This is not only the first Indian wedding we’ve featured on MIM, but it’s also one of the more unique weddings we’ve seen. The “wedding weekend” spanned over three days and looks like it was an amazingly awesome time!
The couple spent just under $70,000 on their Indian wedding at the Westin Milwaukee – the majority was spent on the venue rental and food for the 275 guests. Read on to see their full cost breakdown and remember that many of the vendors’s costs (i.e. food, venue, photographer, DJ) were for two or three days.
Married In Milwaukee Family Used:
We were excited to see that this couple used two Married In Milwaukee Family Members!! Here are the MIM Family Members involved in this wedding at the Westin Milwaukee:
- Venue: The Westin Milwaukee
- Photo Booth: ShutterBooth
- Hotel: The Westin Milwaukee
Quick Facts – Westin Milwaukee Wedding:
- Guests: 275
- Ceremony/Reception: The Westin Milwaukee
- Total Costs: $69,458
Wedding Essentials ($10,600):
- Invitations/Stationery: $600
- Photographer: $4,500 (Saturday and Sunday coverage)
- Videographer: $0 (included in photographer cost)
- Flowers: $5,500 (Saturday and Sunday)
Reception and Ceremony Costs ($50,008):
- Venue Rental: $25,600 (rental for Friday through Sunday included a planner, bartenders and drinks)
- Decorator: $5,500
- Food: $12,813
- Drinks: $0 (included in venue rental)
- DJ: $5,000 (Saturday and Sunday)
- Officiant: $500
- Photo Booth: $595
Attire, Jewelry and Beauty ($1,450):
- Bride’s Dress: $500 (purchased in India)
- Bride’s Shoes: $50
- Groom’s Attire: $400
- Beauty: $500 (hair and makeup)
Other Costs ($7,400):
- Wedding Party Gifts: $800
- Hotel Suite: $0 (complimentary from The Westin)
- Rehearsal Dinner: $6,000
- Horse: $300
- Henna: $300
A Note From The Couple
We asked the couple to tell us about their planning and budgeting process, and this is what they had to say:
When we started planning our wedding we knew there were 4 things we absolutely needed: an amazing space, great food, plenty of alcohol (both of our families know how to party) and one hell of a DJ.
The Venue/Decorations:
We had searched for a while and weren’t sold on anything but after touring about 20 venues we decided we probably had to decide. We were just about to sign a contract with another venue when we decided on a whim to tour the newly open (at the time) Westin downtown. As soon as we got the grand tour we ABSOLUTELY fell in love and left the appointment knowing we both could see our wedding weekend here.We had a bit of a special situation, seeing as we needed the venue for 3 nights but they were SO accommodating. They gave us free range to all of the ballrooms which we loved because we didn’t want to have to corral people around while the spaces were being changed. When we walked into the event space and saw how Shefali had transformed an ordinary ballroom to an Indian decorated masterpiece we were in complete awe.
The Food:
Obviously with this being an Indian wedding we knew we were going to do an Indian Buffet for the Sunday night reception. But again we were in a dilemma about what we wanted for Saturday night. We ended up going with an array of different options: pizza from Marty’s Pizza, Thai food from the King and I, tacos from Bel Air Cantina, platters from Sendiks and of course Indian food from Maharaja.It was a HIT! Everyone could sample whatever they wanted and we covered everything from vegans to people with allergies! Sunday night was a full Indian buffet which was also a hit, even converting some people who claimed they didn’t like Indian food!
The Bar:
Thanks to the Westin, we were able to have ample bar service so that our guests never had to wait too long to get back on the dance floor. We also had some of the best bartenders, who not only were in good spirits all night but were able to come up with some great concoctions for our guests. We had very special requests for some family members and what they wanted, which was all provided in surplus, so we were sure not to run out.The DJ:
We both LOVE music and love to dance so this was one of the first items on our to do list when we got engaged. We wanted to make sure that our DJ was engaging and could get anyone on the dance floor no matter what age!Not only did our DJ MC all of our wedding but was absolutely amazing coordinating some very special family dance performances. He came with all the bells and whistles you would ever want: loud speakers, flashing lights, monogrammed projections, and an infectious personality. He flawlessly mixed Indian music with disco, rock, pop and hip hop. We knew he would be a highlight but we never thought we’d have so many people raving about him for months after the event.
– The Bride and Groom
A BIG thanks to the couple for sharing the Cost Breakdown of their awesome Indian wedding at The Westin Milwaukee and to AK Photographers for the amazing photos!
If you’re currently working on your wedding budget, make sure to read through our previous Cost Breakdown articles featuring real Milwaukee wedding cost breakdowns.
