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What is your budget for your wedding extravaganza??

HinajHinaj member
1000 Comments
in South Asian Weddings
We were talking about wedding budget on my month board, which got me thinking about how the SA knotties came up with their budget?  How much have you gone over your budget, since Indian weddings tend to do that.  Also, for those ladies coming close their wedding, what was your budget breakdown??
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Re: What is your budget for your wedding extravaganza??

  • raangoliraangoli
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Why are Indian weddings so expensive!? Even with a "small" wedding of 150 we are talking about some serious money. I know that since there are other pujas that need to be done, mendhi, etc, it adds more than traditional American weddings, but whoa.

    Or maybe I am just a cheap a$$?

    HAHA!
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  • HinajHinaj member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    No way raangoli, you are definitely not cheap, I think it is the idea that so much money could be used else where, like buying a house or other big ticket items.  Our budget right now is about 35K, but I already know that it is not going to go over this budget easy.....not including the gold jewelry and the trousseau which is something completely separate from the wedding budget. 
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Hinaj

    Dont mean to blow your bubble, I cant even look at my budget anymore, it has gone way out..35k is good point to start but trust me with the things we do with desi weddings everyone wants a piece of you..lol..it will definitely change! sigh..I crunch #'s every month but it changes every month no matter how much you try to be conservative, I can tell you that my budget is atleast 10k over right now sigh, I hope nothing more changes.
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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    for our US wedding, our budget is pretty wild but i think for our sri lankan wedding, its going to be a lot less. waaayy less. even though my wedding is a year from july, time is flying pretty quickly and the planning is starting to get even more hectic.
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  • Jeff and DeepthiJeff and Deepthi
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011

    Yea, I see some of these other wedding and I don't know how they do it on such a small budget!!! We are even doing our normal Catholic one day ceremony not the 3 day Hindu ceremony ya'll have an we are at going near 40k to 45k. It's ridiculous to me!! I'm trying to cut down as much as I can!

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  • HinajHinaj member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Nicky, I knew it from the start, but i knew I was just being ignorant of the cost or at least hoping it was on the low end.  I was hoping we can put majority of our money towards our house that we want to custom built from the ground up.    Do you mind If I ask what was your original budget was?  I am wondering going over 10K at what point?  If mine goes over 10K, I dont think I will have a problem, but if it is like going to 75K, I think I need a lot of time to adjust to that.    I am just wondering realistically how much is an Indian wedding going to cost??  I have only attended my cousin's weddings and since I really don't talk to my cousins and I know I won't get a straight answer from them anyways and I am the oldest in the family getting married, so there is not much for me to follow?


    Oh  I forgot, my budget doesn't include anything for the mehndi and mayon since it was a recent addition, actually I have not taken into account anything recent  that I have wanted to do for the wedding, like a planner or DOC and etc.  I know this will make a huge difference once I revise the budget. 
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  • HinajHinaj member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh did any one make or found a budget or an excel file catered to a desi wedding?  It would be awesome if I can find a template like that one. 
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  • HisBelovedOneHisBelovedOne
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    6K. No, really. Six thousand.

    There's a loooooooooooooooooooong list of DIY stuff. The total for attire and accessories for both of us is under $800. The venue's inexpensive but pretty. And small, so our guest list is capped at 96 (no easy feat, let me tell you - if we invited everyone in his enormous Indian family and my larger-than-average American one, the total would be close to 300 with families alone), and we're having a cake-and-beverages only reception. Music to be supplied by iPod and speakers. Officiated by a friend who's calling it his wedding gift to us. We have a great group of friends who are helping us plan, organize and execute this wedding, so there has been no need for a wedding planner - though I am considering hiring a day-of coordinator to help me wrangle the rentals and the maybe four other vendors we're hiring.
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  • rellicdragonrellicdragon member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    It started out at 35 ... At this moment we have reached 45K and we are still counting ...
    We are getting married in Sept and the date is coming really really close ...
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Hi Hinaj,

    We started at 45k and now am at 55K and going..sigh. I have to crunch #'s in this month and see where we are at this month to be exact, On a positive note our videographer is soo nice I just got an email from him saying he wants us to have HD video and is willing to work the numbers with us so we can have it since my FI is paying for the HD part of it, I think he will be very happy with it!! Its rare vendors do this.
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  • HinajHinaj member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    That's very nice of your videographer!!!  I think it will be nice in HD since you're make will be done for the HD photography. 

    It seems like the average comes around $50K more or less.  Damn!!!
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  • raangoliraangoli
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    How big are everyone's weddings? I think that one of the biggest variables is the number of people attending, other than the cost per person. (Obviously, these two are interrelated.)
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011


    Our ceremony is about 250 ppl but our reception is 150 ppl, but FI wanted 5 hrs premium open bar which led to high cost for evening reception..his friend and fam better enjoy it, and my fam is big drinkers too, but nonetheless very civilized so I wasnt afraid to say yes to his desire of having the open bar all night.

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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    FI and I were talking about guests too and with me coming from a huge family, my side alone is about 220 and his is about 140. So a total estimate of about...360. But I'm sure the numbers will change dramatically.

    jnsaini,
    how long will your reception be? are you cutting the open bar at a certain time?
    because FI and I were thinking that we should stop the open bara at about 1030-11pm
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011

    Trueleo818

    I went with what the man wanted, our reception is 5hrs and he wanted premium open bar for 5hrs so yea its really expensive but I let him pick the venue, food and drinks, he really enjoyed it and I wanted him to feel like he is part of the wedding too!

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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    whats the difference between an open bar and a premium? just curious
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Trueleo
    Premium open bar is premium liquor so ppl dont get hungover next day on non distilled liquor thats the only advantage but it costs more if i had the choice i would have asked to close the bar at 11pm, but hey some ppl want to party late among them is his friends..so I am letting it be
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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh, ok. Thanks for the info.
    Btw, i really like the song on your website. although i have no idea what they're saying, it sounds reallly beautiful!

    Hope you're excited for the wedding. its coming by quickly!!!!
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  • jnsainijnsaini
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Trueleo,
    you are welcome..the song is from a new indian movie kites about a indian man that falls in love with a latina woman..starring hrithik roshan and barbara mori, its not out yet..
    The song lyrics mean "life is short, when should I wait till..why wouldnt I fall in love with you"..thats the best I can translate it..its beautiful lyrics
    Here is the youtube promo video of the movie--I cant wait to see it..looks so romantic
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0fAhlR49SM&feature=related
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  • HinajHinaj member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I saw the promo video of the movie this past weekend!!!  I was wondering when Hrithik was going to come out with a movie.
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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    he's soo handsome isn't he hinaj?!?
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  • SHIRLEYANDNEERAVSHIRLEYANDNEERAV member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    That movie has me so excited! My fiance is Indian and Im Mexican! Love it!
    On the budget topic, we are planning on 250 guests and have planned for 50K budget. However, this doesnt seem too feasible with all the events. Im hoping it will stay close to budget
    Happy to be Engaged
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  • SonaliPopSonaliPop member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We haven' even started to think of that. We were thinking to move the wedding to England because all my family and his family is there (meaning, most of my exended family / my grandparents and ALL his family)...and now looking at all your numbers is getting me thinking and cringing.

    Is it so bad that I just sometimes want to go to the ocean, just him and I, stand there with an officiant in the water, and get married...come home and have a big reception? Yes, I want the Indian wedding that I grew up with but goddddddddddd...looking at the money gets a girl thinking! Times are tough, ya'll! :)
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  • trueleo818trueleo818
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_south-asian-weddings_budget-wedding-extravaganza?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:430Discussion:57a00703-5145-4da8-8535-8755538249ecPost:4cdf9991-8ed4-4910-9364-2db34d24c9ce">Re: What is your budget for your wedding extravaganza??</a>:
    [QUOTE] Yes, I want the Indian wedding that I grew up with but goddddddddddd...looking at the money gets a girl thinking! Times are tough, ya'll! :)
    Posted by SonaliPop[/QUOTE]

    hahah, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN!

    our budget is 85K for the US wedding because that's pretty much our biggest one and so far, we've stayed within the price range but our wedding is July of 2011 so I'm not sure how long things will stay ON POINT! i just hope and pray that we dont meet the 100K mark. *crosses fingers*
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