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SailsAndShore
Free tool · couples planning weddings

Wedding Budget Calculator

Enter your total. See where every dollar goes.

One number in. Seventeen categories out.

Inputs
Per-guest cost
$292

US 2026 median is $275/guest ($33k for 120 guests). Coastal metros trend 40-60% higher.

Category allocation
  • Reception venue + catering$14,00040%
  • Photography$4,20012%
  • Attire (dress, tux, alterations)$3,50010%
  • Flowers$2,8008%
  • Music (DJ or band)$2,4507%
  • Videography$1,7505%
  • Stationery + invites$1,0503%
  • Rings$1,0503%
  • Hair + makeup$7002%
  • Officiant + ceremony$7002%
  • Rehearsal dinner$1,0503%
  • Transportation$7002%
  • Favors + gifts$3501%
  • Contingency + tips$7002%
How it works

Most couples set a wedding budget by picking a round number and then discovering later that reception venue alone eats 40% of it. This calculator uses industry-standard allocation percentages (Wedding Wire, The Knot) to break your total budget into the 17 categories vendors will actually bill you for. Use it to sanity-check quotes before you sign.

  • 01**Total budget**: your all-in cap
  • 02**Guest count**: affects per-person estimates for catering, bar, and rentals
  • 03**Allocation**: reception 40%, photography 12%, attire 10%, flowers 8%, music 7%, stationery 3%, rings 3%, everything else 17%

US 2026 median wedding is $33,000 for ~120 guests ($275/guest). Coastal metros (SF, NYC, Boston, LA) trend 40-60% higher. Rural markets often 30% lower. The per-guest number is more useful than the total for benchmarking.

When you're ready for the full workbook

Brides

Vendor contacts, wedding timeline, seating logic, and a budget tracker, the whole day, organized well before it arrives.

See the full $8.63 workbook →

Excel + Google Sheets · Instant download · 30-day refund