What a wedding actually costs — an honest breakdown

Nobody wants to publish real numbers, which is why every couple starts planning with a budget that is roughly forty percent short.

Here is the shape of a typical multi-function wedding budget, as a proportion rather than a figure — proportions travel better across cities and scales.

The rough split

• Venue and food — 40 to 50%. Almost always the largest line, and the one with the least flexibility once a guest count is fixed.
• Decor, florals and production — 20 to 30%. The most visible spend, and the most compressible if you are willing to concentrate it.
• Photography and film — 8 to 12%. The only thing you keep.
• Entertainment — 5 to 10%.
• Planning and design fees — 8 to 12%.
• Contingency — 10%. Not optional. It will be used.

What people always underestimate

Power. Labour. Transport between venues. Vendor meals. Overtime on load-out. None of these are glamorous and all of them are real.

Where to overspend

Lighting, seating comfort, and the photographer. Guests forgive a lot but they do not forgive being uncomfortable for six hours, and a badly lit room ruins every other rupee you spent.

Where to save

Favours nobody takes home. Elaborate decor in rooms guests pass through in ninety seconds. A third entertainment act.