Wedding Budget Calculator
Enter your total budget — and see a guide figure for every category. Type in your own amounts: the calculator checks whether you fit.
Percentages are an averaged guide. Real shares depend on the city, the season and your priorities. Everything is stored in your browser.
How the wedding budget split works
Enter your total and the calculator divides it by fixed guide percentages:
- Reception and venue — 40%
- Photo and video — 12%
- Bride and groom looks — 12%
- Décor and flowers — 10%
- MC and music — 9%
- Rings — 6%
- Cake and desserts — 4%
- Transport and logistics — 3%
- Invitations and small things — 2%
- Contingency reserve — 2%
In the “Your plan” column you can type real quotes as they arrive. Any row you leave empty is counted at its guide figure, so the running total always reflects a complete wedding, not just the parts you have priced. The calculator then shows whether you are within budget or over, and by how much.
Example: with a total of $20,000, the guide gives $8,000 for the reception and venue, $2,400 each for photo and looks, and $400 for the reserve. If a venue quotes $9,000, type it in — the plan total moves $1,000 over, and you can see at once which rows need to give way.
How to adjust the percentages to your priorities
The split is an average guide, not a recommendation for your wedding. Start from the non-negotiables you agreed on together, then move money deliberately:
- Photography matters most? Raise it and take the difference from décor or transport.
- Small wedding? The reception share falls in absolute terms, which often frees money for a better photographer or a trip.
- A friend is doing the music or the cake? Enter zero in that row and redistribute.
- Outfits already owned or borrowed? The looks line can shrink a lot.
The biggest lever is almost always the guest count, because the reception line scales with it. Trimming the list by a few tables usually saves more than cutting any small category to the bone.
Deposits, the reserve and other practical tips
The guide keeps only 2% for the unexpected. Many couples feel calmer with a larger cushion; if you want one, take it from lower-priority rows rather than adding it on top of a total you cannot stretch. Remember costs that are easy to forget: vendors’ meals, service charges, delivery, overtime and alterations.
Keep a simple record of every deposit: who, how much, when the balance is due and the cancellation terms. Read contracts before paying, and ask what happens if the date moves. Your figures are stored in your browser, so you can return as quotes change. Once the budget is settled, move on to the date shortlist and the checklist, or read where to start a year ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my plan total not zero when I have not entered anything?
Empty rows are counted at their guide amount. That way the total always shows a full wedding, and it only changes when you replace a guide figure with a real quote.
Do the percentages include the honeymoon?
No, there is no honeymoon line. If you want it inside the same budget, lower other rows and treat the freed amount as your trip fund.
Can I use the calculator in another currency?
Yes. The percentages work with any currency; just enter the total in the money you are actually spending.