
| Hotel/Food/Alcohol at $66 per head | $17,000 |
| DJ/Venue Lighting & Decor/Flowers/Stage | $16,000 |
| Bride’s dress, Groom’s suit, Parents’ Outfits | $5,500 |
| Wedding Photographer &Videographer | $3,500 |
| Total cost of Mehendi: | $42,000 |
Sangeet
This major event celebrates the official union of the bride and groom with many guests and musical performances. It’s often the most expensive event due to the need for a large venue, decorations, catering, and high-quality entertainment.
For a sangeet with 300 people, the breakdown is:
| Items | Cost |
| Hotel/Food/Alcohol at $80 per head | $25,000 |
| DJ/Venue Lighting & Decor/Flowers/Stage | $26,000 |
| Bride’s dress, Groom’s suit, Parents’ Outfits | $5,500 |
| Wedding Photographer &Videographer | $4,500 |
| Total cost of Sangeet: | $60,000 to $65,000 |
Wedding Reception
This general celebration follows the ceremony and includes toasts, entertainment, and merriment.
The breakdown for an Indian wedding reception with 300 people is:
| Items | Cost |
| Hotel/Food/Alcohol at $150 per head | $47,000 |
| DJ/Venue Lighting & Decor/Flowers/Stage | $33,500 |
| Bride’s dress, Groom’s suit, Parents’ Outfits | $5,500 |
| Wedding Photographer &Videographer | $4,500 |
| Total cost of wedding reception: | $87,500 to $92,000 |
Other Wedding Expenses
Decor – $25,000 to $75,000
Indian wedding ceremonies occur in a grand mandap or marriage stage. This is a covered structure with pillars and it serves as an altar. Usually, this is adorned with colorful and luxurious fabric.
| Items | Cost |
| Mandap | $5,000 to $10,000 |
| Flowers | $5,000 to $10,000 per event |
| Centerpieces | $100 to $1,000 per table |
| Cutlery/Chairs/Art/Archways/Lobby Decor | $10,000 |
| Total cost of decor: | $25,000 to $75,000 |
Entertainment – $20,000 to $35,000
A good DJ that specializes in Indian party music, alongside the stage decor and lighting, will cost $20,000 to $35,000 for a 3-day wedding event. This cost also covers insurance, performance fees, meals, and more. You can also hire a Bollywood singer or professional comedian for $5,000 to $50,000, depending on their acts and expertise.
Professional Wedding Documentation (Photography And Videography) – $3,000 – $5,000
It’s important to hire a professional events coverage team for high-quality photos and videos. This will make your wedding memories last longer and the quality is so much better than relying on footage from the wedding guests.
Some couples only hire a photographer for pre-nuptial and actual wedding photos. If you want more detailed event coverage, you can go for both wedding photos and videos. There are different packages at a diverse range of prices. It’s often cheaper to get both the photos and videos from the same company.
Food Or Catering – $70 to $160 per head
Food is often calculated by plate. It’s not a good idea to skimp on the food because it’s one of the significant things that the guests will remember about your wedding. It’s cheaper to avail of the catering service offered by the hotel venue but you may opt for an independent caterer if you prefer their food.
Select the dishes and cuisines that your guests will appreciate. If you have no idea what to pick, you may send out a survey form alongside the wedding invitations. When guests send back their reservations, they can also tick off their food preferences.
Flights And Accommodations
An Indian wedding in America means flying in Indian relatives and paying for their hotel rooms during their stay. Since the average Indian wedding lasts for 2 to 3 days, your relatives might come in a day or two early and leave a day or two after, leaving some room for sightseeing in the foreign country.
Assuming that they’ll stay for a week, that costs $1300 to $1700 per person. The average roundtrip airfare costs $800 per person. With around $270 for food allowance for that week, that means you’ll spend roughly $2800 per person.
Conclusion
Indian weddings are known for their grandeur. Big weddings stretch for three days with different phases and ceremonies. The costs to accommodate 300 people will surely rack up. While grand Indian weddings are a spectacle to behold, couples can still opt for smaller, less expensive weddings by reducing the number of ceremonies, guests, or decor quality, or by choosing a different wedding location or food selection.
