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Wedding Catering & Per-Plate Estimator

Calculate accurate food expenses for your wedding feast. Customize menu tiers, live food counters, dessert bars, and get exact food quantity recommendations.

₹800 – ₹2,800
Real market per-plate rates across top Indian caterers

Menu & Guest Settings

Number of Guests: 400 Guests
50 500 1500+

Catering Cost Summary

₹6.92 L
Total Food Bill
₹1,730
Effective Per Plate
₹69,200
10% Buffer Margin
Estimated Food Quantities Needed
48 kg
Paneer / Protein
2,400 pcs
Starters / Snacks
1,600 pcs
Mithai & Desserts
600 gls
Mocktails / Drinks
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Indian Wedding Catering Cost Guide: How to Budget Smartly

Food is invariably the centerpiece of any Indian wedding. Guests may forget the entrance arch or lighting, but they will always remember the hot jalebis, tender kebabs, and live chaat counters. Here is what you should consider when hiring a wedding caterer in 2026:

Quality Over Quantity

Having 8 phenomenal, steaming-hot dishes is far more memorable and cost-effective than offering 35 lukewarm dishes where half remains untouched.

Floating vs Seated Guests

Only 65-75% of guests eat simultaneously. Plan 2 live chaat counters and 4 roaming snack servers during the first 2 hours to keep crowds energized.

Confirm Inclusions

Verify whether crockery, bone china cutlery, uniform waiters, chafing dishes, mineral water jars, and kitchen gas are included in the per-plate rate.

Frequently Asked Questions: Catering & Per Plate Costs

In Delhi NCR and Mumbai, standard pure veg banquet menus start around ₹1,200 to ₹1,800 per plate, while luxury non-veg and five-star spreads range from ₹2,500 to ₹4,500+. In Tier-2 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Chandigarh, good quality caterers start around ₹850 to ₹1,400 per plate.

Caterers generally provide a 10% floating margin above the confirmed guarantee (minimum guarantee or MG). If you confirm for 400 plates, the caterer prepares food sufficient for 440 guests, charging only if the excess plates are utilized.

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