Wedding Budget Calculator
What your wedding will cost in total and per guest, from the guest list up.
Good to know. The guest list is the budget’s biggest dial. Every name on it comes with a plate, a glass and a chair.
How it works
In plain words
Multiply the guests by food and drink per guest, add the venue and every other cost, then add the buffer on top. Divide by the guests for the cost per guest.
The formula
subtotal = guests × per guest + venue + attire + photos + flowers + music + rings + other total = subtotal × (1 + buffer)
Worked example
100 guests at 90 each (9,000), a 6,000 venue and 11,200 for everything else come to 26,200. With a 10% buffer the wedding costs 28,820.00, or 288.20 per guest.
Sources
No outside data or rates: this is plain arithmetic.
2 automated tests check its answers on every change.
About the wedding budget calculator
Most wedding budgets are built backwards: a number someone heard, then a scramble to fit the day into it. This calculator builds it forwards, from the decisions that drive it, so you can see which one to change.
The guest list matters most. Food and drink are paid per head, and so, quietly, are the chairs, the invitations, the cake and often the size of the venue. Taking twenty people off the list usually saves more than any amount of haggling over flowers.
The other big items are fixed whatever the size: the venue, the photographer, the music, the clothes and the rings. Prices for all of them vary hugely by place and season; a Friday or a winter date is often much cheaper than a Saturday in June. Ask what is included, and whether service charges and tax are on top.
The buffer is there because something always comes up: an extra hour with the band, alterations, a tip for the staff. 10% is a sensible minimum. Agree early on who pays for what, and keep the figures in one place. To split the cost between families, use the split the bill calculator.
Questions people ask
How do I make a wedding budget?
Start from the guest list and the cost of food and drink per guest, add the venue and the fixed costs, and keep a buffer of about 10%.
What is the cost per guest?
The whole budget divided by the number of guests. In the example, 28,820 for 100 guests is 288.20 each.
What is the best way to cut the cost of a wedding?
Invite fewer people, or pick a cheaper day or season. Both lower many costs at once.