HOW TO CRAFT THE PERFECT GUEST LIST FOR YOUR INDIAN WEDDING
When it comes to planning your dream wedding one of the first questions you should ask is who do you want to invite? It’s crucial to know before you order your catering, pick your bridal party, and especially when you’re looking for a venue.
Planning an intimate nuptials? You’re sure to find a small venue perfect for hosting you and your guests. But if you’re committed to a traditional Indian wedding, you’ll likely have an expansive guest list.
This means you’ll need a large enough venue to accommodate everyone. Luckily, at Holiday Inn Brentford Lock, our wedding venue The Waterfront has years of experience hosting cultural weddings, so we’ve learnt a thing or two.
Here’s our guide on how to craft the perfect guest list for your Indian wedding.

How to create your Indian wedding guest list
Plan early for your wedding guest list
The earlier you start thinking about your guest list the more time you’ll have to add people, let other people share their opinions, and finally decide before booking your venue and suppliers.
Plus, if you’re liable to make changes, having a longer time before you have to send out save the dates and invites means you’re less likely to forget someone crucial to the day or over-invite!
Split the guest quota between you and your partner
While your wedding day is special to you, it’s also special for your partner and your family. By making sure you’ve divided the number of people you’re allowed between each other you’re able to ensure it stays fair and doesn’t get out of control.
Split the guest list into categories
For Indian weddings, there is a cultural expectation that those close to the bride, the groom, and the family will be invited, leading to sprawling guest lists. However, if you’re looking to cut down on this for budget, comfort, or venue reasons, it’s a good idea to split the guest list into categories and set caps on the number of people you’ll be inviting.
For example, you can decide the number of immediate family, extended family, coworkers, and friends you’ll be inviting.

Set clear boundaries and rules
An essential you cannot forget when organising your guest list is setting boundaries. You’ll need to lay these out clearly on the invite – whether it’s physical or digital. If you’d like to control the number of attendees and keep things close, then ensure you’re making it clear that you’re not offering plus ones. For an event that has a calmer vibe and allows the adults to relax, think about a child-free ceremony.
Consider your wedding budget
While following tradition may mean that you have a larger guest list at your Indian wedding, you don’t have to necessarily spend a traditional amount. The average cost of an Indian wedding in London is often between £60,000 and £150,000. With catering you’ll have to consider the costs related to how much food you’ll be ordering as oftentimes it’ll be priced per person or plate. A larger guest list also means the need for larger venues which can also be more expensive. When planning your guest list, it’s important to remember what you can feasibly afford.
Let your parents take a look over it
Traditionally, the parents of the couple are involved in the planning process for Indian weddings. Even in other cultures, parents are usually involved to ensure that the right relatives will be in attendance and everyone important to you will be there. Weddings are a stressful time, and an extra set of eyes is always useful.
Think about the different events
Indian weddings differ from many other cultures due to the number of events involved, often spanning days. Depending on the religion your family follows, or the specific culture you belong to, an Indian wedding can last up to five days, but most last for three days.
For Hindu weddings, you’ll often have the Ganesh Puja followed by the Mendhi night/Sangeet night on the first day. The second day will have the Grah Shanti and the third day will involve the wedding celebration and usually an evening reception. The third day is often the most important in terms of inviting guests.
If you’re looking to reduce the number of people invited, perhaps invite specific guests to certain events and reduce the number of people invited to the main wedding ceremony.
Rule out guilt
While following tradition may be important to you and your loved ones, it’s your wedding day. If you want to keep it more private, or if you’re looking to reduce the cost, then it’s time to consider your guest list. If you’d like to invite everyone you know then make sure it’s agreed by your partner and you’re both happy with your decision. You can’t hold guilt or let it ruin your special moment. Work through it logically and in categories to make sure you’re not forgetting anyone from your sprawling list.

If you’re happy with your wedding guest list and looking for the right venue that can fit your number of guests, lets you get creative with your decor, and incorporates all the cultural touches and traditions your heart desires, then get in touch with Holiday Inn Brentford Lock today. Our wedding venue, The Waterfront, is 65,000 square feet and pillar-free, leaving a vast amount of space to deliver on your vision. We can host weddings for 50-500 guests, making it ideal for your Indian wedding.