Wedding Planning Cost Comparison Guide
Planning a wedding, especially an Indian one with its multi-day celebrations and intricate rituals, often comes with a surprising number of “hidden” or easily forgotten costs. These can quickly add up and derail even the most meticulously planned budget. Based in Jaipur, we see many couples overlook these line items.
Here’s a comprehensive list of hidden wedding costs that couples often forget to budget for:
Vendor-Related Hidden Costs:
- Taxes and Service Charges (GST): This is perhaps the biggest culprit. Most vendor quotes are exclusive of GST (currently 18% for most services). Always clarify if taxes are included or added on top. Service charges (typically 10-15%) are also common, especially with venues and caterers, and are often separate from gratuity.
- Overtime Charges: Indian weddings are notorious for running late. Venues, DJs, photographers, decorators, and even event staff will charge extra if the event goes beyond the contracted hours. Clarify overtime rates upfront.
- Corkage Fees: If you plan to bring your own alcohol to the venue, they will almost certainly charge a per-bottle or per-head corkage fee. This can be substantial.
- Vendor Meals: Your photographer, videographer, DJ, planner team, and sometimes even the band members will be on-site for long hours. You are typically expected to provide them with meals. Budget for their plates, often at a reduced rate.
- Transportation & Accommodation for Out-of-City Vendors: If you fly in a celebrity MUA, a specific photographer, or a caterer from another city, you’re responsible for their flights, hotel stay, and local transport.
- Delivery & Setup/Teardown Fees: Beyond the decor cost, there might be charges for delivering equipment, setting it up, and dismantling it after the event. This is common for lighting, sound, and large decor elements.
- Generator/Power Backup: Especially for outdoor events or if your decor requires significant power, the venue or a separate vendor might charge for generator usage.
2. Attire & Styling Hidden Costs:
- Alterations: Your bridal lehenga, groom’s sherwani, or suit will almost certainly need alterations. These are rarely included in the purchase price and can run into thousands, especially for intricate designs.
- Dry Cleaning & Preservation: Post-wedding, preserving your expensive outfits requires professional dry cleaning and specialized storage.
- Undergarments & Accessories: The right bridal lingerie, shapewear, comfortable (but stylish!) shoes, socks for the groom, and other small accessories often get overlooked.
- Jewelry Cleaning/Polishing: If using family heirloom jewelry, consider cleaning or minor repair costs.
- Pre-Wedding Beauty Treatments: Beyond the wedding day makeup, factor in pre-bridal packages (facials, hair treatments, waxing, manicures, pedicures), hair and makeup trials, and groom’s grooming sessions.
Guest & Hospitality Related Hidden Costs:
- Welcome Kits/Bags: For destination weddings, providing welcome kits for guests upon arrival is a thoughtful gesture but an added cost for gifts, snacks, water, and local information.
- Guest Transportation: For destination weddings, you might cover airport/train station transfers for guests, or local transport between different venues if they are not within walking distance.
- Accommodation for Close Family/Friends: While guests often pay for their own rooms in destination weddings, couples sometimes cover rooms for immediate family, bridesmaids, or groomsmen.
- Unexpected Guests: In Indian weddings, it’s not uncommon for a few extra guests to show up unannounced. Always budget for 5-10% more plates than your confirmed guest count.
- Room Service/Mini-Bar: If you’re covering guest accommodation, clarify if room service or mini-bar charges are included or to be paid by guests. If not, factor in potential unexpected bills.
- Favors/Return Gifts: Small gifts for all guests are a common tradition and can add up quickly depending on the quantity and quality.
Paperwork & Legalities:
- Marriage Registration Fees: The legal process of registering your marriage comes with fees.
- Permits & Licenses: Some venues or event types (e.g., loud music late at night, specific outdoor setups) might require special permits that come with a fee.
- Marriage Certificate Copies: You’ll likely need multiple certified copies for various official purposes.
Miscellaneous & Unexpected:
- Gratuities/Tips (Baksheesh): Beyond the service charges, tipping individual vendors (drivers, porters, waitstaff, sound engineers, individual photographers/videographers) for exceptional service is customary in India. Budget a separate fund for this.
- Postage for Invitations: Especially for large guest lists, the cost of sending out physical invitations (and save-the-dates, thank-you notes) can be significant. This includes the cost of the stamp itself and any special handling if the invitations are bulky or unusually shaped.
- Wedding Insurance: While not common in India, it’s gaining traction. It protects against unforeseen circumstances like venue cancellations, extreme weather, or illness.
- Contingency Fund: This is arguably the most important “hidden” cost to budget for. Always allocate 10-15% of your total budget for unexpected expenses, last-minute changes, or emergencies.
- Pre-Wedding Shoot Expenses: Beyond the photographer’s fee, consider costs for outfits, MUA for the shoot, travel to the location, and permits for specific shoot locations.
- Post-Wedding Expenses:
- Photo Album & Prints: While digital photos are standard, physical albums and prints can be an additional cost.
- Honeymoon Spending Money: Often budgeted separately, but sometimes the “extra” wedding money gets absorbed here.
- Bridal Entry Vehicle: Beyond the groom’s baraat transport, if the bride has a special entry vehicle (vintage car, doli, golf cart), this is an extra cost.
- Snacks for Bridal Party: While getting ready, the bride and groom’s respective teams often need refreshments.
- Mandap/Stage Special Permits: If your mandap setup is particularly elaborate or requires specific construction or fire safety measures, additional permits or fees might apply.
To avoid budget shocks, create a detailed spreadsheet and ask every vendor for an all-inclusive quote that details every single charge, including taxes, service charges, and potential overtime. And remember to build in that crucial contingency fund!