The NRI Wedding Planning Checklist
A 38-page action plan built specifically for couples planning their Indian wedding from the UK, USA, UAE, Canada or Australia. Free PDF.
- ✓ 12-month timeline (working backwards from your wedding date)
- ✓ Visa, marriage registration & certificate logistics for 7 countries
- ✓ USD/GBP/AED ↔ INR FX strategy: when to convert, NRO vs NRE accounts, RBI limits
- ✓ Remote vendor vetting: how to book without flying back 5 times
- ✓ Guest logistics: international flights, hotel blocks, transfer coordination
- ✓ Tax notes: GST recovery, TDS rules, gift tax limits for cash gifts received abroad
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142 action items, organised by timeline
12 Months Before
Lock dates, book venue with refundable deposit, alert immediate family, draft guest list, open NRE/NRO accounts.
9 Months Before
Vendor shortlisting via video calls, sample shoots requested, payment terms negotiated, FX strategy locked.
6 Months Before
Marriage registration paperwork begins, visa applications for foreign guests, hotel blocks confirmed, save-the-date sent.
3 Months Before
Vendor advances cleared, menu & decor sign-off, transport coordination, last visa follow-ups, FX windows hit.
1 Month Before
Final headcount, dietary requirements, on-ground point-person briefed, contingency cash arranged.
Wedding Week
Day-by-day briefs for parents, paperwork to carry, gratuity envelopes, post-wedding admin (registration, certificate, gift tax records).
FX & Remittance
When to convert USD/GBP/AED, NRO vs NRE use, RBI limits, multi-tranche payment strategy to avoid FX whiplash.
Marriage Registration
Hindu Marriage Act vs Special Marriage Act, documents needed in 7 countries, apostille / attestation rules, timeline.
NRI Tax & Gift Rules
GST refund eligibility, TDS on payments, gift tax limits, repatriation of unspent funds, FEMA basics.
Generic wedding checklists don't work for you
Regular checklists assume you can drop by the venue on Saturday. Walk into a sari shop on Sunday. Meet the photographer in person. You can't. You have 14 days of leave, three time zones to coordinate, currency fluctuations to manage, and family in two countries giving conflicting advice.
This checklist was built from the patterns we've seen helping NRI couples since 2006 — the steps that get missed, the costs that surprise, the paperwork that derails the wedding by 3 months.
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Who is this checklist for?
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NRI couples (or their families in India) planning a destination wedding in India while one or both partners live abroad — UK, US, UAE, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar. Useful even if only the bride or groom lives abroad.
What is unique vs a regular wedding checklist?
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It covers things only NRIs face: visa/marriage certificate timeline, USD/GBP-to-INR FX strategy, RBI remittance limits, NRO/NRE account use, GST recovery, gift tax compliance, and how to vet vendors remotely without flying in five times.
Is the legal advice country-specific?
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It covers high-level requirements for UK, USA, UAE, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar. For final paperwork always cross-check with your local registrar / Indian Mission. We update the PDF annually.
Do I have to be a client to download this?
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No. Anyone can download. Free is free. If you later want help planning, we offer a free 30-minute consultation — completely optional.
Can I share this with my parents in India?
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Yes, please. Most NRI weddings are co-planned by parents in India and the couple abroad. The PDF is designed to be shared with both sides so everyone uses the same playbook.
How current is it?
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Updated November 2025 for the 2026/2027 wedding season. Reflects current visa processing times, latest RBI remittance limits, post-GST rules, and 2026 vendor practices.