This free wedding budget calculator splits your total budget across every category of a wedding — venue and catering, photography, attire, flowers, music, rings, and more — using standard percentages you can edit to fit your priorities. Add your guest count to see the cost per guest, then enter your real quotes to track estimated versus actual spending and catch overspending before it happens. It works in any currency and requires no signup.
Everything you plan to spend, all-in.
Used to work out the cost per guest.
Total Wedding Budget
$30,000.00
Cost Per Guest
$300.00
| Category | % | Suggested | / guest | Your estimate | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | $12,000.00 | $120.00 | $ | — | |
% | $3,600.00 | $36.00 | $ | — | |
% | $3,000.00 | $30.00 | $ | — | |
% | $2,400.00 | $24.00 | $ | — | |
% | $2,400.00 | $24.00 | $ | — | |
% | $2,400.00 | $24.00 | $ | — | |
% | $1,500.00 | $15.00 | $ | — | |
% | $900.00 | $9.00 | $ | — | |
% | $600.00 | $6.00 | $ | — | |
% | $600.00 | $6.00 | $ | — | |
% | $600.00 | $6.00 | $ | — | |
| Total | 100% | $30,000.00 | $300.00 | — | — |
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This page doesn't store anything — close the tab and your plan is gone. Save it to Auritrack instead: copy your budget as an AI prompt, create your account, and paste it into the in-app chat. Auritrack rebuilds this exact plan and tracks every deposit and vendor payment against it, so the budget you just built actually gets followed.
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Auritrack rebuilds this budget and tracks every deposit and vendor payment against it.
Planning a wedding? Track every deposit, vendor payment, and category in Auritrack so your real spending stays in step with this plan.
Try Auritrack FreeType in the full amount you plan to spend on the wedding, all-in. Pick your currency from the selector so every figure shows in the money you actually use.
Enter how many guests you expect (optional). The calculator uses this to work out your cost per guest overall and for each category, which is one of the biggest levers on the final bill.
The calculator instantly divides your budget across venue and catering, photography, attire, flowers, music, rings, and more using standard industry percentages that sum to 100%.
Every category percentage is editable. Raise the venue if it matters most, trim the flowers if it does not. A warning appears if your percentages no longer add up to 100%.
Enter the actual or quoted price for each category in the "Your estimate" column. The calculator shows the difference against each suggested amount in green (under) or red (over), plus whether your total is over or under budget.
A good wedding budget starts with a single number: the total you are genuinely willing and able to spend. Work that out first, before you fall in love with a venue or a dress, because every other decision flows from it. Add up any contributions from family, the amount you can save between now and the date, and what you can reasonably pay from income — then treat that sum as a hard ceiling. Once you have the total, the job is no longer “how much will this cost?” but “how do we divide what we have?” That reframing is what keeps couples from drifting thousands over. This calculator does the division for you, splitting the total across each category so you can see the trade-offs at a glance. If your wedding is a year or more away, pair it with a savings goal calculator to work out exactly how much to set aside each month to hit the number in time.
Most wedding budgets follow a recognisable shape. Venue and catering is by far the largest slice, usually around 40% of the total once you fold in the space, the food, the staff, and the drinks. Photography and video typically take about 12%, because good coverage is the one thing you keep long after the day itself. Flowers and decor run near 10%, attire and beauty around 8%, and music or entertainment another 8%. Rings account for roughly 5%, and the remaining slices — stationery, cake, transport, and favors — each take a couple of percent. Rounding out the plan is a contingency of about 8% for the inevitable extras. These figures are a sensible default, not a mandate. A couple who cares deeply about a live band and less about flowers should shift the percentages accordingly. The default split in this calculator adds up to exactly 100%, and the moment you edit a percentage it tells you whether your new mix still balances.
The most powerful number in wedding planning is cost per guest, and it is simply your total budget divided by your headcount. A $30,000 budget for 100 guests is $300 a head; invite 150 and the same money buys only $200 of experience per person. This matters because so many costs scale directly with the guest list: catering, drinks, rentals, table settings, stationery, favors, and often the venue size itself. Trimming twenty guests can free up more money than cutting any single vendor. If you are set on a large celebration, you can protect the per-guest experience by choosing an off-peak date, serving a plated set menu instead of an open bar, or holding the reception at a venue that allows outside catering. Enter your guest count in the calculator and it will show both your overall cost per guest and a per-guest figure for each category, so you can see precisely where the headcount is doing the most damage.
Overspending rarely comes from one dramatic splurge. It accumulates from dozens of small upgrades that each feel reasonable in the moment: the premium bar package, the extra hour of photography, the upgraded chairs, the late-night snack station, the second bus for guests. Individually they are minor; together they can push a budget 15% or 20% over. The other classic trap is forgetting the costs that are not obvious line items — service charges, vendor gratuities, alteration fees, delivery and setup charges, marriage licence fees, and taxes. The defence is to write down a real estimate for every category and check it against your plan as quotes arrive. This calculator’s estimate column is built for exactly that: type in each quote and it flags in red where you are running over the suggested amount and in green where you have room to spare. To see how those wedding numbers sit alongside the rest of your monthly money, run them through a budget planner so a big deposit does not quietly derail your regular bills.
Every experienced planner will tell you the same thing: set aside a contingency. No matter how carefully you cost the day, something unbudgeted always appears. A vendor runs into overtime, a few extra guests RSVP yes, the weather forces a marquee or an indoor backup, or a supplier adds a delivery fee you did not see in the quote. A contingency of around 8% of your total budget absorbs those surprises without forcing you to raid another category or blow past your ceiling. Treat it as untouchable until the final weeks, and if you reach the wedding without needing it, that money simply stays in your pocket. This calculator includes a contingency line in the default split, and you can raise it if your other quotes are still uncertain or lower it once most of your vendors are locked in at fixed prices. If several people are chipping in for specific parts of the day, our bill splitter makes it easy to divide shared costs fairly and keep track of who owes what.
A budget is only useful if you keep it alive as the wedding gets closer. Quotes turn into deposits, deposits into final payments, and a plan that looked balanced in month one can quietly slide out of shape by month six. The couples who stay in control are the ones who revisit their numbers regularly, updating each category’s estimate as real prices land and watching the over-and-under column rather than a single guessed total. Come back to this calculator whenever a new quote arrives, adjust the figure, and let it recalculate your remaining room instantly. Keep your percentages honest, protect the two or three things you care about most, guard your contingency, and the day will feel generous without leaving you in debt afterwards.
Describe your situation and let AI build a personalized monthly budget instantly. Or do it yourself with the 50/30/20 rule, custom ratios, or zero-based budgeting.
Find out how much to save each month to reach your target by your deadline. Visualize your progress toward any goal.
Split expenses evenly or by custom amounts, add tips, and share results with your group instantly.
Plan the Day, Not the Debt
Auritrack helps you track every deposit, vendor payment, and category so your real wedding spending stays in step with your budget. Works in any currency with AI-powered live exchange rate conversion. Free to start.
Disclaimer: This tool is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and may not reflect actual financial outcomes. Always consult a qualified financial professional before making financial decisions.
