Wedding budget calculator and cost per guest
Build your budget by line item and see what each guest costs. It's saved on this device, and you don't need an account.
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Every detail counts, and so does every dollar.
How the math works
Everything is calculated in your browser, and you can check it yourself:
- Estimate for a line item: a fixed amount, a price per guest multiplied by the guests in the scenario, or a percentage of the total.
- Projected: the actual amount (contract or quote) if you enter one; otherwise the estimate. The projected total adds up the visible line items that count toward the total.
- Per guest: projected total ÷ guests in the scenario.
- Still to pay: for each line item, projected minus paid, never below zero. The total adds up those differences.
- Variance: actual minus estimate, with its sign, only on the line items where you entered an actual amount.
The suggested split to get started (for example, 45% for venue and food) is an AltarPlan guideline to get the conversation started, not a market average. A percentage is a share of the final total: 10% means that item is one tenth of the total.
A benchmark: The Knot 2026
So you have something to compare against: according to The Knot Real Weddings Study 2026, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $34,000 and the median is $24,000. The average guest count was 117, and the cost per guest was $292.
Use it only as a reference. The average gets pulled up by very expensive weddings, and costs vary widely by city, style and guest count. We don't have verified state-by-state data yet; when we do, we'll show the number for your state. Your budget is yours to set.
Source: The Knot Real Weddings Study 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wedding cost in the United States?
According to The Knot Real Weddings Study 2026, the average cost is $34,000 and the median is $24,000, with 117 guests and $292 per guest. The two numbers differ because the average is pulled up by very expensive weddings. Use the median as a more realistic point of comparison and adjust for your city.
How much does a courthouse wedding cost?
We don't have a verified figure for courthouse weddings yet. What changes compared with a big wedding is mostly the license, the officiant or courthouse, and the guest count. Check the license fee in your county and enter it under "License, officiant and paperwork."
How much does a church wedding cost?
We do not give a figure because it varies a lot by church. Ask what donation they request, whether there is a premarital course and whether the venue charges for the date, and enter it under "License, officiant and paperwork." This is general information, not based on your data.
How much does a simple wedding cost?
It depends mostly on how many guests you have, because food and venue costs multiply per person. Enter your total and your guest count in the tool: it tells you how much each guest costs and lets you compare scenarios.
How do I budget for a 100-guest wedding, or a 50-guest one?
With the national benchmark of $292 per guest, 100 guests would be about $29,200 and 50 guests about $14,600. That is just arithmetic on that figure: fixed costs, such as photography or attire, do not shrink with fewer guests. In the tool, switching the guest scenario recalculates only the "per guest" line items. Try this scenario.
Is there a free wedding budget spreadsheet for Excel?
Yes. From "Export" you download a CSV file that opens in Excel and Google Sheets, with one row per line item and the totals. You can also print it or save it as a PDF.
Do you save my budget?
It is saved in your browser, on this device. You do not need an account and you leave no data on our servers. Later there will be an optional account to see it on other devices; for now you can download a copy.