How much gold does a wedding actually need?
There is no correct number, and anyone who gives you one is guessing or selling. What there is, is a fairly consistent list of pieces — and a lot of room in how heavy each one has to be.
The pieces usually on the list
- Mangalsutra
- The one non-negotiable. Anywhere from under 4 grams for daily wear to 160 grams for heavy bridal work. Many families buy both — one for the ceremony, one for life afterwards.
- Necklace set
- Short necklace, long haram and earrings. A complete lightweight set can be built around 25 grams; traditional heavy sets run far higher.
- Bangles
- Usually in pairs. Weight varies more than any other item on the list.
- Rings
- For the couple, and often for close family. From half a gram upwards.
- Traditional pieces
- For a Maharashtrian wedding — thushi, saaj, nath. Ask the family elders what is expected before you budget.
Four things that save money without showing
- 1
- Buy the set together. Pieces from two different karigars rarely match properly, and mismatched work is visible in photographs.
- 2
- Ask for the lightweight build of the design you like, not a smaller design. Broad and hollow reads as heavy from the only distance anyone sees it.
- 3
- Exchange old family gold. Ask specifically whether melting loss and stone weight are being deducted — at some shops they are, and it is a large hidden cost.
- 4
- Start early. Six to eight weeks for custom work. Rushed orders limit your choices far more than your budget does.