# Wedding garba night: how to plan a garba and raas

> How to plan a wedding garba night: timing, guest count, a sample run of the evening, music and dandiya, budget tips and RSVPs for Gujarati weddings.

- **URL**: https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/garba

Also called: Dandiya night, Raas garba

The short answer

A wedding garba is a Gujarati pre-wedding night of circle dancing, usually held one or two nights before the wedding. Guests dance garba in rings and raas with dandiya sticks to live music or a DJ. It's often one of the biggest nights of a Gujarati wedding, so plan for a large dance floor, a late finish and plenty of food.

- **When:** Usually 1 or 2 nights before the wedding
- **How long:** Typically 3 to 5 hours, often running late
- **Typical guests:** Often 100 to 300 or more
- **Hosted by:** Either family, or both together
- **What to wear:** Chaniya choli for women, kediyu or kurta for men; comfortable shoes or none

What it is

## What is a garba night?

Garba is a devotional folk dance from Gujarat, danced in circles around a central lamp or image of the goddess. Raas, or dandiya raas, is danced in pairs and lines with decorated sticks that dancers strike together in rhythm. Both are danced at Navratri every year, and at Gujarati weddings they become a celebration of the couple.

At a wedding garba, guests of every age join in. The music usually starts slow and builds, and the circles grow as the night goes on. Many families hire a live band with a singer and dhol, others use a DJ who knows the garba catalog, and some do both, with live music first and a DJ for the late set.

The garba often takes the place that the sangeet holds in a North Indian wedding. Some families hold both, or combine the garba with the mehndi or a sangeet-style set of family performances.

Timing

## When it happens and how the garba night runs

A sample garba night:

1. First hour: Guests arrive, snacks and drinks, the couple's entrance.
2. Next hour: A short prayer or aarti, then the first garba rounds start slow.
3. Middle: Dinner break, often a buffet so dancers can eat quickly.
4. Late: Raas with dandiya sticks, faster garba rounds, and a DJ set if you have one.
5. Close: A last round for everyone, then guests head home.

Check your venue's end time and any noise rules. Garba nights tend to run past the plan.

Guests

## How many guests come to a garba night?

Garba nights run big. Many families invite most of their extended family and community, typically 100 to 300 people, and sometimes more than the reception.

Size the space for dancers, not seats. Circles of dancers take up far more room than tables.

To estimate how many dancers to plan for, [try the guest attendance calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-guest-attendance-calculator).

Checklist

## Garba and raas planning checklist

### 4 to 8 months before

- Book the venue with a large dance floor or open hall, and confirm the latest end time.
- Book a garba band, singer or DJ. The good ones are busy around Navratri and wedding season.
- Decide whether the garba is its own night or combined with the mehndi or sangeet.

### 1 to 2 months before

- Send invitations and collect RSVPs for the garba on its own.
- Confirm a menu that is easy to eat between dance rounds.
- Order dandiya sticks for guests, plus a few extra.
- Plan seating at the edges for elders who want to watch.

### The week of

- Confirm the sound check time and stage setup with the band or DJ.
- Arrange water stations. Dancers get thirsty fast.
- Plan a shoe area if guests will dance barefoot.

Costs

## What drives the cost of a garba night

Music and venue are the main costs of a garba night. Costs depend on your city, the season and your guest count, so we don't quote ranges here. Get two or three quotes for each line below, and see [what an Indian wedding costs in the US](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-much-does-an-indian-wedding-cost) for published ranges with sources.

| Cost | What to ask for in the quote | What drives it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Live band or singer | Typically the largest cost of the night | Priced per event or per hour; ask about overtime. |
| DJ | Usually less than a live band | Many families use a DJ for the late set. |
| Venue | From a community hall to a banquet room | A big floor matters more than fancy decor. |
| Food | Priced per head | Buffets and snack stations suit a dance night. |
| Dandiya sticks and decor | Sticks are bought per guest; ask for stage and lighting as their own quote | Sticks are cheap; stage and lighting cost more. |

Community halls are often far cheaper than hotels and suit a garba well, since the floor is what matters.

Band rates and hall fees vary by city and season, so get quotes. To price your own weekend event by event, use the [Indian wedding budget calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-budget-calculator).

RSVPs and guests

## RSVP and guest tips for the garba night

- Tell guests it's a dancing night and suggest comfortable shoes, or say if it's barefoot.
- If guests are new to garba, a short demo or a slow first round helps everyone join in.
- Mention whether dandiya sticks will be provided.
- Give an end time, even if you expect to run late, so elders can plan their ride home.

If the garba list is bigger than the ceremony list, see [how to run one RSVP per event](https://www.planme.club/articles/wedding-rsvp-multiple-events) and [when to set your RSVP deadline](https://www.planme.club/tools/wedding-rsvp-deadline-calculator).

With PlanMe

## How PlanMe helps you plan the garba night

Set the garba up as its own [festivity](https://www.planme.club/features/festivities) in PlanMe, with a guest list, RSVP, schedule and seating plan. That gives you:

- A separate guest list and RSVP, so you know how many dancers to plan for.
- A run of show for the band, aarti, dinner and DJ set, with the people responsible for each.
- A [floor plan](https://www.planme.club/features/seating-chart) with the dance floor, stage, buffet and seating for elders.
- Band and DJ quotes side by side, next to the garba's own budget.
- [Email or text a reminder](https://www.planme.club/features/guest-messaging) to guests who haven't replied yet, using RSVP status or a tag like Bride side.

[Start planning free](https://app.planme.club/sign-up) - [See all features](https://www.planme.club/features)

Free during beta. No credit card needed.

Questions

## Garba and raas questions

Related reading

- [How to plan a sangeet](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-to-plan-a-sangeet)
- [Indian wedding events in order](https://www.planme.club/articles/indian-wedding-events-in-order)
- [Catering headcount calculator](https://www.planme.club/tools/indian-wedding-catering-headcount-calculator)
- [Vendor booking timeline](https://www.planme.club/tools/wedding-vendor-booking-timeline)

### What is a garba at a wedding?

A pre-wedding night of Gujarati circle dancing, with garba danced in rings and raas danced with dandiya sticks. It is usually held a night or two before the wedding.

### What is the difference between garba and dandiya?

Garba is danced in circles with hand claps and steps. Dandiya raas is danced in pairs or lines with decorated sticks. Most garba nights include both.

### Is garba the same as sangeet?

No, but they play a similar role. The sangeet is a North Indian night of music and performances, while the garba is a Gujarati night of folk dancing. Some families hold both. Our [sangeet planning guide](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-to-plan-a-sangeet) covers the North Indian version.

### What should guests wear to a garba?

Women often wear a chaniya choli and men a kediyu or kurta. Choose something you can dance in for hours, and comfortable shoes.

### How many guests come to a wedding garba?

Often 100 to 300 or more. Garba nights are usually among the largest events of a Gujarati wedding.

More wedding events

## Plan the rest of the weekend

- [Roka and engagement: The families agree, the couple exchanges rings, and wedding planning officially starts.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/roka)
- [Haldi: Turmeric paste, close family and a lot of yellow, usually the day before or morning of the wedding.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/haldi)
- [Mehndi: Henna for the bride, music and food for close family, usually one to three days before the wedding.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/mehndi)
- [Baraat: The groom arrives with dancing family and friends, and the bride's family welcomes them in.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/baraat)
- [Wedding ceremony: The religious ceremony itself: mandap and pheras, Anand Karaj or nikah, with most of the guest list there.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/wedding-ceremony)
- [Reception: The biggest party of the weekend: entrances, speeches, dinner and dancing for the whole guest list.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/reception)
- [Walima: The groom's family hosts a feast after the nikah, often the final big event of a Muslim wedding.](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events/walima)
- [Sangeet: Our full sangeet planning guide.](https://www.planme.club/articles/how-to-plan-a-sangeet)

Not sure what order they go in? See [Indian wedding events in order](https://www.planme.club/articles/indian-wedding-events-in-order), or [all wedding event guides](https://www.planme.club/wedding-events).