Wedding budget calculator
Enter your total and your guest count to see what to spend on the venue, the food, the photos and everything else, what each guest costs, and what’s left to pay as the deposits go out. Free, with no sign-up.
Everything, from the rings to the tips.
Or set the total from this.
Where it goes
Change a percentage or an amount; the other follows. Add what you’ve paid as deposits go out.
- Budget
- $30,000
- $300 a guest
- Planned
- $30,000
- 100% of the total
- Paid so far
- $0
- Left to pay
- $30,000
$75 a guest
$6 a guest
$6 a guest
$6 a guest
What a guest costs
Each guest adds about $93 through the lines that grow with the list (food and drink, invitations and stationery, cake and desserts, favors and gifts), so 10 fewer guests frees about $930. The venue, photos and music cost much the same for 80 as for 120, which is why the guest list moves a budget more than anything else.
Spend less on paper, know who’s coming
A wedding website takes the replies for you: who’s coming, their meal and any plus-one, so the caterer gets a real number and nobody pays for empty plates. Send the link instead of printed reply cards. Free to make and publish.
A budget in three steps
- The total
- What you can spend in all, and how many guests. Not sure of the total? Set what you’d spend per guest and it works the total out.
- Your priorities
- Start from the suggested split, then move money to what matters to you. Rename a line, add one (a honeymoon, a welcome dinner) or take one out.
- Track what’s paid
- Add each deposit as it goes out and see what’s left to pay. Print it, copy it or download a CSV for a spreadsheet.
Next: send a digital save the date or make a free wedding website with RSVP.
Questions
How do I work out a wedding budget?
Start with what you can spend in total: your savings by the date, plus anything family has offered, less a cushion you won’t touch. Put that in as the total and add the guest count. The calculator splits it into the usual costs; move the percentages to match what matters to you, then check each line against real quotes as they come in.
What percentage of a wedding budget goes where?
A common starting point is about half for the reception (the venue and the food and drink), around 12% for photos and video, 8% for flowers and decor, 7% for music, 8% for attire, hair and makeup, and smaller amounts for rings, stationery, cake, transport and favors, with 5% kept back for surprises. It is a starting point, not a rule: if photos matter most to you, give them more and take it from somewhere else.
How much does each guest cost?
Divide the total by the guests for the overall cost per guest. What one more guest actually adds is smaller: the meal and drinks, a slice of cake, an invitation and a favor. The calculator shows that figure, and how much 10 fewer guests would free. The guest list is the biggest lever on a wedding budget.
What costs do couples forget?
Service charges, tax and tips on catering and the venue (they can add a fifth or more to a quote), delivery and setup fees, vendor meals, overtime if the party runs late, postage, alterations, marriage license fees and wedding insurance. That is what the buffer line is for.
How do we spend less without it showing?
Fewer guests first, then the date: a Friday, Sunday or off-season wedding often gets a better venue price. Pick two or three things that matter most and spend there, and keep the rest simple. Send the invitations and collect the replies online instead of on printed reply cards, and use the reply count to order food for the people who are actually coming.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
It’s free and needs no account. The numbers stay in your browser and aren’t sent anywhere; this browser keeps your budget so a reload doesn’t lose it. Download the CSV to keep a copy or to carry on in a spreadsheet.