What will your wedding actually cost? This free wedding budget calculator combines your guest count and per-guest cost with fixed venue and other expenses for a complete estimated total.
Wedding costs vary enormously by region and style. Use this as a starting estimate, then refine with real vendor quotes.
How the Wedding Budget Calculator Works
Wedding costs scale mostly with your guest count and quickly get buried under fixed expenses like the venue, photography, and attire. This calculator multiplies your guest count by a per-guest catering cost, adds your venue and other fixed costs, and totals everything into one estimated wedding budget.
Formula: Catering Total = Guest Count × Cost Per Guest. Estimated Total Budget = Catering Total + Venue Cost + Other Costs.
- Guest count — the number of people you expect to attend, entered in the Guest count field.
- Cost per guest (catering) — the estimated food and beverage cost for each attendee.
- Venue cost — the total price to book your ceremony and/or reception location.
- Other (photo, attire, flowers, music) — a combined figure for every other wedding expense outside catering and venue.
Example Scenarios
| Guest Count | Cost Per Guest | Venue Cost | Other Costs | Estimated Total Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | $80 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $14,000 |
| 80 | $100 | $6,000 | $8,000 | $22,000 |
| 100 | $120 | $8,000 | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| 120 | $110 | $9,000 | $9,000 | $31,200 |
| 150 | $150 | $10,000 | $12,000 | $44,500 |
| 200 | $130 | $12,000 | $15,000 | $53,000 |
Wedding Budget Calculator FAQ
What percentage of a wedding budget typically goes to catering?
Catering is usually one of the largest single line items in a wedding budget since it scales directly with guest count, often rivaling or exceeding the venue cost. This calculator separates catering from venue and other costs so you can see exactly how much guest count is driving your total.How much does cutting the guest list actually save?
Because catering cost is guest count multiplied by cost per guest, every guest you remove saves that exact per-guest amount directly off your catering total. Try lowering the guest count field to see the dollar impact immediately.What counts as “other” wedding costs in this calculator?
The other field is meant to combine expenses like photography, videography, attire, flowers, music or a DJ, invitations, and favors into a single fixed number. You can total your own quotes for these categories and enter the combined figure.Does this estimate include the honeymoon?
No, this calculator focuses on ceremony and reception costs: catering, venue, and other wedding-day expenses. If you want to budget for a honeymoon separately, add that cost on top of the total this calculator produces.Is $120 per guest a realistic catering estimate?
Per-guest catering costs vary enormously by region, menu style, and whether alcohol is included, so there’s no single realistic number. Get a quote from your actual caterer or venue and enter that figure instead of relying on a placeholder.How can I use this calculator to compare venue options?
Keep your guest count, cost per guest, and other costs fixed, then swap only the venue cost field between the venues you’re considering. The resulting total budget for each option becomes directly comparable.Related Calculators
Once you know your overall wedding number, the savings goal calculator can help you figure out how much to set aside each month to reach it, the gift budget calculator works well for planning bridal party or thank-you gifts, and the travel budget calculator is handy if you’re also budgeting for a honeymoon.