It’s wedding time and needless to say, you are overwhelmed and excited as a bride, to start this new phase of life. In the hustle bustle of planning for the wedding, it is but natural to ask, “Hope I am not forgetting anything!”
These unexpected wedding costs can feel stressful, given that wedding is one of the major expenses for an Indian family. In fact, according to a report by KPMG, the cost of an Indian wedding ranges between ₹5 lacs to ₹5 Crores. Another revealing fact is that an Indian will likely spend one-fifth or 20% of their lifetime wealth on a wedding! So, why not make sure that we prepare well in advance, make the most of this money to create a beautiful and memorable wedding.
1. Pre-Wedding Beauty treatments
You want to look sparky for your big day, which means making sure you are well-groomed with all the mani-pedi, spa treatments needed. To ensure these expenses don’t go overboard, make a list of the preferred treatments & get a package discount from the salon of your choice. You could further reduce these costs by checking around for a beautician who could offer these services at home.
2. Bachelorette party favors
Hosting a special party with just your girlfriends before the wedding festivities begin is a new tradition. While the large part of the spends might be done by your friends, but as a special gesture, many brides want to get customized gifts to say Thank You. With a wide array of gifting options, from customized tees to luxury beauty hampers, these gifts could burn a hole in your pocket. Booking these well in advance could take away the stress, ensure you get the best deal & leave your friends feeling cared for.
3. Alterations, Accessories & Draping
Given the elaborate costs already spent on the wedding outfits, many brides tend to overlook the costs of last-minute alterations. In addition, to create a wow factor, we tend to buy accessories for each of these outfits – which could also be an additional cost. Don’t forget factoring in charges for transportation (if you are using public transport) for all the endless visits to the flea markets, local markets, etc. for all these odd jobs.
Finally, you are all set with the look for each function – the outfit, accessories, make-up, hair, even the entry song. But reality strikes – how will I drape my saree/ outfit perfectly! Unless you are an ace-draper yourself, or have taken multiple you-tube lessons, this might be job you choose to outsource. For more than 3-4 functions, such services could add up to the overall costs.
Approximately, keep a buffer of 2-5% of wedding outfit budget for these odd jobs.
4. In-between function accessories & outfits
Apart from the main functions, our weddings have loads of in-between meal or chai-snacks times when the family & friends celebrate together. In case you would like to keep accessories or outfits, for the in-betweens – don’t forget to budget these in. Depending on the duration of the celebration, keep aside a buffer in the outfit and accessory budget for this occasion as well. Saving tip is to focus on adding just one quirky/ unique accessory instead of having very elaborate outfits.
5. Gift for the husband
The celebrations are done! Now, it’s time to focus on each other. You might want to start by gifting him a special token as a symbol of your love & the beginning of this new phase together. Make it thoughtful and park aside a suitable budget for it in advance.
One hack could be to redeem your existing credit card reward points against vouchers/ discounts for the products/services you plan to gift him.
Making your wedding a memorable experience also involves making it financially stress-free. Planning for these hidden or unexpected costs can easily be done by having a Wedding Buffer fund of 3-5% of the overall wedding budget.
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