Wedding Budget Calculator
Allocate your wedding budget across venue, catering, photography, flowers, attire, and music.
Returns spend per category and a per-guest cost breakdown.
Wedding Budget Breakdown
Wedding budget planning requires allocating your total spend across the major cost categories proportionally. Industry benchmarks show how most couples distribute their budget — use these as a starting framework, not rigid rules.
The Allocation Formula:
Category spend = Total budget × Category percentage
Standard Wedding Budget Percentages (US, 2024):
| Category | Typical Allocation |
|---|---|
| Venue and catering | 35–45% |
| Photography and video | 10–15% |
| Music (DJ or band) | 5–10% |
| Flowers and décor | 8–12% |
| Wedding dress and attire | 5–10% |
| Catering (food and bar) | included in venue or 25–35% separately |
| Officiant | 1–2% |
| Transportation | 2–3% |
| Invitations / stationery | 2–3% |
| Rings | 3–5% |
| Honeymoon | 0–15% (often separate) |
| Contingency | 5% |
Worked Example:
Total wedding budget: $30,000.
- Venue + catering (40%): $12,000
- Photography + video (12%): $3,600
- Music DJ (7%): $2,100
- Flowers/décor (10%): $3,000
- Attire (8%): $2,400
- Contingency (5%): $1,500
- Remaining categories split: $5,400
Cost Per Guest:
Average US wedding cost per guest = $200–$300 (catering + venue share)
For 100 guests: catering cost alone ≈ $12,000–$18,000
Practical Tips:
- Get quotes before finalizing the guest list — costs scale directly with attendance
- Venue and catering typically can’t be negotiated much; photography and florals have more flexibility
- Off-season dates (January–March, weekday evenings) can save 20–30% on venue costs
- Always pay vendors by credit card for purchase protection; never full cash in advance