Wedding budget calculator
Turn a total figure into a working plan. This splits your budget across the usual categories and shows the cost per guest, so the numbers are real before you book anything.
The split is a common starting template, not a rule. Move money between lines once you have real quotes.
Suggested allocation
| Category | Share | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Venue hire | 22% | £4,400 |
| Catering & drinks | 28% | £5,600 |
| Photography & video | 10% | £2,000 |
| Attire & beauty | 8% | £1,600 |
| Flowers & decoration | 7% | £1,400 |
| Entertainment & music | 8% | £1,600 |
| Rings | 5% | £1,000 |
| Stationery & favours | 3% | £600 |
| Cake | 2% | £400 |
| Transport | 2% | £400 |
| Contingency | 5% | £1,000 |
| Total | 100% | £20,000 |
How the allocation works
The tool spreads your total across the categories most weddings share, using a percentage template that adds up to 100. Venue and catering take the largest slice because they are the biggest fixed and per-head costs, while photography, attire, flowers, music and the smaller items divide the rest. A contingency line is built in because wedding costs tend to drift upwards as bookings firm up.
Cost per guest is the other half of the picture. The headline per-head figure divides the whole budget by the guest count, but the catering-only figure is the part that truly scales with numbers. That distinction matters when you are deciding whether to trim the guest list: fewer guests cut catering and drinks quickly, while the venue hire, photographer and registrar fees stay much the same.
Worked example
Take a £20,000 budget for 80 guests. That is £250 a head all in, with catering working out at roughly £70 per guest. The template puts about £4,400 towards the venue and £5,600 towards catering and drinks, leaving the remaining categories to share the rest. Cut the list to 60 guests and the per-head figures rise, because the fixed costs are now spread over fewer people.
Common questions
How should I split a wedding budget?
A common starting point puts the venue and catering together at around half the total, with photography, attire, flowers, music, rings and smaller items sharing the rest. This tool uses that template, but every couple shifts money between areas depending on what matters to them, so treat the split as a draft.
How much does a wedding cost per guest?
Divide your total by the guest count and you get the all-in cost per head, which the tool shows. The catering-only figure is usually lower and is the part that scales most directly with numbers, so cutting the guest list saves catering and drinks first, not the fixed costs like the venue hire or photographer.
Where do most couples overspend?
Catering, drinks and the venue are the biggest lines, so small per-head choices there move the total the most. Guest numbers are the strongest lever: each extra guest adds catering, drinks, a place setting and often a bigger venue, so trimming the list is more powerful than trimming any single supplier.
Should I keep a contingency?
Yes. The template sets aside a contingency line because wedding costs tend to creep as suppliers are booked and extras are added. A buffer of around 5% to 10% of the total absorbs the surprises without forcing a cut elsewhere late in the planning.
Do these percentages fit a small wedding?
Roughly, but fixed costs matter more at a small scale. A photographer or registrar fee is similar whether you have 30 guests or 130, so on a small wedding those fixed lines take a larger share and catering takes less. Adjust the figures once you have real quotes.