Wedding Budget Breakdown: Here’s How to Allocate Your Entire Wedding Budget

Here’s what you need to set aside for each vendor.

Breaking down your wedding budget is one of the trickiest (but most important) wedding-planning tasks, and one of the very first ones on the docket. Since this figure influences virtually every other decision—including your venue, guest list, meal service, and whether or not you can spring for that pricey 10-piece band—it’s essential to create an accurate budget for the big day. No matter your starting number, it’s important to first consider the categories that separate good weddings from great ones; these are areas of focus where money goes far. And according to wedding planner Chanda Daniels, they typically fall into the realm of the guest experience. “For me that is food (you want amazing food and white-glove service), transportation (you want guests to enjoy themselves and not worry about driving), and music (if you really want to party, get a good DJ or live band),” she explains.

Since the best wedding budget breakdowns start with guests as the point of focus, Alicia Fritz of A Day in May Event Planning & Design says to divide your wedding budget into sections “for you” (so your dreams don’t get lost) and “for them.” “A budget begins with a guest list that informs most of your costs. Be prepared to spend the most (around 40 percent) on taking care of guests’ basic needs—that’s venue, food, and beverage.”The remaining amount includes fixed costs including your photographer, videographer, and entertainment—and, of course, your wedding dress. Then, there’s the more logistical expenses to consider—think labor, lighting, stationery, and anything else deemed essential. Ready to get started? Use our wedding budget breakdown as a rough outline for spending—and then adjust according to your priorities.

The Ultimate Wedding Budget Breakdown

Before making any decisions, it’s important to figure out exactly how much you can afford to spend on your wedding. To do this, you and your partner should look at your savings account and determine how much you will be able to save throughout the engagement period. You may also want to talk to both of your parents to see if they’re willing and able to contribute. Once you’ve got your total, it’s best to break down your budget based on our wedding cost checklist, which encompasses the 12 biggest planning categories. We worked with Daniels to create rough estimates, which are a good starting point—but you’ll likely need to adjust buckets according to your priorities and preferences.

• Venue and Catering: 35 percent of your budget
• Wedding Planning: 12 percent of your budget
• Photography, Videography, and Content Creation: 10 percent of your budget
• Stationery: 5 percent of your budget
• Wedding Attire and Beauty: 5 percent of your budget
• Music and Entertainment: 5 percent of your budget
• Flowers: 6 percent of your budget
• Décor: 10 percent of your budget
• Transportation: 5 percent of your budget
• Cake: 3 percent of your budget
• Favors and Gifts: 2 percent of your budget
• Tips: 2 percent of your budget