Wedding Budget Calculator
Enter your total budget and guest count. Adjust any percentage to match your priorities; the rest updates instantly.
How Should You Split a Wedding Budget?
A common starting split puts about 30% toward the venue and rentals, 25% toward catering and bar, 12% toward photography and video, 8% toward flowers and decor, 6% toward attire and 5% toward music, keeping a buffer for tips and extras. Adjust it to your priorities; the guest count drives most costs.
| Category | % | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Venue & rentals | — | |
| Catering & bar | — | |
| Photography & video | — | |
| Attire & alterations | — | |
| Flowers & decor | — | |
| Music & entertainment | — | |
| Planner / coordinator | — | |
| Cake & desserts | — | |
| Hair & makeup | — | |
| Stationery & postage | — | |
| Rings | — | |
| Transportation | — | |
| Buffer for extras & tips | — | |
| Total | 100% | — |
The default split is a common planning starting point, not survey data. Catering is often priced per guest: at your numbers, the catering line equals — per guest including bar, staff, tax and service charge.
Tips for a Realistic Budget
How much should we budget for a wedding?
Start from what you can pay without debt, then size the guest list to fit. News coverage of The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study reported a national average of about $33,000 (about $284 per guest) for 2024 weddings, but many weddings cost far less.
What percentage of the budget goes to the venue?
The venue and catering together usually take about half of the total, more if your venue requires its own catering. That is why the guest count matters so much.
How much should we keep as a buffer?
Keep 5–10% unallocated for service charges, overtime, tips and last-minute changes. Our default split keeps a small line for this; raise it if your contracts are not final.
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