Wedding Budget Calculator
Enter your total budget and see roughly how much to set aside for each part of your wedding, based on typical real-world spending.
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Venue & catering | 40% | $12,000 |
| Photography & videography | 12% | $3,600 |
| Flowers & décor | 10% | $3,000 |
| Planner / coordinator | 10% | $3,000 |
| Entertainment & music | 8% | $2,400 |
| Attire & beauty | 8% | $2,400 |
| Stationery & invitations | 3% | $900 |
| Cake & desserts | 2% | $600 |
| Transportation | 2% | $600 |
| Rings | 2% | $600 |
| Miscellaneous / buffer | 3% | $900 |
Typical starting percentages — shift them to fit your priorities. Many couples add a 5–10% buffer for surprises.
How to use these numbers
These percentages are a starting point drawn from typical wedding spending — not rules. Move money toward what matters most to you: a couple who cares about food and photos might push those higher and trim décor or favors.
Where the money usually goes
Venue & catering (~40%). Almost always the biggest line. Because it is priced per guest, a shorter guest list lowers this faster than anything else.
Photography & video (~12%). One of the only things you cannot redo, so it is a common place to protect budget.
Everything else. Flowers and décor, music, attire, a planner and stationery fill out most of the rest — with a small buffer for the surprises every wedding has.
Once you have a plan, keep it honest: WeddingFlow tracks deposits and payments against a cap for each category so you always know what is paid and what is still owing. New to planning? Start with the 12-month checklist.
Budget questions, answered.
In North America the average wedding runs roughly $30,000, though it varies widely by region and guest count. Your budget should reflect your own priorities, not an average — trimming the guest list is the single biggest way to lower cost.
Venue and catering is usually the largest expense, commonly around 40% of the total. Because catering is priced per head, your guest count is the biggest lever on the whole budget.
Most couples budget around 10–12% for photography and videography. It is one of the few things you cannot redo, so many couples protect this line first.
Yes — set aside 5–10% for surprises like vendor overtime, gratuities, alterations and weather backups. A buffer keeps a few unexpected costs from derailing the plan.
WeddingFlow’s budget tracker lets you set a cap per category, log deposits and payments, and see paid vs. owing at a glance — so the calculator’s plan becomes something you actually follow.
Plan it all in one place
WeddingFlow keeps your budget, guest list, vendors, tasks, seating and day-of timeline in one calm app — pay once, no subscription, works offline.
Start planning — CAD$39