Wedding Budget Calculator
Split your total wedding budget across ten categories and see the cost per guest, in dollars. Type the budget and guest count, then adjust the percentages until they add up to 100%.
Percentages per category (they must add up to 100%):
Estimates only — prices vary by city, season and vendor.
How to use this wedding budget calculator
Step 1: Type your total wedding budget in dollars, and the number of guests you expect. The calculator works live, so the split appears as you type, and the cost per guest is the budget divided by the guest count.
Step 2: Check the percentages. They start at a typical split — venue 30%, catering 25%, photography and video 10%, attire 8%, music and entertainment 7%, flowers and decor 8%, cake 2%, invitations 2%, transport 3% and miscellaneous 5% — and every category is editable. Change any number and the amounts update at once; the “Reset to typical split” button restores the defaults.
Step 3: Read the results. You get a dollar amount for each category, the total allocated, and the cost per guest. If your percentages do not add up to 100%, the calculator tells you the total they add up to and asks you to adjust them, so the split always matches the budget you typed.
Worked example: a $20,000 wedding for 100 guests
Take a budget of $20,000 for 100 guests and the typical split. The venue takes 30%, which is $6,000, and catering takes 25%, which is $5,000 — together, $11,000 of the $20,000. Photography and video take 10%, which is $2,000. Attire is 8%, which is $1,600, and flowers and decor are also 8%, which is $1,600. Music and entertainment are 7%, which is $1,400. Cake is 2%, or $400, the same as invitations, and transport is 3%, or $600, with miscellaneous at 5%, or $1,000. The total allocated is $20,000, and the cost per guest is $20,000 divided by 100, which is $200.
Try a smaller wedding with the same split: a $10,000 budget for 50 guests gives the venue $3,000 and catering $2,500, and the cost per guest is still $200, because the budget and the guest count both fell by half. The cost per guest only changes when the budget and the guest count change by different amounts.
Where the money usually goes
Venue and catering take about half of most wedding budgets, so they are the two numbers to settle first. In the typical split they are 30% and 25%, which is 55% of the total before anything else is paid for. That is normal: the venue is usually the biggest single cost, and catering grows with every guest — another plate, another chair and another drink.
After those two, photography and video, attire, music, flowers and decor share most of the rest, while cake, invitations and transport are only 7% of the budget together, so trimming them saves little. Keep the miscellaneous 5% as a buffer for the small things that were not in the plan.
How to cut the budget without cutting the day
Fewer guests is the biggest lever you have: every guest you do not invite is one less plate of catering, one less chair and one less favour. Cutting the guest list from 100 to 80 on a $200-per-guest budget saves $4,000 — more than most other savings put together — although it is also the hardest cut to make, because the guest list is the part that matters most to families.
A weekday or off-season date is the second lever: venues often charge less on a Friday or Sunday than on a Saturday, and less in winter than in June, so ask the venue for its quiet dates before you sign anything.
Finally, change the shape of the day rather than the day itself. A brunch or afternoon reception is usually cheaper than a full dinner, a cake from a local bakery is cheaper than a three-tier showpiece, and borrowed or rented decor is cheaper than bought decor. The calculator lets you test each change as a percentage, so you can see what it saves before you commit to it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good wedding budget?
There is no single right number — it depends on the guest list, the city and the kind of celebration you want. Start with the total you can afford without borrowing, type it into the calculator, and adjust the percentages to match the quotes you receive.
What costs the most at a wedding?
Venue and catering together, usually about half the budget. In the typical split here they are 30% and 25%, which is 55% of the total. Get quotes for those two first, because every other category is smaller and easier to move around.
How much does a wedding cost per guest?
Divide the total budget by the guest count — the calculator does that division for you. For a $20,000 budget and 100 guests, the cost per guest is $200.
Can I change the percentages?
Yes — every category is editable. Type a new percentage into any box and the amounts update live, and if the percentages do not add up to 100%, the calculator tells you the total they add up to.
Is this exact?
No — it is a planning estimate. Real vendor quotes are final, and prices vary by city, season and vendor. Use the split to plan the budget, then replace the estimates with the quotes you receive and watch the cost per guest move.