Wedding Starters Menu List
The wedding starters menu with per-guest pieces, live counter staffing and quantity guidance. Pani puri, paneer tikka, hara bhara kabab, aloo tikki and chicken tikka — priced per guest.
🥟 Starter Dishes & Per-Guest Quantity
| Starter | Veg / Non-veg | Per guest | For 100 guests | Cost basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pani Puri | 🥦 Veg | 5 pcs | 500 pcs | ≈ ₹12/guest |
| Hara Bhara Kabab | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Paneer Tikka | 🥦 Veg | 3 pcs | 300 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Aloo Tikki | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Chicken Tikka | 🍗 Non-veg | 3 pcs | 300 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Veg Spring Roll | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ≈ ₹14/guest |
| Idli | 🥦 Veg | 3 pcs | 300 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Medu Vada | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Dosa | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Dhokla | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ingredient-priced |
| Khandvi | 🥦 Veg | 2 pcs | 200 pcs | ≈ ₹12/guest |
| Dal Baati Churma | 🥦 Veg | 1 pcs | 100 pcs | ≈ ₹35/guest |
| Gatte ki Sabzi | 🥦 Veg | 100 g | 10 kg | ingredient-priced |
| Papad ki Sabzi | 🥦 Veg | 80 g | 8 kg | ≈ ₹12/guest |
Pani puri and veg spring roll use ready-made ₹/guest benchmarks; tikka, kabab and aloo tikki are priced from ingredients at current rates.
Live Counter Planning Guide
| Counter | Per guest | Staff | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pani puri | 5 pcs/guest | 1–2 cooks | Fast-moving; keep 3 pans of pani chilled and replenish every 15–20 min. |
| Tikka / Tandoor | 3 pcs/guest | 2 cooks | Tandoor takes 8–10 min per batch — start 30 min before serving. |
| Chaat / Chatpata | 2 plates/guest | 1–2 cooks | Made-to-order; popular with kids, add 20% more for family-heavy guest lists. |
| Aloo tikki / Cutlets | 2 pcs/guest | 1 cooks | Best made fresh; batter and fry in small batches. |
Counter math for 500 guests
One counter per 200–250 guests. A 500-guest wedding: 2–3 food counters + 1 chaat station + 1 dessert station ≈ 6–8 staff for starters alone, rotating in 2-hour shifts.
Live Counter Staffing (1 Server : 40–50 Guests)
| Guest count | Counters | Counter cooks + helpers | Runners / replenish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1 | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| 250 | 1–2 | 4–5 | 2–3 |
| 500 | 2–3 | 6–8 | 3–4 |
| 1000 | 4–5 | 10–12 | 6–8 |
Live counters run made-to-order, so they need 1 server per 40–50 guests plus dedicated replenishment runners. Plated starters would need roughly 3× the serving staff.
Price your starter spread
Add starters to a preset menu or build your own in the Wedding Menu Calculator — quantities and cost per guest update as you change the guest count.
Open Wedding Menu Calculator →Wedding Starters — FAQ
How many starters per person at an Indian wedding?
Plan 6–8 starter pieces per guest across the live counters — roughly 2 pani puri, 2–3 paneer tikka, 2 hara bhara kabab and 1–2 others. Live counter starters are usually served on the first 60–90 minutes of the function.
How many live counters for a wedding?
Use one live counter per 200–250 guests for comfortable flow. A 500-guest wedding typically books 2–3 food counters (pani puri, tikka/tandoor, chaat or chatpata) plus a chaat and dessert station.
What are the best starter options for a veg wedding?
Pani puri, paneer tikka, hara bhara kabab, aloo tikki and veg spring roll are the most reliable veg starters. Paneer tikka is the most popular single item and can carry up to 3 pieces per guest.
How much starter quantity for 100 guests?
For 100 guests plan 600–800 starter pieces: about 200 pani puri, 250–300 paneer tikka, 150–200 kabab and 100 spring rolls. In weight terms that is roughly 8–10 kg of starters.
Should a wedding have both veg and non-veg starters?
Mixed weddings usually serve paneer tikka and hara bhara kabab alongside chicken tikka. Keep a separate non-veg counter and label it clearly — this is standard practice at North Indian weddings.
How do I budget starters for my wedding?
Multiply your starter pieces per guest by the guest count, then price each dish by ingredients or a per-piece rate. In our Wedding Menu Calculator, pani puri is ₹12/guest and veg spring roll ₹14/guest, while paneer tikka is priced from its ingredients.