Plan a successful Sangeet in a budget! |Budget Sangeet Ideas

Plan a successful Sangeet Event in a budget! |Budget Sangeet Ideas

If you are planning to have a fun-filled Sangeet Ceremony but are not sure about how are you going to manage the cost, I got you covered. 🙂

We planned and executed a super fun and a successful Sangeet event in a supremely tight budget for my wedding so you can trust me on this (I can’t tell you, I am so proud). And, if you have any second thoughts about whether or not to go ahead with this event, hold on. With a little more effort, Budget Sangeet is possible. I am sure you do not want to miss upon all the fun, happiness and lifelong memories that will come with it! Let’s look at our check-list:

Discuss with your partner:

If you want a ceremony that involves both sides of the family, then, of course, you need consent from both sides. So discuss it with your partner first, and the rest will follow. Figure out a way around the obstacles, because if you do not come from a culture wherein Sangeet night is a ritual, then there will be many! Communicate everything openly. Discuss the budget and how you are going to manage it. In our case, we just split it into half since we did not borrow any money from our parents. This way it was a manageable amount for both of us.

Set a budget:

Have a fixed number in your head and then begin your calculations about everything else. When you have a set number in your head, it is easy to work around things. This makes the process of decision making a lot easier and you do not go overboard with anything. Be a little flexible as there may be a few last-minute additions and subtractions so always have a little ad-on cash with you at all times.

Find a decent venue:

This is the most important step in the process. Find a venue and book it in advance. I kid you not, people book their venues for 3 to 6 months in advance (or even more). We booked it for 1 month in advance. The longer you wait, the more you have to pay! Prices shoot up like crazy when you book last minute. Also, there are chances that you might not even get the venue in your area if you delay this decision. So start hunting a decent venue that offers your required services. Points to note for a Budget Sangeet:

• Ensure the venue is not too far from your home.
• Check if your society offers the community hall for such events.
• Check with cafes, fancy event-ready restaurants for quick bookings.
• Since this is a Sangeet night, it is best to book an Air-Conditioned hall.
• Check if the hall allows you to have your own caterers. If the catering service is in-house, then the amount goes up. If not, choose the best possible plan that does not involve an overwhelming variety of food items.
• The hall capacity should encompass your guests comfortably.
• If you or any of your friends and relatives own a house big enough to hold your sangeet party there, nothing like it!

Have a small guest list:

It is indeed heart-breaking but works the best. I am sure a small guest list will save you a ton of money on food and hall rental. Also, you will get to spend time with people who are actually happy for you and want to share your happy memories! Invite only close friends and family members to this event, you won’t regret this! It will be a nice warm cozy party! 🙂

Choose to have minimal décor:

Yes, there is no point in having a thrown and all the sparkly things around unnecessarily increasing your cost. Have a simple and minimal décor that not just looks beautiful but also is pocket-friendly.

Don’t hire choreographers:

This isn’t a competition and nobody is expecting DID level performances here. If you are a would-be-bride and reading this article, I am assuming you already love to dance. Chances are you’re pretty good at it. If not then probably your sister or your friend or someone in your close relatives is a good enough performer to set basic steps for you. There are a ton of videos available on YouTube; then there are also dedicated YouTube tutorial videos. Increase their viewership, I am sure they want you to watch their videos as much as you do! 😛

Fun Fact: I performed more than 9 times. I was dead tired but could not ask it any other way! Sangeet was one of the best events that we had during my wedding. And, you know why? Because I took control! I did not care who will think what and just went ahead and did what felt right. Learnt from my mistakes (read the engagement article) and aced this one like a bawse! Oh no, I don’t shy away from praising anyone, not even myself!

Don’t Spend a Bomb on Clothes!

Yeah seriously! You might not even wear those clothes again! If it’s possible then rent it out, borrow it, get it stitched or choose a dress that would not leave a big hole in your pocket. Trust me clothing is expensive and you don’t want to waste a lot of money on it. I looked like a princess in the pink gown I wore; you know how much I spent? Not a penny more than Rs.5000 (Including the travelling cost to the store 8 times). Yes, people spend that much even to attend someone else’s events. But I was very clear I did not want to overspend. If you know me in person, you know – I am such a saver! So if you’re eyeing that 20K lehenga…back up gurl, that ain’t NOT worth it!

Rope up:

You definitely will have experts all around you! We usually tend to underestimate our close ones but they will do a better job at things than the people you might want to hire! Why? Because they care! Your siblings and your best-friends will put all that they have and with all their heart. They aren’t doing it just for money as a hired person would do! So, they will manage to do it with all the sincerity. Remember it is a family event; you do not necessarily want perfection, YOU WANT HAPPINESS!

A single person cannot do everything so don’t shy away from asking help. If you have lived a fulfilling life, you surely will have some good friends around! Good people have good people around. Ahh that’s deep. And if not, I am sorry for you! I mean…umm…just chuck it. lol

My point is, you will need:

• A choreographer
• A dedicated person who will run the music i.e. a DJ or a sound person with a working laptop.
• One or two anchors/hosts, Emcees
• A helper who can do all the running around

So let me give you my example:

• I and my friend Hetal choreographed all the performances. My sister managed her gig on her own. Swapnil’s friend Swatej volunteered to set their performance. Since my home is tiny, we practised a few times at Hetal’s place. Note we did not practise for months, it was all done under a week’s time! Oh yes, 7-8 days max!

• My younger brother’s friend was kind enough to volunteer as our editor and sound person. Thanks, Kushal, I will forever be grateful. 🙂

• My younger brother Jayu (Jeevan) hesitantly agreed to be the host along with my dear friend Priyanka. They both did a fantastic job. It was so warm and homely!

• We did not have a helper so we all were running around. 😀 Let me mention a few of my warriors who helped me get this through – My best friends – Archana, Namrata, Cuties – Hetal, Kinjal, My lovelies – Priyanka and Snehal along with my siblings of course!

Pro Tips for a Budget Sangeet:

Since my engagement ceremony had so many flaws, I was 100 times more alert and wanted this event to be a success which it certainly did! Just to ensure you get it all right read these pro tips:

• Get a food-tasting of your decided menu beforehand
• Don’t have 500 items on your menu. Remember you have invited only nice people? So you don’t have to do things to impress anyone. Just remember whatever you have, it should taste good and be enough for your guest-list.
• Do NOT forget to get a sound-check – IT IS VERY CRUCIAL to have it right, it is a “Sangeet” after all!
• Start and end on time. The hall people are strict on their timings.
• Don’t book a separate hair and makeup person. Instead, just let your wedding beautician do it, she would just add a little more to the package. It will indeed reduce your cost.
• Similarly, don’t book a separate photo and videographer. Let this event get included in your wedding package, thus the overall cost gets decreased to a significant amount.
• Get a power-backup. Make sure the venue has a generator in case the power trips.
• Plan some simple games as fillers in advance.
• This one is tricky but be well prepared to avoid last-minute hassles!

I really hope these tips help you and you have a great Budget Sangeet Night! I hope now you do not cancel your epic sangeet plans just for monetary reasons because it is going to be one of the most fun parts of your wedding.

I am rooting for you! Have a blast 🙂

______________________

Do read and avoid these mistakes: It applies to pretty much any event actually!

1 – Take your engagement seriously: Mistakes to avoid! | Maharashtrian Wedding Series!

2 – An open letter to all the brides & brides-to-be!

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