India's Wedding Economy
Caterers, Decorators and Wedding Planners
How wedding service businesses operate - from caterers and decorators to professional planners - their seasonal cash flows, and the shift towards organised wedding planning.
Weddings support many service businesses.
Key services
- Caterers: often the largest single cost.
- Decorators and tent houses.
- Photographers and videographers.
- Mehendi and makeup artists.
- Bands and DJs.
Wedding planners
- Professional planners coordinate all services, especially for urban and destination weddings.
- They earn fees or commissions.
Cash flows
- Advances are paid months ahead.
- Businesses earn most income in peak seasons and must manage lean months.
Informality
Many vendors are informal, paid in cash, though digital payments and GST have increased formalisation.
Online platforms
Platforms like WedMeGood help families find and compare vendors.
Skills
Many workers learn skills informally, like cooking for hundreds of guests.
The caterer's calendar
A caterer books forty weddings in the winter season, hiring extra cooks, then has little work during the monsoon.
Thinking wedding vendors earn steadily all year
Their income is highly seasonal.
Key takeaways
- Caterers, decorators and photographers serve weddings.
- Wedding planners coordinate services.
- Cash flows depend on advances and peak seasons.
- Online platforms help families find vendors.
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