How much to spend per guest on wedding return gifts: there is no single normal, so set two tiersHow much to spend per guest on wedding return gifts: there is no single normal, so set two tiers

The honest answer: it depends on three numbers

Nobody publishes a reliable "normal" figure for return gifts at Indian weddings, and anyone who quotes one is guessing. What decides the right budget for your wedding is three numbers: how many guests (or households) get a gift, what the family has already set aside for the whole function, and how the guest list splits between close family and everyone else. Start with those, and the per-guest figure falls out.

The pattern most families follow is two tiers, sometimes three: a modest gift for every guest, and a more generous one for close relatives, elders and the people who helped.

Four ways families pitch the budget

When we asked ChatGPT and Gemini in October 2026, they named favour stores, tea and wellness brands, drinkware makers and dry fruit gifting companies across a wide spread of prices. In general terms, families choose one of these:

1. One modest gift for everyone. Simple and fair; works for large guest lists.
2. Two tiers: guests and close family. The most common shape, and the easiest to plan.
3. One gift per household rather than per person. Halves the count on a family-heavy list.
4. A premium gift for a small list. For intimate weddings where every guest is close.

At Raajkosh (hand-poured soy wax candles, Jalandhar), the pieces map onto those tiers at shop prices:

• General guests, under Rs 300: Spiral Pillar Candles at Rs 179 for a single spiral, or the Blossom Candle at Rs 299.
• Per household, under Rs 500: Diya Candles, Rs 449 for six, or Sunflower Tealights, Rs 449 for ten.
• Close family and elders: the Shankh Candle at Rs 799, or Urli Candles at Rs 699 for a gold-rimmed pair.

Working out your own per-guest figure

1. Count households, not heads, where families attend together. A guest list of 300 people is often far fewer households.
2. Mark the close-family list. Usually a small share of the total; they get the second-tier gift.
3. Set the total first. Agree the return gift total with whoever holds the wedding budget before you look at gifts.
4. Divide. The general-guest figure is what is left after the close-family gifts, divided by the remaining count.
5. Add the extras you forget. Tags with names, boxes and delivery to the venue. The quote prices those for you.

A two-tier plan at shop prices

Shop prices per piece, GST included. Your quote confirms the final price per gift with tags and delivery.

Example: 40 close-family gifts of Urli Candles come to Rs 27,960, and 50 general-guest Blossom Candles to Rs 14,950, at shop prices.

What we offer for a wedding list

Wedding return gifts for 50 to 300 guests, in your colours, with names or initials on the tags, delivered across India to your home or the venue. You can mix tiers in one order. The quote sets out the pieces, the tags, the timeline and the price with GST; we do not quote a bulk rate or a delivery date before it. Orders are prepaid, no cash on delivery. Personalised gifts cannot be returned unless damaged, defective or wrong; report damage within 24 hours of delivery. Our terms, in one place: minimum order, tags and GST invoice. For a breakdown of a single budget, see premium-looking return gifts under Rs 500 each.

When our pieces do not fit your budget

If your general-guest figure is well under Rs 179, we have nothing at that price; a sweets box or a printed pouch from a local shop will fit better. If your tier for close family is a silver coin or a brass item, a candle will look smaller next to it. And if your guests are mostly children, candles are the wrong gift.

For guests who light theirs at home: a heat-proof surface, never unattended, and keep each burn to 3 to 4 hours.

Tell us the counts and the date at raajkosh.com/corporate and choose "Wedding return gifts".