Free tool
Wedding budget calculator
Put in what you have to spend and how many people are coming. You get a realistic split across every vendor category, a cost per guest, and a warning when the numbers stop adding up.
Cost per guest
$292
Most US couples land between $150 and $400 a head once food, drink and the venue are counted together.
Venue & rentals
Browse venue & rentals →$10,500
Catering & bar
Browse catering & bar →$7,700
Photography & video
Browse photography & video →$4,200
Flowers & decor
Browse flowers & decor →$3,500
Music & entertainment
Browse music & entertainment →$2,800
Attire, hair & makeup
Browse attire, hair & makeup →$2,450
Planner & coordination
Browse planner & coordination →$1,750
Stationery & favors
$1,050
Cake & desserts
Browse cake & desserts →$700
Officiant & ceremony
Browse officiant & ceremony →$350
Percentages are a starting point, not a rule - edit any of them and the amounts update. Your numbers are saved on this device and never sent to us.
Wedding budget questions
How much does the average US wedding cost?
Nationally most couples spend somewhere between $25,000 and $35,000, but the range is enormous - a 60-guest weekday wedding in a small market and a 200-guest Saturday in a major city are not the same event. Set the guest count first; it drives more of the total than anything else.
What percentage of the budget goes to the venue?
Roughly 30% for the venue and rentals, plus another 22% for catering and bar. Together they are about half of everything, which is why the guest count matters so much - most of that cost is per head.
What do couples forget to budget for?
Vendor meals, overtime for the photographer and band, service charges and gratuities, alterations, marriage licence, delivery and setup fees, and postage for invitations. Holding back 5-10% as contingency covers most of it.
Should I book the venue or the photographer first?
Venue first - it fixes the date, the guest cap and a large chunk of the spend. Everything else is booked around that decision.
Numbers settled? Next comes the order you book things in - open the planning checklist, or find vendors in your city.