Wedding planning journal

The Velvet Knot Journal

Wedding planning,
demystified.

Honest guides on cost, timelines, traditions, and what really happens behind a well-planned Indian wedding.

Passport, boarding pass, document and wedding rings on a world map for NRI marriage registration

NRI Marriage Registration in India 2026: Complete Guide

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 NRIs and couples with a partner abroad can register an India wedding under the Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act like any couple, with the addition of a valid passport and visa and sometimes a single-status or no-objection certificate. Marriages performed abroad or at […]

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Documents, a pen, an identity card and wedding rings on a desk for a name change

Name Change After Marriage in India 2026: Step-by-Step

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 Changing your name or surname after marriage in India is optional, not legally required. The standard route is three steps: swear a name-change affidavit, publish the change in a newspaper, and notify it in the Gazette of India (or state gazette). With the marriage certificate […]

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A framed marriage certificate beside wedding rings and flowers

Marriage Certificate in India 2026: How to Get One and Why

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 A marriage certificate is the official legal proof of your marriage, issued by the state after you register under the Hindu Marriage Act or Special Marriage Act. You apply at the Sub-Registrar or Marriage Officer’s office or the state portal with your registration documents. The […]

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Flat-lay of marriage registration documents, a passport, photos, pen and rings

Documents Required for Marriage Registration in India 2026

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 To register a marriage in India you generally need, for both spouses, age proof, address proof, passport-size photographs, an affidavit with the marriage details, and witnesses with ID. A Hindu Marriage Act registration also needs proof of the wedding (invitation plus a priest or temple […]

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Gold wedding rings on a register book with marigold petals

Hindu Marriage Act Registration 2026: Process and Documents

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 governs marriages of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. The wedding is made valid by the religious ceremony; registration is the official record and the source of your marriage certificate. You register at the Sub-Registrar or Marriage Registrar for the area, […]

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An open marriage register book with a fountain pen, two gold rings and a brass seal

Special Marriage Act 1954: Process, Documents, Notice Period

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 The Special Marriage Act, 1954 lets any two Indians marry as a civil marriage regardless of religion, making it the standard route for inter-faith, inter-caste and purely civil marriages, and the legal basis of a court marriage process in India. It requires a 30-day notice […]

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An Indian couple signing the marriage register at a registration office

Marriage Registration in India 2026: Complete Process Guide

By Team Velvet Knot · General guidance, updated for 2026 In India a marriage is registered under one of two central laws: the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 (for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, after a religious ceremony) or the Special Marriage Act 1954 (a civil marriage for any two Indians, including inter-faith couples). Registration is […]

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Elegant Indian wedding reception in the contemporary ballroom at Hyatt Regency Chennai

Hyatt Regency Chennai Wedding Cost 2026: Luxury Venue

By Team Velvet Knot · Reviewed by senior planners · Updated for 2026 A wedding at Hyatt Regency Chennai typically costs Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1.7 crore for 200 to 550 guests across two to three days in 2026, with per-plate F&B around Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,500. The contemporary luxury hotel on Anna […]

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Grand Indian wedding on the garden lawn beside reflecting pools at ITC Sonar Kolkata at golden hour

ITC Sonar Kolkata Wedding Cost 2026: Luxury Venue Guide

By Team Velvet Knot · Reviewed by senior planners · Updated for 2026 A wedding at ITC Sonar, Kolkata typically costs Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1.8 crore for 250 to 700 guests across two to three days in 2026, with per-plate F&B around Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,500. The luxury hotel on the EM […]

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Grand Indian wedding reception in the ballroom at Shangri-La Eros New Delhi

Shangri-La Eros Delhi Wedding Cost 2026: Luxury Venue

By Team Velvet Knot · Reviewed by senior planners · Updated for 2026 A wedding at Shangri-La Eros New Delhi typically costs Rs 45 lakh to Rs 2 crore for 200 to 600 guests across two to three days in 2026, with per-plate F&B around Rs 3,500 to Rs 6,000. The luxury hotel on Janpath, […]

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