Wedding Budget Calculator
Split your total across every category, see what each guest costs, and — the number that actually decides a wedding budget — what one more guest adds.
Cost per guest
$208
One more guest costs
$144
Contingency held
$500
Only some lines move with headcount. Photography costs the same for 80 guests or 200 — catering does not, which is why the second number is the one to argue about before the invitations go out.
| Category | Share | Budget | Per guest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue & rentalsRoom fee, tables, chairs, linens. Often the single biggest line. | 30% | $7,500 | $63 |
| Catering & barFood and drink, usually quoted per head — the line that moves most with guest count. | 24% | $6,000 | $50 |
| Photography & videoFixed: the same two photographers cover 80 guests or 200. | 12% | $3,000 | $25 |
| Attire & beautyDress, suit, alterations, hair and makeup. | 8% | $2,000 | $17 |
| Flowers & decorCenterpieces scale with table count; ceremony flowers do not. | 8% | $2,000 | $17 |
| Music & entertainmentDJ or band, ceremony musicians. | 7% | $1,750 | $15 |
| Stationery & favorsInvitations, place cards, favors — all per guest. | 4% | $1,000 | $8 |
| Cake & dessertsUsually priced per slice. | 3% | $750 | $6 |
| Transport & staysCars, and rooms for the couple and close family. | 2% | $500 | $4 |
| ContingencyKeep it. Something always costs more than quoted. | 2% | $500 | $4 |
| Total | 100% | $25,000 | $208 |
Working out the guest list first? Build it here — the headcount drives most of this table.
How to split a wedding budget
Start from the total you can actually spend, not from a list of what you want. Every couple who works the other way discovers the gap late, when deposits are already paid and the only line still movable is the one they cared most about.
The split above uses the commonly-cited averages: venue and rentals around 30%, catering and bar around 24%, photography 12%, and so on down to a contingency you should keep rather than spend. Treat them as a starting shape. A couple who cares about photographs and not about flowers should move the money, and the only rule that matters is that the column still adds up to the total.
The number that actually decides your budget
It is not the total. It is the cost of one more guest. Catering, bar, stationery, favours, cake and a share of rentals all scale with headcount; photography, music, attire and transport do not. That means cutting ten guests saves far more than ten times a hundredth of your budget, and adding ten costs more than couples expect.
The calculator shows this directly as "one more guest costs". Look at it before the invitations go out, because after they do the number stops being a decision and starts being a bill.
Where couples reliably underestimate
Four lines swallow budgets more often than any others.
- Bar
- An open bar for a full evening runs a meaningful fraction of catering on its own. Ask whether your quote is per head, per drink, or consumption-based — the three produce very different final bills.
- Rentals hidden inside the venue fee
- Tables, chairs, linens and glassware are sometimes included and sometimes not. Get it in writing; this is the single most common surprise line.
- Service charge and tax
- A 20-25% service charge on catering is normal and is often quoted separately from the per-head price. On a $12,000 catering bill that is another $2,500-3,000.
- Everything after the wedding
- Alterations, thank-you cards, prints, and the vendor tips that are expected but rarely budgeted.
Keep the contingency
Two percent looks like a rounding error and it is the most useful line in the table. Something will cost more than quoted — a supplier changes their pricing, the guest count creeps, the weather forces a marquee decision six weeks out. A contingency turns those from a crisis into a decision.
If you reach the week before with it untouched, spend it on something you will actually notice on the day. What you should not do is allocate it in month one, because then it was never a contingency.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average wedding budget?
In the US it is commonly cited between $28,000 and $33,000, but the average is a poor guide because it is pulled up by a small number of very large weddings. The more useful number is your own cost per guest — enter your total and headcount above to see it.
How much should I spend on the venue?
Around 30% of the total, including rentals like tables, chairs and linens. If a venue quotes a room fee that excludes those, add them before comparing it with an all-inclusive quote — otherwise you are comparing two different products.
How much does catering cost per person?
Catering and bar together are usually about 24% of a wedding budget, so a $30,000 wedding for 120 guests works out around $60 per head. Always check whether the quoted per-head price includes the service charge and tax, which commonly add 20-25%.
What does one more guest actually cost?
Roughly the per-guest share of every headcount-driven category: catering, bar, stationery, favours, cake and part of rentals — typically around two thirds of your overall per-guest cost. The calculator shows this directly, because it is the number that decides whether the list can grow.
How much should I keep as contingency?
At least 2%, and 5% if any part of your plan depends on weather or a supplier you have not worked with. Its purpose is to absorb the thing you did not plan for, so allocating it early defeats the point.
Should I include the honeymoon in the wedding budget?
Keep them separate. They compete for the same money but have completely different timing and cancellation terms, and merging them makes it impossible to see whether the wedding itself is on track.
Is this budget calculator free?
Yes, with no account. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere — the split runs in your browser. A free account lets you keep a running budget with real expenses against it rather than a planning estimate.
How do I cut a wedding budget that is too high?
In order of impact: reduce the guest count, since it moves several categories at once; move the date to a Friday, Sunday or off-season; simplify the bar; and shorten the day. Cutting flowers or favours feels decisive but moves a small share of the total.
Other free wedding tools
Seating chart maker
Drag guests into place, auto-arrange a first draft, and keep feuding relatives apart.
Table calculator
How many tables, linens and centerpieces you need — and the floor area they take up.
Guest list tracker
Track households, plus-ones, children and dietary needs without a spreadsheet.
RSVP tracker
Who has replied, who hasn't, meal choices, and the headcount your caterer needs.
Planning the whole wedding?
These tools are part of Vows & Volts — guest list, RSVPs, budget, vendors, and an AI floor-plan designer, in one place. See what's included