12 Cost-Effective and Contemporary Indian Wedding Ideas

India is a country of festivals and many occasions are special, unifying families. Needless to say, Indian weddings are celebrated like any other festivals, enunciating joy and togetherness with amazing Indian wedding ideas. People get together on this auspicious day and bless two souls uniting with fondness.

Indian weddings are not just about two individuals, but the fusion of two families. Traditionally, weddings were about rituals, where people integrated to bestow the wedding couple in a temple, church, mosque, or a local marriage hall. But, the modern wedding has seen varied changes and has taken over the traditional system of a wedding. It can be noted that people land up spending a major portion of their hard-earned money on these occasions.

Many factors are responsible for the increasing expenditure on weddings in modern times; to outline:

• The generation next has a craze for destination weddings.

• People squander lakhs of rupees in décor, food, clothes, and jewellery.

•  Pre-wedding photo-shoots and bachelor parties which were earlier restricted to terrace parties and family gatherings have become the major cost incurring factors at weddings.

Some Interesting Facts About Indian Weddings:

• As per the latest surveys INR 1,00,000 crores of rupees are spent on Indian weddings annually with a considerable hike of 25 to 30% every year.

• The average money spent on Indian weddings ranges between 20 lakh to 5 cr.

• It has been estimated that an Indian spends one-fifth of the total wealth he accumulates in his lifetime for a wedding which means that nearly 85% of people end up overspending on weddings as per the survey records.

So, you must be wondering by now – Is it possible to plan a wedding within your budget?

Well, the answer is YES. All we need to do is to take measures to curtail the wedding costs, without letting it affect our degree of happiness. This can be successfully implemented if we value our traditional system than the paraphernalia.

Here are 12 cost-effective Indian Wedding Ideas that can save you from spending a fortune at your weddings.

1. ENCOURAGE self-hosting parties

There is a massive cost involved when we host parties outside our house. You could rather, easily cut down on the cost by inviting people home. The main motive is to spend quality time with our loved ones. And guess what?  The most suitable venue for such a fun time is our own homes, where we have all our old memories stacked up.

2. TRY adding a personal touch to the décor

Today, everything is available in the market for a cost. But materialism has not yet been able to surpass creativity. For example, Indian weddings have a ritual where gifts are sent from the bride’s side to the groom and vice-versa. A good amount of money is spent just to decorate those gifts before dispatching them. People who have a knack for creativity can show their skills on the eve of weddings by self-decorating those gifts. They can also try implementing their skills in designing cards, or even Mehendi Art. It not only saves money but also adds value to the wedding.

3. CHOOSE less and seasonal flowers

Flower arrangement is an integral part of the Indian wedding. A considerable amount of money is spent on flower arrangement, the cost of which can be minimised by choosing artificial or seasonal flowers over the real ones. Getting the venue decorated using artificial or seasonal flowers is one of the most unique Indian Wedding Ideas.

4. GET married on a weekday

It is weird but true that a lot of venues charge less on weekdays. Weddings in India are planned considering a lot of astrological factors in mind. Most weddings take place in summer, therefore, planning a wedding in the offseason on a weekday seems to be a good Indian wedding Idea.

5. GO Shopping In an offseason

The best part about traditional weddings is that they can be planned well in advance. It is advisable to do the maximum wedding shopping on off-seasons. It is not only economical but also spares people from lining up in long queues for hours.

6. MAKE the Wedding a private affair

People tend to call the world over when it’s their time to get married. But, they must realise that happiness is best shared between closed ones. So, why not be wise in making the guest list? There is a dual benefit – They can pay personal attention to their guests and also save their pocket by refraining from spending a lump sum amount on food and accommodation for the comfortable stay of the guests.

7. MAKE a priority list

The main reason for over expenditure on weddings is mixed up priorities. People get confused with their needs and wishes. Therefore, it is important to make a priority list before finalising the budget for a wedding.

8. ENSURE zero wastage on food

After décor food is the primary area where people turn up overshooting their budgets. Having an elaborate menu on the platter can prove to be disastrous for a wedding, especially when we think of finances. Therefore, it is preferred to keep a simple menu that can easily be monitored. Previously, traditional weddings only had a sit and dine option where food was concerned. This was a tried and tested method that helped control the wastage of food. But, the modern contemporary Indian Wedding Ideas gave birth to buffet systems where self-service is encouraged. This has increased the percentage of food wastage.

I, personally opine that this can be tracked by donating excess food to the need rather than making its way to the bins.

9. AVOID Branded Bridal Wear

Traditionally, the brides wore clothes purchased from the local market. But today, people have the urge to get a branded dress which is exorbitantly priced. So, ask yourself if you can buy your bridal dress from the shop keeper who saw you growing up?

10. SELECT a venue that fits in your budget

India is a beautiful country. Believe it or not but you can save on the venue and still have a destination wedding! There are a lot of places with scenic beauty that cost way lesser than the staple wedding destinations. So, why spend lavishly when you have a sagacious choice?

11. CUT Out On the Pre-wedding Shoots

Pre-wedding photography is a recent trend. Earlier, the wedding was covered by family and friends. The pre-wedding photoshoots are nothing but a way to share your story with the world which can be done by accumulating real-time photographs over the years, building them up into a collage, and presenting them to the world, that capture real-time memories. In order for that, don’t you think that you dissipate your money on such a trivial part of a wedding?

12. HIRE Professional people for your wedding

Where you do not hold any experience in organising a wedding, it is a good idea to hire a professional wedding planner within your budget.

Happiness cannot be measured with the number of days we spend partying together and love cannot be weighed in rupees spent. All it takes to make our special days exceptional is the presence of our loved ones! Spending extravagantly on weddings can in no way be justified in developing countries like India, especially where thousands of people die out of hunger and poverty every day. Traditions and value systems have always been a primary concern for Indians, but I’m sure you would agree that after analysing the cost-effective Indian Wedding Ideas, it can be said that we do not require a lot of money to share our happiness with the world.

All that is required for a happy married life is the love and blessings of people. So, don’t you think getting married simple, yet keeping the rituals intact and donating the excess money to the poor, so that they get food and shelter in their hard times is a better Indian wedding idea?

What are you waiting for? Come on, let’s lend each other a hand and contribute to make the world a better place, setting new standards for contemporary Indian Wedding Ideas!