Safety first: Prices are examples with an as-of date. Always confirm with your own vendors. Please read our editorial guidelines before you start.
Key takeaways
- Start from the total you can pay, then let the calculator split it.
- Cost per guest is the number to watch. The Knot's 2026 study puts the US average at $292 a guest.
- Venue, food and drinks usually take about half of the budget.
- Keep a buffer of 7 to 10 percent. Zola's 2026 survey found surprise costs averaged $3,314.
- When one line goes over, take the money from another line, not from the buffer.
In this post7 sections
Wedding Budget Calculator: Enter Your Total and Guest Count
Free calculator
Split your wedding budget
Enter your total and guest count. The split updates as you type. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
Budget per guest $0
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | ||
| Catering and bar | ||
| Photography | ||
| Videography | ||
| Attire and beauty | ||
| Flowers and decor | ||
| Music or DJ | ||
| Officiant and license | ||
| Stationery and postage | ||
| Cake and desserts | ||
| Wedding rings | ||
| Transportation | ||
| Favors and gifts | ||
| Tips and vendor meals | ||
| Buffer for surprises | ||
| Total | 100% |
These shares are starting points, not quotes. Prices swing a lot by city, season and day of the week, so get written quotes and move money between rows to match what matters most to you. Keep the buffer untouched until the last month.
Type your total budget and how many guests you plan to invite. Then pick your area (lower cost, about average or higher cost), a buffer of 5, 7 or 10 percent, and whether you want a videographer. The calculator shows a dollar amount for each category, your cost per guest and what catering and bar works out to per guest. If that food number looks too low for a served dinner in your area, it shows a warning with options. The Copy as text button gives you the whole split to paste into your notes.
The Starting Split, and Where It Comes From
The default shares put venue plus catering and bar near half of the budget and photography near 10 percent, which is the usual shape of a $10,000 to $35,000 plan. They are a reasonable first draft for a mid-size wedding, not a rule. To see how they compare with national figures from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study and Zola's wedding cost guide, open our line-by-line wedding budget breakdown. Picking a lower or higher cost area nudges the venue and catering shares down or up, and unticking the videographer spreads that share across everything else.
| Category | Starting share | On $30,000 | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | 21% | $6,230 | Ceremony and reception site fees |
| Catering and bar | 26% | $7,720 | Food, drinks, staff and service charge |
| Photography | 9.9% | $2,970 | Photographer and any second shooter |
| Videography | 4.9% | $1,480 | Video, if you want it |
| Attire and beauty | 6.9% | $2,080 | Dress, suit, alterations, hair and makeup |
| Flowers and decor | 7.9% | $2,370 | Bouquets, centerpieces, linens, extras |
| Music or DJ | 4% | $1,190 | DJ or band, ceremony sound |
| Officiant and license | 1% | $300 | Officiant fee and marriage license |
| Stationery and postage | 2% | $590 | Save the dates, invitations, stamps |
| Cake and desserts | 2% | $590 | Cake, cutting fee, dessert table |
| Wedding rings | 3% | $890 | Wedding bands |
| Transportation | 1% | $300 | Shuttle or car for the couple |
| Favors and gifts | 1% | $300 | Guest favors, wedding party gifts |
| Tips and vendor meals | 3% | $890 | Vendor tips and meals for vendors |
| Buffer | 7% | $2,100 | Surprise fees and price changes |
| Total | 100% | $30,000 |
How to Use the Wedding Budget Calculator
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Step 1: Enter the total you can pay
Use money you have saved, money you'll save before the wedding and any family gifts that are promised. Leave out anything you'd have to borrow.
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Step 2: Enter your guest count
Use the number you plan to invite. The calculator divides your total by it, so you see how much each guest costs.
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Step 3: Pick your area, buffer and video
Choose the cost level closest to where you are marrying, a buffer of 5, 7 or 10 percent, and untick the videographer if you are skipping video.
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Step 4: Read the cost per guest and any warning
This one number tells you whether your plan is realistic. If the calculator warns that food and drink per guest is low, trim guests, raise the budget or choose a lighter menu before you cut anything else.
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Step 5: Copy the split and swap in real quotes
Copy the split as text into your notes. As quotes arrive, replace each estimate with the real number and move money between rows by hand so the total stays the same.
Worked Example: $18,000 for 75 Guests
Say you have $18,000 and plan to invite 75 guests in an average-cost area, with the default 7 percent buffer and a videographer. That's $240 a guest, a little under The Knot's 2026 national average of $292. Here is what the starting split gives you.
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | 21% | $3,740 |
| Catering and bar | 26% | $4,630 (about $62 a guest) |
| Photography | 9.9% | $1,780 |
| Videography | 4.9% | $890 |
| Attire and beauty | 6.9% | $1,250 |
| Flowers and decor | 7.9% | $1,420 |
| Music or DJ | 4% | $710 |
| Officiant and license | 1% | $180 |
| Stationery and postage | 2% | $360 |
| Cake and desserts | 2% | $360 |
| Wedding rings | 3% | $530 |
| Transportation | 1% | $180 |
| Favors and gifts | 1% | $180 |
| Tips and vendor meals | 3% | $530 |
| Buffer | 7% | $1,260 |
| Total | 100% | $18,000 |
Now say photos matter most to this couple, and the photographer they want quotes $2,300. That's $520 more than the $1,780 photo line. They copy the split and move the money by hand: favors go from $180 to $0, transportation goes from $180 to $0 because guests drive themselves, and flowers drop $160 to $1,260 with simpler centerpieces. The total stays at $18,000 and the buffer stays untouched. Catering and bar at about $62 a guest is workable for a buffet or beer and wine, but tight for a plated dinner with a full bar.
What the Numbers Mean
The cost per guest is the most useful result. Food, drinks, service charges, rentals, invitations and favors all grow with each guest, so trimming 10 guests changes many lines at once.
The buffer is not spare money. Zola's 2026 Wedding Spend Survey found surprise costs averaged $3,314, about 9 percent of the total, and 75 percent of couples hit at least one unexpected fee. Our list of hidden wedding costs shows where that money tends to go.
Common Mistakes With a Wedding Budget Calculator
What we like
- Using the total you can actually pay
- Counting the service charge as its own line
- Keeping the buffer at 7 to 10 percent
- Updating lines with real quotes as they arrive
Keep in mind
- Copying every national average into your plan
- Forgetting tax, delivery and service fees on quotes
- Spending the buffer on upgrades before the wedding
- Planning for 100 guests on a budget for 60
Once you sign contracts, the plan becomes a list of deposits and due dates. The Wedding Budget & Payment Planner tracks every quote, deposit and final payment in one place, and the 12 month wedding planning checklist shows when each vendor usually gets booked.
The calculator shows the math only. It isn't financial advice, and your local prices may be higher or lower than these examples.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my wedding budget?
Add the money you have, the money you'll save before the wedding and any promised family gifts. Then split that total by category with the calculator above and check the cost per guest.
What percentage of a wedding budget should go to the venue?
Our starting split puts about 21 percent on the venue and 26 percent on catering and bar. Zola's cost guide puts the venue at about 17 percent of a typical budget, so anywhere in that range is common, depending on whether the venue includes food.
How much should a wedding cost per guest?
The Knot's 2026 study found an average of $292 a guest. Zola suggests budgeting $150 to $300 a guest, so check what venues near you charge.
Does the wedding budget calculator store my numbers?
No. It runs in your browser, doesn't need an email and doesn't send or save what you type.
What should I do when one category goes over budget?
Lower another category by the same amount so the total stays the same. Copy the split as text and make the change in your notes. Leave the buffer alone until the last month, when surprise fees show up.
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