Planning guide
Wedding Budget Planner and Checklist
With 200 guests, most of a wedding budget goes to food and space, and the bookings start months ahead. Here is a CelebrAI plan for an Indian wedding with vegetarian and Jain catering: the split, the reasons behind it and a checklist that starts three months out.
Example: a ₹5,00,000 wedding for 200 guests
Riya and Kabir's wedding: 200 guests, ₹5,00,000, indoor venue in Pune, Vegetarian and Jain catering, planned 240 days ahead.
Rules that shaped this plan
- Large guest count: 200 guests needs more catering capacity, staff and space, so food and venue get a larger share.
- Dietary requirements: Catering must cover: Vegetarian, Jain.
| Category | Amount | Share | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | ₹1,15,000 | 23% | Space for your guests. More guests need a bigger space. |
| Food & catering | ₹1,75,000 | 35% | Usually the largest cost: food and drinks for every guest. More guests need more catering. |
| Decoration | ₹65,000 | 13% | Sets the theme and atmosphere. More guests need more catering. |
| Photography | ₹35,000 | 7% | Captures the memories. More guests need more catering. |
| Entertainment | ₹35,000 | 7% | Keeps guests engaged. More guests need a bigger space. |
| Invitations | ₹15,000 | 3% | Printed or digital invitations. |
| Miscellaneous | ₹10,000 | 2% | Small items: candles, cutlery, tips. |
| Contingency | ₹50,000 | 10% | A buffer for last-minute costs. Leave it untouched until the final week. |
| Total | ₹5,00,000 | 100% |
Costs are estimates from typical prices, not vendor quotations. Venue and vendor availability is not checked: confirm directly before booking.
Checklist: what to do, and when
- 90 days beforeShortlist and book the venuehigh
- 84 days beforeFinalise the guest listhigh
- 63 days beforeBook the caterer and fix the menuhigh
- 63 days beforeSend invitationshigh
- 42 days beforeConfirm dietary options with the caterer: Vegetarian, Jainhigh
- 42 days beforeBook the decoratormedium
- 42 days beforeBook a photographermedium
- 42 days beforeBook entertainmentmedium
- 21 days beforeCollect RSVPs and confirm the headcountmedium
- 15 days beforeBuy supplies, favours and return giftsmedium
- 6 days beforeReconfirm every vendor’s time and addresshigh
- 3 days beforePrepare the event-day run sheetlow
What could go wrong
Venue capacity is not confirmed.
Verify the venue can seat 200 guests (plus staff) before paying a deposit.
Dietary needs missed by the caterer.
Confirm Vegetarian, Jain options in writing and label dishes on the day.
Tips
- Confirm the venue’s seating for your full guest list, plus staff, before paying a deposit.
- Get dietary needs such as Jain food confirmed by the caterer in writing, and label the dishes.
- Book the venue first: in-demand dates go early, so start sooner than the checklist if you can.
- Keep 10% as contingency. Wedding costs grow in small amounts that add up.
- Send a reconfirmation to every vendor with the time and address about a week before.
Questions
How is a wedding budget for 200 guests split?
In the example, food gets 35% and the venue 23%. From the starting split, a large guest count moves 5% to food and 3% to the venue, taken from photography, entertainment and décor, because more guests need more catering and space.
How far ahead should I book a wedding venue?
CelebrAI schedules wedding tasks three times further ahead than other events, up to six months. The venue comes first, about 90 days before, with invitations about two months before.
Does CelebrAI check if a venue is available?
No. It plans and explains, but it never claims a venue or vendor is free. Every cost is an estimate, not a quotation: confirm both directly before you book.
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