Wedding budget calculator

Enter your total and guest count. We keep a buffer aside, split the rest into realistic categories, and let you override any line and track what you actually spend.

Category	Share	Planned	Actual	Paid	Remove
Ask what the site fee includes: tables, chairs, linens, cleanup, security.
Priced per head; service charge (often 18–25%) and tax come on top.
Beer-and-wine only bars cost much less than full open bars.
Hours of coverage drive price more than the number of edited images.
A DJ usually costs a fraction of a live band.
In-season, local flowers and reused ceremony arrangements stretch this line.
Budget for alterations, which are rarely included in the dress price.
Engagement ring usually sits outside the wedding budget.
Include postage; square or heavy invitations cost extra to mail.
Licence fees vary by county or registry office.
Guest shuttles make sense when venue and hotels are far apart.
Wedding party gifts and parents’ thank-yous live here.

Shares are WedPlanner planning estimates for a typical US reception, not survey figures. Change the share to rebalance, or type a planned amount to fix a line.

A typical wedding budget breakdown

Two lines dominate: venue and catering, which together take roughly half. Both depend on guest count, which is why a shorter list is the most reliable way to save. Photography comes next, then flowers, music and attire. Small lines like stationery and favours add up faster than couples expect once postage and wedding-party gifts are included.

Five ways to shrink the budget without it showing

Pick a Friday, Sunday or off-season date. Many venues discount outside peak Saturdays in late spring and autumn.
Cut the guest list first. Every guest carries food, drink, a chair, a place setting and stationery.
Serve beer, wine and one signature cocktail instead of a full open bar. Our alcohol calculator sizes the order.
Reuse ceremony flowers at the reception and choose what’s in season locally.
Read the contract for service charges. An 18–25% service charge plus tax on catering can add thousands.

Wedding vendor tipping guide

Check each contract first: many caterers already include gratuity. Where they don’t, these are common US ranges reported by planners; treat them as planning estimates.

Who	Typical tip
Catering staff (servers, bartenders)	$20–50 per person, or 15–20% of the bar/food bill if gratuity isn’t already in the contract
Hair and makeup artists	15–25% of the service
Delivery and setup crews	$10–20 per person
Drivers and shuttle staff	15–20% of the transport bill
Officiant	A donation to the place of worship, or $50–100 for a civil officiant, if they don’t charge a set fee
DJ, band, photographer	Optional: $50–200 per vendor, often only for employees rather than owners

Put tips in labelled envelopes and hand them to a trusted person (a planner, parent or best friend) to distribute at the end of the night.

Questions couples ask

How much should we budget for a wedding?

Start from what you and any contributors can pay without debt, not from averages. For reference, The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Study reported an average of $33,000 for US weddings in 2024, but the range is huge and guest count is the biggest driver.

What is the biggest wedding expense?

The venue and catering together usually take around half the budget, and both scale with guest count. Cutting 20 guests typically saves more than any single vendor swap.

How much buffer should we keep?

Keep 5–10% unallocated. Service charges, overtime, extra rentals and last-minute guests appear in almost every wedding budget.

Who traditionally pays for what?

Traditions vary by culture and are largely outdated; today most couples pay much of the cost themselves, with family contributing where they can. Agree contributions early and write down what each gift is meant to cover.

Do we tip wedding vendors?

In the US, tipping is customary for hourly staff: servers and bartenders (if gratuity isn’t already in the contract), hair and makeup, delivery and setup crews, and drivers. Owners of small businesses often aren’t tipped, though a thank-you note or review is valued.