How much does an indian wedding cost in London?

Indian weddings are grand, multi-day celebrations. Theres no getting away from that. They are full of colour, music, family...and potentially big budgets! Regardless of whether its a Hindu wedding, a Sikh wedding or a Muslim wedding, planning and budgeting is essential. So, how much does it all cost in 2026? Lets take a look.

Location, Location, Location

Where to even begin! Picking the right venue for you is essential. How grand, how big, how much? All important questions. And only you can answer this really. As an indian wedding photographer in London, we are fortunate enough to capture some beautifil venues in and around London. From Kew Gardens to the Waldorf, London is definately not short of venues for your london indian wedding! But we've noticed a trend towards smaller, more intimate celebrations. Whether its a London town hall registry at the Old Marylebone Town hall or Chelsea Town Hall, these are becoming more popular. And they are of course cheaper. Just keep in mind you wont be able to fit in as many guests, and your decor will be minimal!

Shooting at some of the most prestiguous venues in London for weddings, there are certainly benefits to picking venues such as The Dorchester, The Ned, or Syon House. They are just gorgeous - certainly not short of space for your guests and you can party till the early hours if thats your thing. Most are dry hire venues so you can bring in your chosen decor team, caterer and entertainment. And of course, your photographer!

As a guide, town hall venues tend to start from around £1500 for a short ceremony. On the higher end, venues such as Kew Gardens range from £11500 upwards for a full day celebration. It really depends on your budget, and the vision you have for your day. The venue will take up around 10-30% of your budget.

Indian Wedding Photography

Photography! It might be the second or third thing on your list, after your venue. It certainly is one of the most important. Its probaly the only investment you make which will outlast your wedding day - the photos (and videos) are yours to keep after the day. When choosing a wedding photographer, have in mind the following two things: Style and Budget. There is no point picking a photographer simply because they are cheap, if you cant look back at the photos in the coming years and not be happy. Similarly, picking an 'expensive' photographer just because they are famous isn't a good idea - unless you love their style of work!

Always have a chat with your potential photographer. Get to know how they work, their ethos, and make sure you get on with them on a personal level - you will spend the whole day with them! From personal expereince, it will make your day so much more enjoyable and stress-free if you get on with your photographer! They will be with you whilst you get ready, all the way to the dancefloor in the evening. As wedding photographers in London, we always get to know our couples - what they want from the day, what they want to avoid, their vision, their expectations.

Budget photographers for indian weddings usually start from £1000. Mid range photographers range from £1800 to £2500. The more experienced and in-demand photographers will be £3000 upwards. Do check if the pricing includes travel, and how many hours coverage. This may sound like a lot but do think of this in the grand scheme of your entire budget - photography and videography should be around 10% of your budget.

Indian Wedding Decor

They'll bring you flowers! And more flowers! What is your vision for decor? Lavish? Understated? Do you care if you have fresh flowers? Do you want to go all out? Your mandap is the centrepiece - make sure you are happy with the size and shape of the mandap. Pick a colour scheme for the florals - pastels, bright and fresh, dark? What do you prefer? Have a discussion with your decor company and they can guide you but ultimately its your choice.

Bare in mind, fresh flowers will cost at least double the price of artificial flowers. If your budget allows, fresh flowers look awesome. They are a dream to capture for the wedding photographer. Also keep in mind the venue lighting - is there natural light? If not, avoid very dark florals unless this is the look you are aiming for. Most London hotel venues will not have natural light - keep the florals light and fresh. We captured a beautiful wedding reception at the Waldorf Hilton where the couple intentionally picked dark roses and very dim lighting to create an atmospheric look. It can certainly work if done properly!

Decor costs vary wildly. Lower end decor for a full day Indian Wedding in London can start from £2000 to include artificial flowers, mandap hire and evening reception centerpieces. Higher end decor will range from £8000+. Fresh flowers will be even more - expect costs of around £15000+ for a full day wedding.

Indian Wedding DJ and Entertainment

Lastly, picking your evening entertainment is super important. You want to keep your guests entertained, but also enjoy the music and vibe they create. There is so much choice these days - DJ's, bands, violinsts, pianists. The list is endless and it completely depends on you as a couple. A band is awesome for creating a completely different vibe - they'll certainly get your guests dancing and it brings eveyone together. Book a good DJ and they'll get the party started but make sure you disucss your music choices beforehand. Most DJ's take into account what music you want played. The big DJ groups also provide LED screens, logos, dancefloors, seating plans and more. For your drinks receptions, acoustic music works well - think background jazz, piano or violins.

Expect evening entertainment costs to range from £1000 upwards. The bigger your production the higher the costs. Dont be surprised by packages costing £15-20k upwards for large-scale productions at some of the more prestigious venues.

HOW MUCH DOES THE WEDDING COST?

We've summarised pricing for a budget, mid range and high end wedding below. We have assumed 180 guests, a morning religious ceremony and an evening reception. Catering for the full day, and evening drinks have been included in the costs. The only thing missing is outfits!

Budget:

Venue	£1000-£2500
Catering	£8000-£12000
Photography	£1000-£1500
DJ	£1000
Decor	£1500-£2000
Other	£1000-£2000
Total	£13,500-£21000

Mid

Venue	£4000-£8000
Catering	£10000-£18000
Photography	£1800-£2800
DJ	£2200
Decor	£4000-£8000
Other	£1000-£2000
Total	£23500-£41000

High End

Venue	£10000-£25000
Catering	£20000-£30000
Photography	£3000-£6000
DJ	£3000-£6000
Decor	£8000-£15000
Other	£2000-£3000
Total	£43000-£79000

Remember these are rough guides. Factor in a contingency - costs can overun quickly. Be strict and stick to a budget but enjoy your day and make the most of it.

Get in touch with us to discuss your wedding photography!