So you’re getting married? Congratulations!

A new and exciting chapter of your life is just ahead! But first, you must plan the event.

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking, especially for Indian weddings. These ceremonies are filled with beautiful traditions, food, music and more.

Keep reading our guide below to learn everything you need to know to plan your perfect Indian wedding!

1. Organise and Plan Months in Advance to Avoid Stress

To get ahead of the stress and all the details involved in your wedding, stay organized and plan ahead. Stay composed and remember that you can think better when you’re feeling calm.

Planning ahead will allow you to control most of the affair. Plus, you’ll have plenty of time to figure out every detail.

Start with the basics. Do you want a traditional wedding or a conventional wedding? Do you want to use email invitations or physical ones?

Start planning about 18 months before your wedding so that you can deal with all the logistics and have time to adjust if anything changes. Be flexible and logical while remembering that this day will be wonderful even if everything you want doesn’t go accordingly.

2. Pick a Wedding Date

You’ve probably always pictured your wedding day and might even know the time of year you want to get married. So the next step is to choose the actual date!

Sit down with your fiance and family to find a date that works best. Consider discussing this with both sides of the family as well since you don’t want any surprises that could interrupt your plans.

3. Set a Budget Before You Start Booking Anything

Everyone knows that weddings are expensive, and it’s easy to continuously add on with more and more things to pay for. Especially for Indian Sikh and Hindu weddings, this is not a single day, but rather a lot of events and celebrations. This will include many outfits, jewellery and more.

Since you’ll end up having a lot to pay for, it’s important to set a budget and stick to it. Seek out help from more experienced people. If you have friends who recently went through this, ask if there were areas where they think they could have cut down on their spending.

Planning and saving ahead of time will also reduce your stress. While it’s important to stick to the budget as much as you can, you should also factor in a 10-30% buffer, knowing you could go over.

4. Make a Guest List

Planning a guest list is a huge step in the wedding process. Start with a tentative list to help you establish the budget.

You can even start by having a primary and secondary list. Your primary list should be the most important guests who will need to make an appearance. The secondary list can be guests who you want to invite, but who may not affect the festivities.

You’ll also need to collect lists from the bride side and the groom side, consulting both families. Once you decide on a number of guests, remember that there will likely be last-minute additions so create a buffer for this as well.

This number will help you decide on the venue and food, so you can officially create an Indian wedding timeline. The guests will need several months of notice so they can plan their trips if coming from abroad. 

5. Decide on Wedding Invitations

These invitations might match your theme and could end up being quite pricey. One way to save money on invitations is by opting for e-cards.

If you have family in many different Countries, an e-card might be an easier approach. You can also print a limited amount for older family members who might not be as well-versed with technology.

But if e-cards aren’t right for you, make sure you pick the invitation and send them out as soon as you can.

6. Choose a Venue

Wedding venues can book up months or even years in advance. So choose your venue and call as soon as you can. 

Booking a reasonable venue to fit all your guests is important. You might want to start with a list of ideal choices so that you can compare prices and availability. If you’re able to physically visit the space, this will also give you a better idea.

A lot of wedding halls, especially in the UK, have in-house catering and might make the entire event easier for you.

Also, keep in mind the other events you need to plan, like a Jago party. Search for venues that offer flexible spaces for both large and small events, or look at separate venues for each.

You might be overwhelmed by choosing a wedding venue, but keep a few things in mind to reduce the stress. The location will be important for guest access, including parking. Also, be sure to compare capacity, availability and rates.

7. Pick a Theme and Flowers for Your Wedding

Picking the theme is the chance for you to construct the Indian wedding you’ve always imagined. If you have a certain style in mind, you can get started on all the details to make it happen.

You’ll need to choose colours and a backdrop, which might affect the wedding invitations you choose as well. Many people choose inspiration from Bollywood and other fairy tale themes. Select the theme that suits you and your fiance best.

The theme also greatly affects your flower choices. If you choose a more exotic flower theme, you’re looking at lots of colours and decoration. You might choose centrepieces with Jasmine, Marigold, Rose and Tuberose.

If you’re going for a more royal flower theme, consider traditional Indian flowers and traditions, like the Petunias. Flowers may also be a part of other decorations, including the entrance.

8. Scout and Book Vendors

Now it’s time to start really nailing down every aspect of the event and putting down deposits. Your vendors will include your make-up artist, Mehendi artist, caterer, florist, photographer and more.

The photographer is one of the most important vendors to book, since they have the important job of capturing all the best moments of your celebration. Allure Photography has both pre-wedding and wedding options to make sure you have all the memories you want to keep with you.

Book the dates with vendors well ahead of time and set expectations for what you’re looking for to get on the same page.

Food and catering might also make or break your wedding. If you’re opting for a banquet hall that serves food, make sure they have delicious and exotic dishes. You want your menu to reflect your theme and traditions.

9. Book Your DJ or Entertainment

Since an Indian wedding is a huge celebration that’s more like a festival, you’re going to want entertainment to match it. Consider a DJ service that can deliver beats that will be heard from every corner of your event.

The venue might also come with an entertainment package. So, be sure to check any reviews online for the DJ.

If you have a large budget for the event, you might even want a celebrity DJ artist. These people will be booked up during wedding season, this might be one of the first calls you make.

Also, consider having dance artists to make the wedding even more high energy. Professional Bhangra dancers can lift up the event and make it truly memorable.

10. Buy Your Bridal Couture

When you’re ready to shop, try to enjoy it while sticking to your budget. You’ll need several outfits with jewellery so be sure to research the latest trends to find what you’re looking for, especially for an Indian wedding bride. 

Plan each outfit in different colours with accessories that will go well with your dress. Remember that it’s your wedding and you want to feel your best!

11. Have Fun and Enjoy Your Special Event

Finally, don’t forget to have fun! Planning such a huge event can be stressful, but take time throughout the planning to enjoy the process and spend time with your fiance and family.

Follow This Guide and Plan Your Perfect Indian Wedding

By following the steps above, you’ll be able to guarantee that all the details will fall into place. Plan your Indian wedding by starting months in advance and consider each vendor, detail and guest along the way.

Your wedding will be one of the most special events in your entire life, so planning can be truly stressful!

Try to enjoy each step and book us as your photographer now to ensure every precious moment will be captured for you to enjoy for a lifetime!