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Where does a wedding budget actually go?

Put in your total and see every category with a number against it. Add a guest count and you get the per-head figure that drives almost everything else.

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£
Wedding budget split by category
CategoryShareAmount
Venue, food and drinkThe single biggest line, and the one that scales with your guest count.47%—
Photography and videoThe bit you keep. Book early, the good ones go first.11%—
Attire and beautyBoth outfits, alterations, shoes, hair and make-up.9%—
Flowers and stylingCeremony, tables, bouquets, and anything hired in.9%—
Music and entertainmentBand or DJ, ceremony musicians, anything for the kids.6%—
Stationery, cake and transportInvitations, orders of service, the cake, cars.5%—
RingsBoth bands. The engagement ring usually sits outside the wedding budget.3%—
ContingencyNot optional. This is the line that stops a surprise becoming a crisis.10%—

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A starting shape, not a rule. Edit every line once you have real quotes.

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This calculator gives a simplified illustration, not financial advice.

The next step

Track the real quotes against this plan

The Wedding Planning Suite holds every quote, deposit and due date against the budget you just built, plus the guest list, RSVPs and the seating plan, so a changed headcount updates everywhere at once. One-time £24.99, in Google Sheets, with an optional AI coach.

See the Wedding Planning Suite

Questions people ask

How much of a wedding budget should the venue be?

Venue, food and drink together usually take about 47% of the total, and it is the line that moves most with your guest list. If the number here looks impossible for the venues you like, the fastest fix is almost always fewer guests rather than a cheaper venue, because catering is charged per head.

Which wedding costs do people forget?

The ones that are nobody's headline: postage for invitations, corkage, cake cutting fees, supplier meals, overtime if the party runs late, transport for the wedding party, alterations, and the marriage licence itself. Individually small, collectively the reason budgets slip.

How much contingency should a wedding budget have?

Ten per cent, and treat it as spent. Something always moves: a supplier falls through, the guest count creeps, the weather forces a plan B. A budget with no contingency is not a budget, it is a hope.

Is this split a rule?

No. It is the shape most weddings land on, which makes it a good starting point when you have no idea what anything costs. Every line should move once you have real quotes. The value is having a ceiling for each category before you start shopping.

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The long version: a wedding budget, broken down category by category, and how to build and cut the guest list.