31% Of Indian Couples Spend Over ₹10 Lakhs On Their Wedding Venue

A new survey has revealed some surprising insights into the Indian wedding industry…

Mar 26, 2025
  • Indian Wedding Venue
    59% Indian couples have said that booking the right venue is a priority for themResh & Co.

    The Big Fat Indian wedding is back and how. If the ever-growing pile of wedding invitations in your inbox is not proof enough of that, many reports and surveys back this up with incredible statistics.


    Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) projected that 48 lakh weddings were to take place in the 2024-25 wedding season in India. It was reported that weddings were set to drive a massive ₹6 lakh crore in business during the season. 



    A new survey by WeddingWire India has revealed that, on average, couples spend about 21% of their annual household income on their wedding. 17% of couples spent more than ₹50 lakhs on their weddings in 2024, while 30% went above ₹30 lakhs for their budget. The Newly Wed Survey 2025 gathered responses from more than 1500 couples who got married in 2024 and planned their wedding on the WeddingWire app. 

    Indian bride
    Couples are now focusing on making the day memorable for themselves and their guests over anything elseUnsplash

    59% of the couples claimed that booking the right wedding venue was a priority, with 31% saying that they spent more than ₹10 lakhs on it and 41% claiming they spent over ₹7.5 lakhs.


    "The venue is one of the most crucial elements in the wedding planning process, as it sets the tone for the entire celebration," says Sushma Venkatesh, co-founder of wedding planning company Resh&Co. "From aesthetics and ambience to logistics and guest comfort, the right venue lays the foundation for all other planning decisions, including décor, catering, and event flow."


    While destination wedding venues continued to be popular during last year’s wedding season, 65% of the couples chose a wedding venue that was within 50km of their home. However, only 21% of the couples chose to hold their wedding and the reception at the same venue.


    "We usually recommend couples allocate around 25-30% of their total wedding budget toward the venue, though this can vary based on the scale and location of the event. Many couples today also consider the venue’s added amenities, like in-house catering, event spaces, or lodging options, which can help optimize their budget," says Sushma.


    55% of the couples claimed that food was a major priority, while 27% focused on including sustainable elements in their wedding.


    On the vendors' front, wedding photographers emerged as the topmost category that was prioritised by couples in the wedding planning process, with 77% of couples attesting to this. It was followed by hair and make-up artists (71%), mehndi artists (69%) and videographers (67%).

    Wedding photo of indian couple
    Wedding photography is a big priority for couples now, accounting for a major portion of their wedding budgetsUnsplash

    “There’s a growing trend toward investing in videography. People are now realizing that, beyond the splendour of the day, it’s the memories captured on film that stay. High-quality wedding films bring families closer and offer a legacy that outlasts any physical element of the wedding,” says Vishal Punjabi, of The Wedding Filmer. Himanshu Patel, of Epic Stories, echoes the sentiment, adding, “Today’s couples are prioritising capturing every unique moment of their big day, and it shows in their budgets. On average, people are spending around 7-10% of their wedding budget on photography and videography. For mid-sized weddings, that can be anywhere from ₹3-5 lakh, and for the grand, celebrity-level weddings, it can soar beyond ₹25 lakh.”


    Overall, it found out that couples are now heavily invested in making the wedding day memorable for themselves and their guests. 53% of the couples considered cost to be important, while many are choosing to prioritise food, drink and guest experience over everything.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    For Manifest to become one of Cambridge Dictionary's most viewed words of 2024 — 1,30,000 hits and counting — it means some of us must have Googled it at least once. I know, I hit that search button over and over again
    because each time I looked at it, I saw a new meaning.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Putting together a homegrown title at a time when the demise of print has been long announced may seem surprising...
    ...but it has long been a dream of mine to give India a magazine it deserves. A magazine that is the country.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    And nothing, absolutely nothing, represents India more than our weddings.It is a time when families are brought together. Traditions come alive as they are adapted to each couple's beliefs. And lives are joined in a way that the romantic in me still enjoys.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    The fact that it comes with band, baaja and baraat — what's not to love?And that is the reason our first issue celebrates:
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    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    If you look at
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    Curate
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    This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.

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    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media