Reception

The Reception is the celebratory gathering that follows the main religious ceremony — the party. For most South Asian weddings in the UK, this is the largest and most expensive event in the programme, often held in a banqueting hall with 300 to 800 guests. It combines a formal dinner, speeches, first dances, and a high-energy evening of dancing.

South Asian wedding receptions are notable for their scale and ambition: elaborate stage designs for the couple, multi-course dinners (often with separate veg, non-veg, halal, and Jain options running simultaneously), and entertainment that can run from 6pm to midnight. The DJ set — or live band — is central, and production values for lighting and AV are high.

The reception is the event that most couples spend the largest proportion of their budget on. Key vendors: venue, caterer, decorator and lighting, DJ or live band, photographer and videographer, wedding car for the couple's arrival, bridal makeup and hair (for the second look), and invitation designer (for the reception cards).