A wedding in Mathura or Vrindavan runs on a few fixed points: the muhurat your pandit gives you, the November to February season when venues fill up, and the travel your guests need to get here. This month-by-month timeline works backwards from the wedding date so you book the right things at the right time. If your wedding is closer than twelve months, start at the month that matches and catch up on anything earlier.
12 months before: date, budget and guest count
- Meet your pandit for muhurat options. Many families avoid Chaturmas (roughly July to Dev Uthani Ekadashi in November) and Kharmas (mid-December to mid-January), so the good dates in season can be few. Check with your pandit.
- Agree a total budget as a family and who is paying for what.
- Draft a rough guest count. It decides the venue size, rooms and food more than anything else.
- Decide the functions: roka or sagai, haldi, mehendi, sangeet, wedding, reception.
Our budget planning tips can help with the money conversation.
11 months before: venue and planner
- Shortlist venues and visit them. For a November to February wedding, popular venues in Mathura and Vrindavan book early, especially on the most popular muhurat dates.
- Ask each venue about food rules. Many serve only vegetarian food without alcohol, as meat and liquor sales are banned in the main pilgrimage area.
- Book your venue and planner. If you are coming from outside Braj, a local team saves a lot of trips; our guide to working with a wedding planner in Mathura explains how.
10 months before: guest stay and key vendors
- Block hotel rooms or guest houses for out-of-town family. Rooms near temples get busy in season.
- Book photographer and videographer.
- Shortlist decorators and caterers.
9 months before: decor and theme
- Make a vision board with colours, flowers and motifs for each function.
- Book your decorator and get a first decor plan.
- Check the festival calendar. Holi week and Janmashtami bring very large crowds to Braj, so avoid planning events or guest travel around them.
8 months before: outfits and entertainment
- Start bridal and groom outfit shopping. Custom pieces take months.
- Book DJ, dhol, band for the baraat, and any performers for sangeet.
- Plan the sangeet format: family performances, a choreographer, or bhajan and kirtan evening.
7 months before: guest list and save the dates
- Finalise the guest list.
- Send save the dates with city, dates and nearest travel options: Mathura Junction by train, or by road from Delhi (roughly 3-4 hours) via the Yamuna Expressway or NH-19.
- Mention that most guests flying in will land at Delhi’s IGI airport.
6 months before: travel plan for guests
- Make a guest travel sheet: who arrives when, by train, car or flight.
- Remind guests to book trains as soon as reservations open for their dates.
- Arrange transport from Mathura Junction and Delhi for those who need it.
- Plan for fog. In December and January, trains and road travel can run late, so keep buffer time on arrival days.
Our hospitality and guest management team can run pickups, room allocation and help desks.
5 months before: food and menu
- Do menu tastings. Sattvik and vegetarian food is the norm, and many families add local favourites like kachori-sabzi, jalebi and Mathura peda.
- Decide on counters for each function and timings for tea and snacks in cold weather.
4 months before: invitations and rituals
- Order and send invitations.
- Sit with your pandit to list all rituals, items needed and timings.
- Plan any temple visits for the couple or family. Ask about crowd timings at the temple you choose.
3 months before: details
- Book mehendi artist, makeup and hair.
- Confirm decor layouts for each function with the venue.
- Check power backup and music cut-off times. Loudspeakers in open spaces generally must stop by 10 pm unless allowed otherwise.
2 months before: confirm everything
- Final outfit fittings.
- Collect RSVPs and update room and transport lists.
- Prepare welcome kits for out-of-town guests: schedule, contacts, shawls in winter.
1 month before: the run sheet
- Make a minute-by-minute schedule for each function.
- Share it with all vendors and one point person from each family.
- Confirm payments due and keep cash for tips and small expenses.
Wedding week
- Venue walk-through with decor, lighting and catering teams.
- Check guest arrivals daily, especially if fog is forecast.
- Hand over the timeline so the family can enjoy the functions.
- Pack an emergency kit: medicines, safety pins, phone chargers, extra shawls.
For a task-by-task list to go alongside this timeline, see our wedding checklist.
Start the timeline with us
Give us your muhurat options and rough guest count, and we’ll turn this into a dated plan for your wedding. Reach us through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
How early should we book a wedding venue in Mathura?
For a November to February wedding, start looking about a year ahead. Popular venues and the most sought-after muhurat dates go early, and guest rooms nearby fill up in season.
Which months are avoided for weddings in Vrindavan?
Many families avoid Chaturmas, roughly July to Dev Uthani Ekadashi in November, and Kharmas from mid-December to mid-January. Check with your pandit, as practice differs by family.
How do guests reach Mathura for a wedding?
Mathura Junction has direct trains from Delhi and much of India. By road, Delhi is roughly 3-4 hours via the Yamuna Expressway or NH-19, and most guests flying in use Delhi’s IGI airport.
Can we plan a Mathura wedding in less than six months?
Yes, if you are flexible on dates and venue. Book the venue, planner and guest rooms first, then work through the rest of this timeline quickly.