2024 Wedding Budgets Rises, Costs and Unique Celebrations in India

A recent study found that this year, the average wedding budget in India is ₹36.5 lakh, which is a 7% increase from the previous year. Couples who choose destination weddings spend even more—around ₹51 lakh! This rise in costs is mainly because prices for things like venues and catering have gone up by 10%.

According to Shashank Gupta from the wedding planning company TailorMade Experiences, “Everyone wants the best wedding possible.” Most couples spend the most on the venue, food, and a good planning team. In India, families usually save up a lot for two big things: buying a home and their children’s weddings.

The study by WedMeGood surveyed 3,500 couples. They found that 9% of couples spent over ₹1 crore on their wedding, and another 9% spent between ₹50 lakh and ₹1 crore. For 40% of couples, the budget was under ₹15 lakh, 23% spent between ₹25 lakh and ₹50 lakh, and 19% spent between ₹15 lakh and ₹25 lakh.

Most couples (82%) paid for their weddings using their own savings or family savings, 12% took loans, and 6% sold assets to finance their weddings. Mehak Sagar Shahani, co-founder of WedMeGood, noted that many couples are now focusing on unique experiences. For example, younger couples (Gen Z) are hosting fun events like cocktail mixing and pop-up restaurants at their weddings, and they are mixing in Western ideas like themed dinners.

This November and December, about 48 lakh weddings are expected to take place, generating around ₹6 lakh crore in business, according to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).