How to Split a Wedding Budget by Category
Start with the total you can comfortably spend, then split it by category before you talk to vendors.
A starting split
| Category | Share |
|---|---|
| Venue | 30% |
| Catering & bar | 25% |
| Photography / video | 10% |
| Flowers & decor | 8% |
| Attire | 7% |
| Music / DJ | 5% |
| Rings | 3% |
| Stationery, hair & makeup, transport, favors (2% each) | 8% |
| Buffer for surprises | 4% |
This is a planning starting point, not an industry average. Adjust it to your priorities: if photos matter most, move money from decor; if the venue includes catering, combine those lines.
Guest count is the biggest lever
Catering, rentals, stationery and often the venue scale with guests. Work out a cost per guest early; it makes trade-offs concrete.
Track three numbers for every vendor
- Estimate: what you planned.
- Actual: the signed contract price.
- Paid: deposits and installments so far, which gives you the balance due.
Our planner fills in the suggested split from your total budget, logs every payment and shows what's still due and where you're over or under.
Wedding Budget Planner: do this math automatically in Excel or Google Sheets.
See the Wedding Budget Planner