Hyderabad: When it comes to wedding expenses, the sky is the limit these days. While Tollywood movies struggle to cross the Rs 10 crore-mark, mega weddings often pass that figure. From lavish décors to huge Indian and international spreads, to wild ‘baraats’ to Bollywood style ‘sangeets’, it all add up to millions.
The recent talked-about wedding was that of the daughter of a former state minister who supposedly spent Rs 10 crore, including Rs 5 crore for a car that he gifted. The budget for the décor alone for a lavish wedding can go up to Rs 1.5-Rs 2 crore.
Dinaz Noria, a city-based wedding stylist, said, “Décor, food and ‘baraat’ are the prime focus; entertainment is very important. This can start at Rs 3 lakh for the band and go up to a couple of crores for stars.”
“The baraat’s entry is mostly grand, in private or chartered jets. Secretaries are appointed by the parties who do the invitation, from sending messages to calling and then informing about the visit by the family,” added the wedding stylist.
Wedding cards too start from Rs 5,000 and many also include silver or gold. Another important cost factor is the wedding photography, which starts from Rs 2 lakh and can go up to Rs 50 lakh. Flying close family and friends for the bachelor or bachelorette party to exotic locations has become another aspect of mega weddings.
Another wedding stylist Meher Nawaz says, “Everyone wants larger-than-life sets; some want themes like Arabian Nights, Nizami splendor, Paris, Venice etc.” “This one time, the bridegroom wanted to come on a tractor as he loved agriculture. Chefs are flown down from across the country and even the fruits are international.” While most spend lakhs on the food, a few concerned people have now introduced the concept of “ek khaana, ek meetha” to cut costs and wastage.
Savings tip: Limit food items to 41
With lavish weddings burning holes in the pockets of many parents, the Jain community in the twin cities has come up with a concept of reducing unwanted expenses for weddings. By reducing the number of food items from 150 to 41, abstaining from dancing or bursting crackers on the roads to reduce traffic problems, cheaper wedding cards and inviting friends over e-mail or SMS etc., the wedding expenses can come down by almost 40 per cent, the community has estimated.
Similarly, even in the Muslim community, people are being asked to bring the wedding fare down to just biryani and a dessert as part of cost cutting. Vijay Surana, a member of the Jain Community Association, said, “A new committee named Samvanya Samiti, under the aegis of the Jain Seva Sangh was started six months back by the Jain community in Hyderabad to stop exorbitant expenses during weddings.”
“Six committee members and 70 others, who represent different sections, had created the five-point agenda which also includes organising only one reception if the bride and groom are from the same city,” added Mr Surana. “By incorporating these five-point agenda, the Samvanya committee estimates that roughly Rs 35 crore can be saved every year, which can then be used for the welfare of the society” said a committee member Ashok Sanklecha.
Wedding bills dampen honeymoon plans:
The elaborate wedding, the before and after ceremonies and everything else in between takes a toll on new age couples who plan weddings on a budget. So much so, that often they end up giving the honeymoon a miss because of the cash crunch. Although there is an increasing trend of couples opting for a simple wedding, which is well within the budget, especially if self-financed, the pressure to splurge and keep up with the latest trends are felt by many.
“A year back, when we planned our wedding, we had initially thought of sticking to the minimum with just a lavish reception. By the time the marriage was over, there was not much left for a proper honeymoon. We had spent Rs 7 lakh in just keeping up with the trend in decorations, DJ and clothes,” said A. Lakshmi, a software professional.
Another couple, who had initially planned a honeymoon trip to Switzerland, had to do away with the idea after the wedding expenses overshot the budget. “Although our plan was to spend a larger chunk on honeymoon, but once the wedding planning started, the expenses went out of control even when we went for average spending on each item,” said another newlywed.
