I am detailing some of the costs associated for a typical desi wedding in the GTA. This is a pretty standard wedding ceremony, not elaborate. You can, of course, pay more for a more extravagant ceremony.
Girl:
- Wedding Lehenga - $3000-$4000 (times two if there is a separate walimah function apart from the nikah reception)
- Dress for the nikah / akht - $1500
- Dress for halud / mayoon / haldi - $1500
- Makeup - $600 (times three for each occasion, and this is lower end)
- Henna artist - $200 - $600
Boy:
- Wedding sherwani - $500 - $1000
- Nikah sherwani - $500
- Halud Kurta - $200 - $500
Other costs:
- Photography / Video: $3000 - $5000
- Hall rental (main function) - $60-$75/plate (so around $6000-$7500 for 100 people), times two if there is separate walimah
- Hall rental (holud) - $2500 (including food that is catered)
- Nikah (mosque) - $500 (including city's marriage license, imam fees, etc.)
- Dates/small gift box for nikah - $5/10 per person.
- Wedding cake - $800 - $1000 (for roughly 200 people)
- Backdrop decorator design - $1000
These are basic costs. I am leaving aside other costs such as renting a car / limo for the ruksati, bridal showers, bachelor / bachelorette parties, gate dhora / juta churi, etc.
The question is, which one would you realistically eliminate? Most people, when they want to get married, they want a nice hall, a nice dress, photography and a good cake.
