How much does an Indian wedding cost in the UK? A breakdown by event

A typical South Asian wedding in the Midlands with around 150 guests and four or five events costs somewhere between £20,000 and £45,000. Where you land in that range depends far more on how many events you have and how many guests come to each than on any single big-ticket item.

Ours was a Gujarati and British fusion wedding: 5 functions, 150 guests, Leicester. Costing it event by event is the reason I built Evaraa, a free wedding planner that does it for you.

Why South Asian weddings cost what they do

Most wedding cost guides assume one day and one venue. Ours rarely look like that. A Gujarati wedding might have a Gol Dhana, the Mandvo at home, a Pithi, a Sangeet night, the wedding day itself and a reception. Each event has its own guest list, food and setting, so the budget is really the sum of several smaller weddings.

Then there are the gifts. Alongside the Mameru from the bride's mama, relatives give chaab: gifts for the bride, and for the groom too. Chaab rarely appears in a wedding budget, but across both families it adds up, so agree early who's giving what.

The big costs, event by event

These are the ranges we use in the Evaraa planner for the Midlands.

Venue

• Small hall or function room: £300–£1,000
• Mid-size banqueting suite: £600–£3,000
• Large venue: £1,800–£5,500
• Premium venue (usually for budgets of £60k and over): £10,000–£16,000
• A garden marquee at home: £1,000–£12,000 depending on size

Catering (per guest)

• Main events, like the wedding and reception: £25–£40 per head
• Other events, like the Sangeet or Mehndi: £15–£25 per head

Catering is where the money goes. 150 guests at a main event is £3,750–£6,000 for that event alone, before you count the other nights.

Decor

• Mandap: £1,500–£4,000
• Stage for a reception or Sangeet: £1,000–£3,000
• Smaller events: £200–£800
• Events at home or a place of worship: £100–£200

Packages across the whole wedding

• Photography and videography: £3,000–£6,000
• DJ and dhol: £1,200–£2,500
• Priest: £200–£500
• Mehndi artist: £150–£400
• Makeup and hair: £400–£900 per event
• Live music: £400–£1,500

The costs people forget

• Legal registration: £150–£700. A religious ceremony alone isn't a legal marriage in England and Wales. You'll need a register office or a registrar at a licensed venue.
• Stationery: around £150, even if most of your invitations go out on WhatsApp.
• Outfits for the couple and close family, often across several events.
• Chaab and Mameru gifts from relatives, for the bride and the groom.
• Hen and stag dos. Guests usually pay, but they still take planning.

How to bring the total down

1. Trim the guest list for the smaller events. 80 guests at the Sangeet instead of 150 saves more than any decor swap.
2. Hold some events at home. Pithi and pujas often work beautifully at home, and a garden marquee keeps it at home with room for everyone.
3. Combine events where it feels right. Many Muslim families hold the Dawaat straight after the Nikah, on the same day, and some fusion couples hold the civil ceremony and the Lagna together.
4. Book the things that sell out first. Popular photographers and mandap designers book up 12 months or more ahead, and last-minute options cost more.

Get your own estimate

Every family is different, so a general guide only goes so far. The free Evaraa planner asks seven short questions and costs each of your events, using these same Midlands ranges.