Two quotes arrive on WhatsApp the same evening. One decorator sends a single line: "mandap, stage, entry and lighting," with one total. The other runs to two pages and costs noticeably more. The family picks the cheaper one. Three weeks later the extra bills start: generator, transport, labour for the overnight setup, and "flower rate difference" because roses went up in peak season.
This happens often, and it is rarely a scam. It is usually a vague quote. The decorator knows what they meant. You don't, until the final bill.
A good decoration quote tells you exactly what you will see on the day, what is not included, and what happens if something changes. Here is what to look for, what to ask, and how to compare two quotes fairly.
What a good quote should spell out
- The mandap, item by item. It should say the size, the structure (wood, metal frame, pillars), the fabric or flowers on it, and whether the four pillars and the canopy are decorated. "Mandap decoration" on its own tells you almost nothing.
- The stage and the photo backdrop. Ask for the stage size, the backdrop design, and the sofa or chairs on it. The backdrop is where most of your family photos happen, so it deserves its own line.
- The entry gate and walkway. Count what you are getting: one gate or two, how many pillars or arches along the path, and whether the welcome board is included.
- Flowers: real or artificial, and which ones. A good quote names the flowers (marigold, rose, jasmine, orchids) and says which areas are fresh and which are artificial. Many decorators use fresh flowers where guests come close and artificial ones for high or distant areas. That is fine, as long as it is written down.
- Lighting and fabric. How many lights, what kind (fairy lights, chandeliers, focus lights), and how much draping, in which colours. "Lighting as per design" leaves too much room.
- Seating and the Garba night setup. If the decorator handles chairs, sofas or the Garba ground, the quote should say how many chairs, what kind of covers, and how the dancing area, stage and lights for the Garba night are set up.
What often gets left off
- Transport and labour. Some decorators quote only for materials. Ask in writing whether trucks, loading and the setup crew are included, especially if your party plot or farmhouse is outside the city.
- Setup and teardown time. Ask how many hours they need, whether they work overnight, and when they will clear the venue. Your venue may charge you if the decorator overstays.
- Generator and extra electricity. Heavy lighting can need more power than the venue gives you. Ask who arranges the generator, who pays for diesel, and who pays the venue's electricity charges.
- Venue permissions and rules. Some party plots and banquet halls allow only their own approved decorators, or charge a fee for an outside one. Many also ban drilling, open flames or hanging things from the ceiling. Your decorator should check the venue's rules before quoting, not after.
- GST. Ask whether the price is "inclusive" or "exclusive" of GST. On a bill from a GST-registered decorator, decoration is usually charged at 18%, which adds up fast on a large quote.
- Flower substitutions and overtime. Flower prices can rise sharply in peak wedding weeks and around festivals. Agree now on what happens then: do they absorb it, replace a flower with a similar one, or charge you the difference? Also ask what they charge if your function runs late.
How to compare two quotes fairly
- Make both quotes list the same items. Write your own list of everything you want (mandap, stage, gate, walkway, Garba setup, lights, chairs) and send the same list to every decorator. Then compare line by line, not total by total.
- Check the quantities, not just the names. "Floral mandap" from one decorator can mean four garlands, and from another it can mean a fully covered canopy. Ask for counts: number of pillars, number of lights, kilos or strings of flowers, metres of fabric.
- Add the extras before you compare. Put the GST, transport, generator and labour back into the cheaper quote. Often the "expensive" one is cheaper once everything is included. Our budget tool helps you keep these extras in one place.
Photos versus what actually shows up
- Ask whose photos they are. Some decorators show reference images from the internet or from bigger events. Ask directly: "Did your team do this setup? At which venue?"
- Ask to see past setups at real venues. The best proof is photos or short videos from weddings at venues like yours, ideally a party plot or samaj wadi of a similar size. If they can, visit a setup they are doing for someone else a day before that wedding.
- Do a site visit together. Walk the venue with the decorator before you finalise. They should measure the space, check power points and ceiling height, and tell you honestly what will and won't fit.
Timing, payment and damage
- Match the setup to your muhurat. In a Gujarati wedding the mandap muhurat ritual and the wedding muhurat set the clock. Ask when the mandap will be ready and put that time in the contract, with some buffer before the ceremony.
- Get a clear payment schedule and cancellation terms. Pay in stages linked to milestones: a booking advance, a part payment closer to the date, and the balance after the event. Write down what you get back if the date changes or the event is cancelled.
- Decide who pays for damage. If the venue keeps a security deposit and a nail mark or a burnt carpet costs you part of it, who pays? And if a guest breaks a decorator's lamp or vase, does that come to you? Get both answers in writing.
Red flags
- A one-line quote with a single total and no breakup.
- No mention of real or artificial flowers, or which flowers.
- "Lighting as required" with no count.
- Portfolio photos they can't link to a venue or a date.
- No written setup time, or a vague "we'll be ready before the function."
- Refusing to do a site visit before you pay.
- Pressure to pay a large advance today "because the date is going fast."
- No receipt for cash payments.
Before you pay the advance
- Same item list and quantities sent to every decorator you are comparing.
- GST, transport, labour, generator and venue fees written as included or extra.
- Flower names, fresh or artificial, and the substitution rule in writing.
- Setup ready time, linked to your mandap muhurat.
- Payment stages, cancellation and date-change terms in writing.
- Damage and venue deposit responsibility agreed.
- Photos of their own past work at a real venue.
You can add each of these to your wedding checklist so nothing slips while the rest of the planning moves fast.
Common questions
What should a wedding decoration quote include?
It should list every area separately (mandap, stage, gate, walkway, seating, Garba setup) with sizes and counts. It should name the flowers and say which are fresh and which are artificial. It should also state transport, labour, setup time, GST and payment terms, even if only to say they are extra.
Is GST charged on wedding decoration?
If your decorator is GST-registered, GST is usually added at 18% on decoration. Always ask whether the quoted price is inclusive or exclusive of GST, and ask for a proper GST invoice.
Can I bring my own decorator to a party plot or banquet hall?
It depends on the venue. Some allow only their approved decorators, some allow outside decorators for a fee, and some allow them freely with a rule that nothing gets damaged. Check this with the venue before you book a decorator, and look at the decor rules while you are comparing venues.
Should I choose real or artificial flowers?
Fresh flowers look and smell better up close, but cost more and their price moves with the season. Artificial flowers are cheaper and steadier, and nobody notices them on a high ceiling. Many couples mix both: fresh on the mandap and near guests, artificial far away.
How long before the wedding does decoration setup start?
It depends on the size of the setup and the venue's access hours. Big outdoor setups at party plots often start a day or more ahead, sometimes overnight. Ask your decorator for the exact start time, the ready time, and confirm the venue allows it.
When you are ready to compare, start with decorators who will give you an itemised quote and show you their own work. You can browse mandap and decoration vendors on LagnaPrasang, shortlist two or three, and send them the same list.
