💍 Wedding Budget Calculator
Plan Your Dream Wedding with Realistic Cost Breakdown
Wedding Planner • 11 years experience • 200+ weddings • Average budget: $28,000
🎯 Expert Tips from Jessica Martinez, Wedding Planner
- The per-guest rule is your reality check: Divide your budget by guest count. If you have $25k for 150 guests, that's $167/person. Can you get venue + food + drinks + rentals for $167/head? Probably not. Either cut guests to 100 or raise budget to $35k. This math exposes delusional budgets immediately.
- "All-inclusive" venues are almost never cheaper: Yeah, The Barn at Sunrise Farm looks great at $12k for 100 guests. But read the contract—tables, chairs, and linens are $2k extra. No alcohol included (add $3k). Coordinator fee $1,500. Suddenly your "$12k package" is $18,500. Itemized quotes from separate vendors are often more honest and flexible.
- Book photographer FIRST, not venue: Controversial take, but hear me out. Great photographers book 12-18 months out. Venues have more availability. I've watched couples pick a date, book venue, then find out their dream photographer is booked. They either choose a mediocre photog or move their whole wedding. Book the photographer, THEN find venue dates that work.
- The "$100 here, $100 there" trap murders budgets: Couples say "it's only $150 more for the nicer invitations!" Do that 30 times and you've blown $4,500. Every single decision needs a "is this worth cutting [something else]?" analysis. Those $12 custom cocktail napkins? That's $240 for trash. Put it toward the photographer.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not budgeting for tips and service fees: Client budgeted $30k. Got quotes totaling $30k. Shocked when final bill was $37k. Why? 18% gratuity on catering ($1,800), 20% tip for bartenders ($400), venue coordinator tip ($200), florist tip ($150), DJ tip ($200). Plan for 15-20% on TOP of all vendor quotes, or you'll be scrambling for cash before the wedding.
- Inviting too many people "to be nice": Bride invited 200 because "we can't NOT invite Aunt Carol." Then spent the whole engagement stressed about money. Each guest costs $200-300 ALL-IN. That's $40k-60k for 200 guests. If you're on a budget, you CAN have a 50-person wedding. It's YOUR wedding, not Aunt Carol's feelings management event.
- Saying "yes to the dress" over budget: The $3,000 dress only fits your $30k budget if you're okay cutting flowers to $500 and DIY-ing decorations. But most brides say "I'll just save money elsewhere" (they don't). I've seen brides spend $5k on a dress for a $20k wedding—that's 25% of the budget on something worn once for 8 hours. Brutal, but true.
- Booking vendors without contracts: Friend's caterer ghosted 2 weeks before the wedding. No contract = no legal recourse. They scrambled to find replacement (paid 40% more). EVERY vendor needs a signed contract with: (1) Total price with fees/taxes, (2) Payment schedule, (3) Cancellation policy, (4) What's included, (5) Contingency plans. No contract? Walk away.
Wedding Budget Planning: The Real Costs Breakdown
The 50/30/20 Wedding Budget Rule
This allocation keeps you from overspending on any single category:
50% - Venue + Catering + Alcohol (The Big Three)
For a $30,000 wedding, that's $15,000 for:
- Venue rental: $3,000-$6,000
- Catering (food): $80-$150/person = $9,600-$18,000 for 120 guests
- Alcohol: $25-$50/person = $3,000-$6,000
- Rentals (tables, chairs, linens): $1,500-$3,000
30% - Major Vendors
$9,000 for:
- Photography + Videography: $3,000-$5,000 (or $2,000 photo-only)
- Flowers: $2,000-$3,500
- Music (DJ/Band): $1,500-$3,000
- Wedding attire (dress, suit, hair, makeup): $2,000-$4,000
20% - Everything Else
$6,000 for the "small stuff" that adds up:
- Invitations: $300-$800
- Wedding cake: $400-$800
- Transportation: $500-$1,000
- Favors: $200-$500
- Marriage license, tips, misc: $1,000-$2,000
- Emergency buffer: $1,500-$3,000
Regional Cost Differences (2025 Averages)
| Region | Avg Wedding Cost | Venue | Catering/Guest | Photographer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest | $22,000 | $2,500 | $75-110 | $1,800 |
| South | $25,000 | $3,000 | $85-130 | $2,200 |
| West Coast | $33,000 | $4,500 | $120-180 | $3,200 |
| Northeast | $38,000 | $5,000 | $140-200 | $3,800 |
| NYC/LA/SF | $60,000+ | $8,000+ | $200-350 | $5,000+ |
Month-by-Month Savings Strategies
Peak Season (May-October): +30-50% cost premium
Everyone wants a June wedding. Supply/demand means vendors charge MORE and have less flexibility.
Shoulder Season (March-April, November): 15-25% savings
Weather's decent, vendors are eager to book. A $40k June wedding costs $30k-34k in April.
Off-Season (December-February): 30-40% savings
February wedding in Chicago? Venue might be desperate enough to cut prices in half. Beware: Weather
can f*** you. I've seen blizzards ruin 5 weddings.
The "Hidden Costs" Nobody Warns You About
- Alterations: $300-$800 for dress, $100-$200 for suit
- Postage: $200-$400 (invitations are HEAVY, need extra stamps)
- Marriage license + officiant: $100-$500
- Vendor meals: $150-$300 (photog/DJ need food too)
- Leftover costs: $500-$1,000 (taking out trash in some venues, damage fees, last-minute rentals)
- Hotel room blocks: You're often liable for 80% occupancy—if guests don't book, YOU pay
- Welcome party + rehearsal dinner: $1,000-$5,000 (often forgotten)
- Thank-you cards + gifts: $300-$600
Total hidden costs: $2,500-$8,500 That's why you NEED a 10-15% buffer.
How to Cut $10,000 Without Looking Cheap
1. Slash the guest list (saves $200-300/person removed)
From 150 to 100 guests = $10,000-$15,000 saved. Invite only people you've talked to in the past
year. Ruthless? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
2. Friday or Sunday wedding (30% venue discount)
Saturday premium is real. Ask venues their Friday rates—often $2,000-$4,000 cheaper.
3. Brunch or lunch wedding (40% cheaper food)
$80/person brunch vs $150/person dinner for 100 guests = $7,000 saved. Plus shorter events = less
alcohol consumed.
4. Skip videography (save $2,000-$4,000)
Controversial, but 70% of couples never rewatch their wedding video. Photos are forever; video
collects digital dust.
5. Spotify playlist instead of DJ (save $1,500)
Rent $200 sound system, curate killer playlist, ask outgoing friend to MC. Loses some energy, saves
big.
6. Flowers ONLY where photos happen (save $1,500-$2,500)
Ceremony arch + bride's bouquet + centerpieces = enough. Skip the $800 cake flowers, $600 bathroom
florals, $400 cocktail hour arrangements guests ignore.