There is a certain point in wedding planning when the budget starts behaving like an overexcited guest at the bar. And suddenly, everything seems like a very good idea. More flowers? Obviously. A second installation? Why not. Personalised napkins for 400 people? Well, we have come this far. But when it comes to wedding décor, spending more does not necessarily mean making more of an impact. In fact, some of the most memorable celebrations are often the ones where couples know exactly where to loosen the purse strings and, equally importantly, where to put the wallet back.
For advice on the best approach, we turned to Khush favourite Radhika Nathwani, founder and lead wedding planner behind Radhika & You. Alongside husband and co-founder Shindy Juttla, Radhika has built a multi award-winning South Asian wedding planning company known for destination celebrations across the UK, Europe and beyond. From Portugal and Greece to Türkiye, Malta and the UAE, the duo have spent more than a decade designing and delivering weddings that balance thoughtful hospitality, personal details and seamless execution.
So, where should you actually spend? And where can you save without making your wedding feel cheap? Ahead, Radhika breaks down the three places worth splurging on and three where you can economise.
1. SPLURGE: The Venue
A venue is more than a backdrop. It determines the mood, photographs, guest journey and, in most cases, how much décor you need. “The venue sets the tone for the wedding and is the first impression guests have of the celebration,” says Radhika. Rather than focusing solely on capacity, she recommends considering the architecture, surroundings, views and overall atmosphere. This is where spending strategically can actually save you money later. “A venue with character and natural beauty is already doing some of the design work, meaning you can enhance rather than completely transform the space. The right venue can make the rest of the budget work harder because you are enhancing what is already there rather than starting from scratch.”
For destination weddings, this becomes even more important. The venue is not simply where the wedding takes place, but it becomes the canvas and part of the entire guest experience, from arrival to the final farewell. When venue scouting, look beyond the ballroom. Ask what the property already gives you: beautiful ceremony locations, gardens, architecture, views, interesting arrival points and spaces that photograph beautifully without extensive dressing.
2. SAVE: Excessive Décor & Installations
The instinct to decorate every available square metre is understandable. After all, if you have booked a spectacular venue, why not make every corner Instagram-worthy? Because, as Radhika points out, you really do not need to. “Couples can save by focusing the décor budget on a few key statement moments rather than trying to style every area.”
Her strategy is to identify the spaces guests will actually notice and experience, whether that is the ceremony backdrop, entrance, mandap, stage or dining area, and allow everything else to breathe. “Make the most of the venue itself. Beautiful architecture, gardens, views or existing features can become part of the overall design rather than something that needs to be covered or transformed.” This is particularly clever for destination weddings, where the surroundings can be doing a significant amount of the visual heavy lifting. A dramatic coastline, historic palace, lush garden or sweeping mountain view does not need to compete with a forest of artificial foliage. Her other tip to stretch the décor budget? “Repurpose it. Florals and installations from one part of the day can often be reworked for another event, allowing one beautiful investment to have more than one outing.”
3. SPLURGE: Food & Hospitality
If there is one thing not to treat as an afterthought, it is what your guests eat, drink and experience. Especially at a South Asian wedding, food isn’t simply sustenance between the ceremony and the dance floor, but part of the culture. “Food is one of the areas I would prioritise, as it can really make or break the guest experience. For South Asian weddings in particular, food is such an important part of the celebration and hospitality,” says Radhika.
Her advice is not necessarily to commission an exhaustive menu, but the overall hospitality experience. “Excellent ingredients, thoughtful presentation, attentive service and meaningful dishes. This could be through welcome drinks and canapés, live food stations, signature dishes or a menu that feels personal to the couple.” Just as importantly, think about how guests are looked after throughout the celebration with seamless service, comfortable seating, clear communication and a smooth flow between events.
4. SAVE: Trends That Date Quickly
There is nothing wrong with wanting your wedding to look current. But there is a difference between being trendy and being so trend-led that your wedding album eventually looks like a specific season on Pinterest. “I would be cautious about spending heavily on trends that may not have longevity,” Radhika says. Her recommendation is to build a timeless foundation and introduce trends through smaller touches.
This is especially useful for couples planning several events. For instance, the overall theme or visual language shouldn’t be planned around a fleeting trend but around something personal and enduring. But you can have fun with a fashion-forward tablescape, quirky stationery, an on-trend bar or lounge corner, or a smaller floral installation that experiments with a colour or style currently having a moment without blowing the budget. The result? A wedding that looks of-the-moment without being only of-the-moment.
5. SPLURGE: Personal Details
Luxury is not always about more. Sometimes it is about more thoughtful touches. “With a limited budget, I would focus on a few meaningful details rather than trying to decorate every area. Personal touches can make a wedding feel much more bespoke and memorable without necessarily requiring a huge investment.”
Think stationery that nods to your story, a beautifully considered entrance like the gorgeous Ganesha one seen in the photo, details inspired by your culture or table elements that reference a shared memory. Or consider thoughtful touches that are also practical like the personalise hand fans or the monogrammed playing cards seen here. “The point is really about being selective and putting the budget into details that have meaning, rather than spending for the sake of having more.” Radhika has seen this principle play out across destination weddings too, where personalisation can be as simple as a handwritten note, signature cocktail, locally inspired gift or meaningful family detail. “Some of the most luxurious touches are often the most personal, rather than the most expensive,” she says.
6. SAVE: Wedding Favours
Wedding favours have a noble purpose: sending your guests home with a little reminder of the celebration. But that does not mean every guest needs to leave with a monogrammed objet d’art that’ll spend the next decade gathering dust. “Favours are a lovely gesture, but they are not an area where couples need to spend a significant amount of their budget,” says Radhika.
Think thoughtful and relevant, she insists. A small gift connected to the couple, their culture or the destination can be far more meaningful than something expensive simply for the sake of it. “For destination weddings, a useful and well thought-out welcome bag can often have more impact than an expensive accent piece that guests may not use.” For instance, a jar of local sweets or preserves will surely be a welcome take-home gift. A wedding in Jaipur could inspire block-printed fabric that guests can later turn into a kurta, cushion cover or table runner. For a celebration in Istanbul, a beautifully made evil-eye keepsake could become something guests actually use or display at home. Another thoughtful option is to turn the favour into a charitable gesture. For couples who want their favour to give back, Cancer Research UK offers charity wedding favours including pin badges, flower seeds and other small keepsakes, allowing couples to thank their guests while making a meaningful donation to cancer research. The point is to choose something with a sense of purpose, place and personality rather than the price tag. As Radhika puts it, “It is the thought behind the gesture that matters, rather than the cost.”
For more information:
Radhika & You
Instagram: @RadhikaAndYou
