Your wedding will most likely be the biggest and most expensive party you’ll ever throw. Setting a budget (and sticking to it) is probably one of the most difficult parts in the wedding planning process. Whether you are working with $50,000 or $500, there are some general guidelines that can help you in deciding how much you can spend on the things you want.

On average, 60% of couples increase their initial budget—mostly because they either get caught up in things they feel they can’t live without or their first budget was unrealistic. That means they must suddenly scramble to find money they weren’t planning to spend in the first place.

Don’t let this be you! Prep now so you don’t pay more later. 

I’m going to break down each category, the average percentage spent, and some tips on how to save on your wedding. Remember your non-negotiables as you read! And keep in mind you don’t have to spend the average amount listed. Plan to spend more if something is top priority, and budget less on things that aren’t as important to you.

And remember you don’t have anything to prove to anyone at your wedding. That is absolutely not what this is all about!

Are you ready to set a budget you can both have and hold? Let’s get started!

Venue Costs

Suggested Budget Percent: 20–25%

Location 

The venue tends to be the first thing couples search for. It is, after all, where the magic happens! How much do couples usually spend here? It’s often the big-ticket item in your wedding budget: The location of the ceremony and reception takes up a good chunk of the day!

When you’re booking your venue, think about how the month and date of your wedding will affect the location’s cost. Spring weddings used to be all the rage, but that trend has been taken over. Fall now ranks at the most popular season for ceremonies, with October as the most popular month.

Busy venues know they can charge more when their services are most desired. If you’re willing to get married in December or January, the two least popular months for weddings, you could see a lesser venue fee. Your dream venue wants your money in non-peak months, and you want your dream venue. It could be a win-win for both of you.

The weekends make for the busiest wedding days. Changing the day of the week could mean lower costs. But you’ll have to remember that weeknight weddings might make it difficult for guests (especially traveling ones) to attend, so you might see a lot more “declines with regrets” on those RSVP cards. It also means extra days off work if you need to prep anything beforehand. So, weight the pros and cons of this one.

Wedding Ceremony Costs

Suggested Budget Percent: 8–12%

Officiant 

Find out what your state requires to make your marriage official. If you hope for a friend or family member to perform your nuptials, it may be possible. Just know your guidelines.

And while some officiants charge and some do not, cash or a small thank-you gift is always a good idea!

Music

Determine what kind of ceremony music you’d like to have. Interested in having a four-string quartet? That’ll come at a higher price tag! If you’re not looking for something super fancy, create your own playlist with meaningful songs. Select a close friend or family member to sing throughout the ceremony.

How personal would it be if the processional was the first song you two danced to—sung by your college roommate? You could save money and create a more meaningful moment.

Flowers, Lighting and Decor

Flowers, lighting and other decor for the wedding day can add up! Some venues have enough charm on their own, but most couples like to spruce up the place and add personal touches.

If you’re limiting your spending in this category, think about what will show in photos during the ceremony. A wooden arch decorated with greenery and flowers to frame the happy couple is probably a better investment than elaborate centerpieces. That arch will set a scene that you’ll show your great-grandchildren one day when you flip through the photo album, while the centerpieces are just wow factor for the day.

Keep in mind that decor isn’t the only place you’ll need flowers. Most weddings include bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres. If you’ve always dreamed of peonies or roses for the bouquets, be aware these blossoms will come at a high price if you’re having a winter wedding.

Reception

Suggested Budget Percent: 20–30%

Catering

I mentioned above the venue is the most expensive item in most wedding budgets. The second most expensive item is– you guessed it– food.

Plan to spend between 20-30% of your total budget on feeding your guests. Looking to get a little frugal? If you’re wanting a full meal, you can trade the sit-down, plated, four-course option for buffet style.

Having an earlier ceremony with a lunch reception is another great way to save on your food budget. Maybe a midday meal is the way for you. If you want to save even more, offer just appetizers, dessert or both!

Note that some venues may have their own catering or have an agreement with another company. An all-inclusive event space could save you money and time, so don’t rule it out until you compare prices!

The Cake

Speaking of dessert—let them eat cake! Or maybe you just want to have cupcakes? A donut wall? Milk and cookies?

Offering some kind of sweet for your guests is, well, sweet! You can totally save money by offering an assortment of homemade treats versus a traditional wedding cake.

Flowers and Decor

I won’t highlight the costs of this category again, because I covered that above—but couples often decorate the ceremony and reception locations.

You can save money here by asking a couple of groomsmen to move some decorations (and even chairs) from the ceremony spot to the reception venue.

You can also consider renting, purchasing pre-loved decor from online marketplaces like Facebook or Etsy, or buying things you could use in your home or as gifts to people after the wedding is over.

Music

Music is a must at your reception! If you’re the type of couple whose relationship grew over a love of music, I bet you made this category one of your non-negotiables.

A live band tends to be much more expensive than a DJ. Both create a completely different ambiance—so once you figure out what you want, hire what you need.

If you want to get really thrifty, consider creating your own playlist and plugging into your venue’s sound system. Then you won’t have to worry about “YMCA” playing (unless you want it to). 

Beverages

Beverages are a must. If your wedding is more DIY and thrifty, you can go the water, soda, iced tea direction. One step up would be offering your favorite beer and wine or having champagne just for a toast. This can make it all feel more personal and save you from having to offer an open bar—something a good majority of couples do. If you do want to budget for an open bar, go for it! Just know it can get spendy reaaaal quick!

You don’t want to leave your guests thirsty, but what you offer should be far more about the vibe you want and the budget you’ve got.

Photography and Videography Costs

Suggested Budget Percent: 6–10%

Engagement Photos

When you select your wedding photographer, consider scheduling an engagement session with them! It’s a great way for your photographer to get to know you as a couple, as well as learn what you want from photos before the big day.

Ceremony and Reception Photos

The one thing that outlasts everything else on the wedding day is your portraits! From the first look, to the walk down the aisle to the first dance– all these moments need to be captured!

You obviously want the actual ceremony photographed. From the walk down the aisle to the groom’s face as he sees his bride to the first kiss as husband and wife—all of these moments need to be captured.

Select a photographer whose work you love and personality you vibe with. You will be hanging out with this person for the entire day (or weekend) so you want to be sure it’s someone you connect with!

Videography

Not only do you want still shots of your wedding moments, you probably want your ceremony (and maybe the reception) filmed too. Whether you’re looking for a basic recording of the event or an elaborate movie-like experience, videography is a hot-ticket item these days and not something to skip!

Photo Booths

Photo booths at weddings are becoming more and more popular. These generate entertainment for your guests, up the numbers on your wedding hashtag, and offer a free (to them) memory for friends and family. You can save money by using a camera that emails or texts images rather than printing them.

Save even more by not offering this at all. Or maybe just set up a playful background as a selfie station with props and decor so your guests can use their phones to fill their social media accounts.

A photo booth isn’t a necessity, so don’t blow your wedding budget here. But it’s a fun addition if you’ve got the funds!

Attire Expenses

Suggested Budget Percent: 5–8%

The Wedding Dress

What’s a wedding without a wedding dress? Shopping for this gown is a huge moment in a girl’s life.

The dress is important. Seriously. As I said before, the photographs last forever, and guess what you’re wearing in those photos? Your wedding dress.

The dress isn’t all the bride needs to think about. Veil or no veil? Converse or couture heels? Pearls or diamonds?

Remember, not everything has to be brand-new. Maybe you buy the dress but wear your mom’s veil and his grandmother’s jewelry.

Let your style that day reflect who you are—and what your budget allows.

Bridesmaids Dresses

Brides, can I suggest a few budget-friendly (and friend-friendly) tips here? Find a way for the dress to be something they can wear again!

Maybe you can pick out the color scheme and let them pick their own (reviewed and approved by you) dress. This helps their budget all around but still gives you a final say in the overall look for your big day.

Beauty Services

Beauty services can range from having hair, nails and makeup done to far more complex beauty rituals.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again (probably again and again): Ask those friends who are talented to share their talents for a discounted price or instead of giving you a gift.

Attire for the Groom and the Groomsmen

It’s time to suit up. Or tux up. That’s one of the first decisions!

Whatever you decide to go with, remember the groomsmen usually pay for their attire. Just like the bridesmaids, select something they can wear again!

Rehearsal Dinner

Suggested Budget Percent: 4–6%

The night before the wedding, the couple, family and wedding party generally do a run-through finished off with a rehearsal dinner.

Some venues will cover location and food, and some need a separate caterer brought in. Don’t forget the power of someone’s house, your friend’s backyard, or your church’s fellowship hall and loads of BBQ for this evening together. You’ll still have a good time without a huge cost!

Wedding Bands

Suggested Budget Percent: 11–18%

Engagement Ring

I’m not here to tell you what you can and cannot spend on a piece of jewelry that goes along with one of the biggest questions you’ll ask in your entire life. But keep two things in mind before you pop the question:

1. Do not go into debt to buy an engagement ring. Set a budget, open a savings account, and save up cash. You’re supposed to be walking into a shared financial future together: Don’t start on the wrong . . . knee.
2. Remember the proposal is about marriage—a life together—not a ring.

Wedding Rings

The exchange of wedding bands is part of the ceremony. Many people look for bands that coordinate with her engagement ring, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Get something that suits your personality. That doesn’t have to be pricey platinum or a gold band.

Silicone rings are also on the rise. These bands began as a safer option as they are easy to remove in case of an accident, but they’ve become popular with people who work out, work with their hands, or work in dangerous career lines such as firefighters or police officers.

Stationary

Suggested Budget Percent: 1–2%

Save the Date

Save-the-date announcements feel like a must these days (either because of everyone’s incredibly busy lifestyles or incredibly clever marketing from the paper companies). While it’s great to get your ceremony on everyone’s calendar, you don’t have to spend money here.

You could send an email and maybe add the link to your wedding website. Or have your mom call everyone. You know she wants to anyway. 🙂

Wedding Invitations

Invitations, with RSVP cards included, are the next stationery expense. And don’t forget the stamps, both for what you send out and what comes back. It’s quite common for the RSVP envelopes to be labeled with your address and a stamp for convenience. You could save money here by skipping the reply cards and asking for text or online responses.

You can make the invitation lovely and fit your style without spending a ton of money. Remember, except for your grandparents, parents and BFF, no one keeps these.

Printed programs sharing the day’s schedule aren’t as common these days—you’re more likely to see a hand-lettered wooden pallet or chalkboard. Again, if you’ve got a friend with those skills, call in a favor, and save on paper.

Thank-You Cards

The final paper you need to worry about are the thank-you cards—which call for more stamps. Of course, you can share a verbal thanks, send an email, or give a social media shout-out. But nothing compares to physical, handwritten thank-you cards to people who spent their time and money to congratulate and celebrate your love.

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on cards that match your invitations. You can save money by going to a dollar store and grabbing a few twelve-packs. Or consider a personalized postcard. It’s the heartfelt thought that counts here, not the cost.

Transportation

Suggested Budget Percent: 1–3%

You’ve got to get from one spot to another, but you don’t have to take a hit to your wedding budget to show up in style.

In most cases, this transportation line is used for renting a limo or large vehicle to get the couple, the bridal party, or family from one location to the next. But you could always just carpool and save money in this budget line. People probably won’t pay attention to how you arrive!

Wedding Planner or Coordinator

Suggested Budget Percent: 10-15%

A wedding planner is a must in my book! They help with the entire planning process, work with all the vendors, create a timeline, put out fires, and make sure the day runs smoothly (so you don’t have to worry about it!).

If you can’t afford a full-service coordinator, look for someone who offers day of coordination so you can enjoy every second of the day (and not have to worry about any wedding-day hiccups)!

Gifts and Favors

Suggested Budget Percent: 1–3%

Wedding Party Gifts

A good wedding party does more than stand beside you as you promise forever. They’re there to help when you need them—through planning the event and getting ready. A thank-you present isn’t required, but it is considerate.

Wedding party gifts usually reflect your relationship with the person. Or they can be something to use during the wedding, such as jewelry or a wedding-themed bow tie. This goes for any bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, ring bearers and such.

Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are also quite common but shouldn’t break your bank or become all about showing off to guests or strangers on social media. They’re a token of thanks, a remembrance of the day, a symbol of you as a couple. But also, don’t feel like you have to have a traditional favor, especially if you’re sharing refreshments or a meal with guests.  

Paperwork

Suggested Budget Percent: 1%

Marriage License

Here’s a fee many forget to budget in: the marriage license. This formal piece of paper is what makes your marriage legally binding. You need one.

You’ll need to apply for the license a couple days before the wedding—going in together with valid identification. You’re given the paperwork you need to get signed on your wedding day and sent off quickly. You’ll receive an official license in the mail.

But you don’t want just one copy. Order extras! Why? Read on.

Name Change

If you’re planning on changing your last name after getting married, your work has just begun!

You’ll need to apply for a new Social Security card (which is free if you go through the Social Security Administration) and passport (around $110). Pro tip on that last one: If your passport is less than a year old, you can get an updated one with your new name at no cost!

Don’t forget your driver’s license, which has a different fee depending on what state you’re.

You need to change your name with your bank and job. Oh, and you need an updated library card and gym membership ID—and with all these changes, people want to see a copy of your marriage license. Since you’ll be mailing it off for some of these, it’s easier to have more than one copy (like I said earlier). 

Have patience! It does take time, effort and money to get your name updated on everything!

Honeymoon

Suggested Budget Percent: 8–11%

The honeymoon can range from the ultra-luxurious to the ultra-chill. When you’re planning, think about these three things: your couple personality, your time-off allowed, and your budget. Here are some points to think on while you plan all things honeymoon:

• Do you love to go, go, go and experience new things? You may want to see a new country and party on a cruise (which can actually be as calm or crazy as you want it to be). Are you happiest when you’re together in the quiet? Book a cabin in the woods and bring a stack of books.
• Be reasonable with how much time you take off work. Leave some vacation days open for the rest of the year. You’re a couple now, which means two sets of families to think about for every holiday. Life’s about to get double busy, so don’t use all your paid time off immediately.
• If you don’t have a lot of money to enjoy the vacation of your dreams right after the wedding, it doesn’t mean that day will never come. In fact, I believe it will, as long as you’re willing to get yourself into a good spot with money first.  
• Save money on your honeymoon by looking for deals. Stay three nights, get the fourth free. Find midweek or non-peak season specials. In fact, if a particular honeymoon destination is one of your top non-negotiables, you might want to set your wedding date to line up with making that happen.

Miscellaneous

Suggested Budget Percent: 5%

Go ahead and plan 5% of the budget for anything you might forget! If you don’t end up spending this, put it in savings or treat yourself to something extra on the honeymoon.

Here are a few last things you might be thinking about adding to your spending:

• Gifts for your parents and/or personal attendants
• Tips for your wedding vendors
• You might want to book a place to stay the night before and night after your wedding—for you and maybe even your wedding party.
• Although you probably won’t pay for your bachelor or bachelorette party, you might have to pay for travel.

You Can’t Have A Champagne Wedding On A Beer Budget

The wedding budgeting process can seem overwhelming and there is a lot to keep track of, but it doesn’t have to be stressful! Follow the tips I provided above and you will be on the right track to paying for your wedding without going into debt!

Remember you can’t have a champagne wedding on a beer budget — so create a plan, spend within your means and stick to it!