Wedding costs vary by region and scale
South Indian and tier-2/3 weddings typically run ₹5-15 lakh. Urban metro weddings cluster at ₹15-40 lakh. Destination or large family weddings can run ₹50 lakh-plus. Be honest about the actual band you're planning for — under-saving here creates serious family friction.
Costs that are easy to underestimate: venue add-ons, photography and videography (often 5-10% of total), wedding outfits and jewellery, pre-wedding events (mehendi, sangeet, haldi), guest hospitality, and post-wedding receptions.
Allocation for a fixed-date 5-year goal
30-40% equity (large-cap diversified) and 60-70% short-duration debt. As the goal approaches, glide path further: at T-18 months drop to 20% equity, at T-6 months fully derisk to liquid/short-debt funds.
A 5-year wedding goal at this allocation plans at roughly 9-10% CAGR — lower than pure equity, but smoother. A 20% drawdown 12 months before the wedding is not a recoverable scenario.
The 20% overrun buffer is non-negotiable
Build a 20% buffer over the visible budget for last-minute costs, gifts, logistics, and unexpected scope additions. Better to have surplus than to dip into the retirement corpus or take on unsecured debt to bridge the gap.
Request a callback for a wedding-fund SIP setup with the full glide path pre-scheduled.