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Updated Oct 14, 2024What Your Wedding Budget Should Look Like, According to Data
Ever wonder how most couples divvy up their wedding budget?
Photos: Nikki Daskalakis
,Getty / Design: Tiana Crispino
Setting a wedding budget is one of the first—and, frankly, most important—wedding planning tasks to complete. After all, you can't move forward with your vision or find your wedding vendors until you know how much money you have to spend. But if you've been avoiding your wedding budget because it's stressing you out, we're here to help. It's no secret that wedding budget planning can feel daunting, particularly because weddings are expensive. In fact, The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study (which surveyed nearly 17,000 people) found that the average wedding cost is $33,000. If you've never hosted an event of comparable size before, the financial aspect might feel like a completely new world of terminology and rules. We'll let you in on a secret, though: Making your wedding budget doesn't have to be hard or scary. It can actually be downright simple, especially with the help of our comprehensive wedding budget breakdown.
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Below, you'll find a sample wedding budget breakdown with percentages pulled directly from our insights, which will help you determine how to allocate the funds you have available. Plus, we share the most important things to consider when making your budget, along with common mistakes to avoid, straight from industry experts. Use this information in conjunction with The Knot Wedding Budget Advisor to get a full picture of how to approach everything money-related with your wedding.
Creating a wedding budget: Printable Budget Breakdown | Complete Budget Breakdown | Budget Spreadsheet Template | Budget Considerations | Budget Mistakes
Printable Wedding Budget Breakdown
What's more convenient than a printable wedding budget breakdown you can carry with you to vendor appointments? Unlike other financial management tools out there, we have direct insight into what a typical wedding budget looks like for real couples just like you. Thanks to our annual Real Weddings study, we've created a wedding cost breakdown that's based on actual data—and we're revealing those wedding costs right here. Consider this the ultimate destination for wedding budget planning. Use it alongside The Knot Wedding Budget Tool, which will help you estimate costs in your region based on what real couples typically pay.
When creating your wedding budget, it can be helpful to use a sample wedding budget breakdown as a guide (and discover wedding costs near you to compare). And if you're a visual learner, seeing wedding budget percentages will help you understand exactly where to allocate various dollar amounts. Here, we've compiled a complete wedding budget checklist, which highlights the top expenses and wedding vendors to include in your list. This wedding cost breakdown also indicates the general percentage each element should contribute to your overall spend, which we've calculated using data from The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study.
Design: Tiana Crispino
It's important to note that this wedding cost breakdown is based on national averages and should simply be used as a starting point. You might also notice that the wedding budget percentages don't add up to 100%—and that's on purpose! Your final wedding cost breakdown ultimately depends on a number of factors, like how much money you and your S.O. have to spend, the location and time of year you're getting married, and your top priorities. This will inform which expenses you ultimately include in your budget... which will be different for every couple. This wedding budget breakdown is designed to be used as a baseline to give you a general understanding of how to allocate your funds.
Wedding Budget Breakdown
So what do realistic wedding budget percentages look like? We've gathered information on example wedding budgets from real couples to help you plan your own wedding expenses. Let's dive into more of the specifics of a typical wedding budget. Of note: While the categories and percentages below paint a broad picture of what you can plan on for your wedding budget, not everyone hires every vendor. As such, once you've taken a peek at this general guidance, meander over to The Knot Budget Advisor to customize your budget based on which pros you're hiring to align with your priorities.
Wedding Budget Breakdowns From Real Couples: $10K Wedding Budget, $20K Wedding Budget, $50K Wedding Budget
Venue and Rentals: 27%
Venue: You need a place to host your wedding and our data shows that the largest chunk of wedding budgets typically go towards a venue.
Learn more about wedding venue costs:
- The average cost of a wedding venue
- Why are wedding venues so expensive?
- How to save money on a wedding venue
- Questions to ask wedding venues
- Find wedding venues near you
Rentals: Event rentals, which includes everything from tables and chairs to dishes, silverware and drinking classes, are sometimes included in the cost of the venue, but not always.
Learn more about wedding rental costs:
- The average cost of wedding rentals
- How to save money on wedding rentals
- Questions to ask rental companies
- Find wedding rentals near you
Catering, Cake and Drinks: 24%
Catering: Catering is another big-ticket item, contributing to 24% of the average wedding budget. Depending on packages offered by your venue, your catering quote may include alcohol and a cake.
Learn more about wedding catering costs:
- The average cost of wedding catering
- How to save money on wedding catering
- Questions to ask wedding caterers
- Find a wedding caterer near you
Cake: Some venues indeed include wedding cake or other sweet treats within their packages, but it's common for couples to outsource the dessert portion of their wedding. Whether you're planning to have a traditional cake or a spread of alternative sweets, make sure to account for the cost in this portion of your budget.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding cakes
- Why are wedding cakes so expensive?
- How to save money on a wedding cake
- Questions to ask wedding cake bakers
- Find a wedding cake baker near you
Drinks: If your wedding venue package doesn't cover alcohol and you're planning on incorporating it into your nuptials, we recommend leaving a chunk of this quarter of your budget for libations.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding alcohol
- How to save money on wedding alcohol
- Questions to ask wedding bartenders
- Find wedding bartenders near you
Photography and Videography: 10%
Photography: Photography is one of the best investments for your wedding. Great photos will last a lifetime and become prized keepsakes, making this a splurge-worthy purchase. To-be-weds usually spend about 10% of their wedding budget on photography and videography.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding photography
- Why is wedding photography so expensive?
- How to save money on wedding photography
- Questions to ask a wedding photographer
- Find a wedding photographer near you
Videography: Much like pictures, a video will also memorialize your wedding day. We're big proponents of investing in a wedding videographer, because nothing will bring back your favorite wedding memories quite like a short film.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of a wedding videographer
- Questions to ask wedding videographers
- Find a videographer near you
Floral Design and Decor: 9%
Floral Design: Flowers can completely transform the look of your wedding. Plus, many couples opt to carry bouquets or wear boutonnieres too. We found that, on average, 9% of the wedding budget is dedicated to decor, inclusive of floral and non-floral elements. .
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding flowers
- Why are wedding flowers so expensive?
- How to save money on wedding flowers
- Questions to ask a wedding florist
- Find floral designers near you
Decor: In addition to flowers, lighting and decor are impactful ways to personalize the look of your wedding. This includes everything from candles to statement lighting installations, as well as signage, table displays, non-floral centerpieces and other decorative elements. If you like the idea of non-floral elements, make sure to leave space in this 9% chunk when you're securing your floral contract so you have additional money to put toward general decor.
Learn more about costs:
Music: 8%
Live Band: Live entertainment will make your wedding day that much more memorable. Whether you have a band, DJ and/or ceremony musicians, you should allocate 8% of your wedding budget breakdown to music vendors.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of a wedding band
- How to save money on a wedding band
- Questions to ask a wedding band
- Find a wedding band near you
DJ: While some people hire both a live band and a DJ, more commonly folks opt for one or the other. A DJ is an especially great option if you have a group of friends you know can't wait to dance all night.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of a wedding DJ
- How to save money on a DJ
- Questions to ask wedding DJs
- Find a DJ near you
Ceremony Musicians: Live musicians, such as a string ensemble, harpist, guitarist or steel drum band, can set the tone for your wedding ceremony (and can often perform during cocktail hour as well!). If you're hiring a soloist or ensemble for your ceremony, make sure to leave space in the music allotment of your wedding budget. .
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of ceremony musicians
- Questions to ask ceremony musicians
- Find ceremony musicians near you
Couple's Attire and Beauty: 6%
Couple's Attire: Your outfits are key components of your overall wedding budget. Our data shows that couples typically slot 6% of their budget on their appearance: attire, beauty and accessories. This percentage should include the cost of the wedding dress and/or suit, along with shoes and any accessories, such as jewelry or cuff links.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of a wedding dress
- The average cost of a tuxedo rental
- Why are wedding dresses so expensive?
- How to save money on a wedding dress
- Affordable wedding dresses you can shop now
- Affordable tuxedos you can shop now
- Find a bridal salon near you
Hair and Makeup: This 6% attire and beauty allotment only takes the couple into account. If you plan to cover the cost of attire or beauty for wedding attendants, make sure to allocate additional funds toward that in your wedding budget breakdown.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding hair and makeup
- Questions to ask a wedding hairstylist
- Questions to ask a wedding makeup artist
- Find beauty services near you
Accessories: In addition to wedding rings, the typical wedding budget also includes room for other jewelry to wear on the wedding day, like earrings or cuff links.
Learn more about costs:
Wedding Rings: 5%
Wedding Rings: While the engagement ring (if there was one) has already been purchased, don't forget to include wedding rings in your wedding budget checklist. We found that couples usually spend about 5% of their budget on wedding bands.
Learn more about costs:
Wedding Planner: 4%
Wedding Planner: A wedding planner can make all the difference when it comes to your wedding day. After all, you can rest easy knowing that your celebration will go off without a hitch when you have a great professional taking care of all the details. Save 4% of your total budget to cover the cost of a wedding planner.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of a wedding planner
- Every time of planner to fit your wedding budget
- How to hire a wedding planner to fit your budget
- Find a wedding planner near you
Guest Entertainment: 3%
Guest Entertainment: Guest entertainment is an extra element of the wedding budget breakdown to consider if you have leftover funds available. This includes unique experiences, like live painters, dancers, additional musical performers, poets, tarot card readers, caricature artists, interactive food or drink servers, and more—the sky is truly the limit. Set aside 3% of your budget for this fun addition.
Learn more about costs:
Transportation: 2%
Transportation: Many couples like to hire transportation to ensure their guests get to the right venue at the right time. This may involve booking a bus or shuttle to run to and from the hotels. Others like to hire a limo for the wedding party or an elaborate getaway car for after the reception. Save at least 2% of your wedding budget for transportation.
Learn more about costs:
Stationery: 1%
Stationery: Wedding invitations and paper goods are very important details of your nuptials. Just think, your save-the-date cards and formal invitations are the first glimpses of your wedding that your guests will receive. This stationery budget will also cover your ceremony programs, menus, thank-you cards and more. Reserve 1% of your budget for your stationery suite. While planning out your wedding stationery, also consider the design of your wedding website and if you'd like everything to match.
Learn more about costs:
- The average cost of wedding invitations
- How to save money on wedding invitations
- Find wedding stationers near you
Officiant: 1%
Officiant: If you're hiring an officiant to legally marry you during the wedding ceremony, allocate 1% of your budget to cover these costs.
Learn more about costs:
Additional Costs to Be Aware Of
In addition to the core wedding budget, there are some auxiliary costs that may be incurred throughout the course of the wedding. When you're deciding on a wedding spending plan, make note of these additional costs to decide how you want to address them.
- Engagement ring
- Rehearsal dinner
- Gifts
- Wedding party attire
- Wedding party beauty
- Honeymoon
Wedding Budget Spreadsheet Template
If you love Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel, then these wedding budget templates are for you. We built this free wedding planning spreadsheet based on the typical wedding budget breakdown and average price of a wedding so you can be sure that it reflects current trends and spending. It features a budget calculator, the average cost for each vendor plus budgeting tips so you can forecast wedding expenses with confidence. Enter your total wedding budget and we'll allocate it for you as a starting point. Use the budget tracker to insert actual costs and keep a running total of expenses.
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Creating a Wedding Budget Considerations
Now that you know what a typical wedding budget breakdown looks like, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with the top things to keep in mind when allocating your wedding expenses. As mentioned above, several factors go into how you actually spend your money. This means that no two sample wedding budgets will look the same. Here are key allocation factors to consider while creating a wedding budget:
What You Can Afford
It's imperative to be honest about your wedding day expectations from the start. What you can actually afford will impact your wedding expenses breakdown. "The best way to stay on budget is to be realistic about what you are willing to pay each step of the way, from the venue to the vendors to your dress and accessories," explains Kristen Gall, retail expert and President of Rakuten Rewards. "Couples may need to compromise and cut back on spending in one area to get what they want in another. For example, you might cut back on the floral spend to account for your catering bill." Sit down with your S.O., as well as anyone else who you might be asking for wedding money, and have an honest conversation about what you have to spend, and how you should prioritize the wedding budgeting.
The Guest List Size
Who you invite to the wedding and the size of your wedding both have a massive impact on the amount you'll spend on your wedding budget. There's a per-head cost for food and liquor, and these two are among the biggest expenses in a typical wedding budget. As a result, consider inviting fewer folks than the average guest list size to decrease your costs. Plus, with a smaller wedding, you can think strategically about how to save on wedding costs ranging from decor and stationery to favors and rentals because you won't need as much of everything.
The Destination and Venue
Some cities and towns are just more expensive than others. New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are the obvious culprits, but small towns and remote destinations can entail greater costs if things like flowers and talent have to come from afar. Tourist towns can also increase your wedding price tag during peak travel season. Likewise, while finding reception venues near you, you'll discover that some spots are more expensive than others. Some—such as a city park—come with no (or low) fees, while others, like a grand ballroom, might cost you the equivalent of a year's college tuition. Also, be aware that many popular wedding venues have headcount minimums, meaning they won't host a wedding that's too small, and some may also have a per-head minimum that requires your event to be a certain size.
The Date and Time
Highly sought-after seasons and days of the week are pricier for obvious reasons (supply and demand!). An event hosted in the middle of wedding season, which spans May through October, will likely come with higher wedding costs. An evening wedding reception is usually more expensive than a brunch or afternoon reception. Similarly, weddings on Saturdays and Sundays tend to be more costly than those hosted on weekdays.
The Wedding Style
What's your dream wedding style? Generally speaking, the more formal the affair, the more expensive. This is because you might find yourself hiring a wedding decorator and matching the site, food and musical entertainment to the overall upscale wedding vibe. The outlay for a full six-course meal is typically greater than for a cocktail wedding with mostly hors d'oeuvres; the fee for a 12-piece band may be greater than that for a DJ or quartet; all-out decor like lighting, specialty linens and dramatic floral displays can also run up the wedding budget.
Common Wedding Budget Mistakes to Avoid
As a budding wedding budget expert, you're well on your way to completing your wedding expense breakdown. The final wedding budget planning step is to familiarize yourself with potential wedding budget mistakes you'll want to avoid. Here's the good news: We know the most common wedding budget planning mistakes couples often make, which means we can help prevent you from following in other couples' footsteps. Below, we explain where people go wrong, and how to avoid doing it yourself.
1. Not Using a Budget Advisor
There's a reason that every iconic story involves a guide—from the Jedi to Gandalf. Why? Because everyone can benefit from some guidance. When it comes to nailing your wedding price breakdown, look to a tool like The Knot Budget Advisor to act as your coach (and we'll be your cheerleaders).
2. Not Allocating Funds Correctly
When it comes to financing a wedding, figure out how much you'll need to spend to get what you want. Set your expectations accordingly, and use our wedding budget breakdown above as a guide. Plus, if you're paying for the honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well. You could even set up a cash registry or a honeymoon fund on your wedding registry to crowdsource some extra cash. You'll be thankful you did!
3. Not Keeping Track of Your Spending
Put your accounting skills to the test by deciding on a budgeting system to track all the money coming in and out. The easiest way? The Knot Wedding Budget Advisor we mentioned above does more than just educate you on typical wedding budget percentages, local vendor pricing and how real couples are dropping their dollars. It also allows you to track and edit what you end up spending. Schedule frequent check-ins with your partner, as well as anyone else financially contributing to your big day, to ensure everyone is on the same page and your spending is on track. "I recommend that you sit down for a monthly reconciliation to document what was spent out of your budget," says Andrew Westlin, Certified Financial Planner at Betterment. "That also gives you and your partner dedicated time to discuss and align on your plan."
4. Forgetting to Budget for Unexpected Costs & Extras
Knowing all the costs upfront will guarantee that your planned wedding budget can actually cover it all. Of course, it's nearly impossible to budget for every single unforeseen hidden cost, but having some extra space built out in your budget will save you in the long run. "Even the best planners who budget early on might forget to add items or will inevitably have things they need to add on," Westlin adds. "A buffer gives you flexibility, which is such a powerful tool when it comes to financial planning."
We recommend researching potential hidden fees that can add up over time to prevent unexpected surprises while wedding planning. It's also important to read wedding vendor contracts carefully to scope out potential hidden fees. Here are common extras to keep in mind:
- Overtime: If the party's still going strong on the dance floor, an extra 45 minutes may whiz by—but you'll pay in overtime costs for everyone from the photographer to the venue manager. If you suspect the wedding may go long, work overtime costs into your budget. And if you don't use it, it'll be a nice surprise chunk of cash.
- Service fees: The service charge is an additional fee venues charge to cover their own cost of hiring servers, coat checkers, and bathroom and parking attendants, which typically amounts to 20%–25% of the event's total food and drink fee.
- Prewedding trials: A florist's demo may be gratis the first time, but if you make repeated changes, you might risk being billed. And you'll definitely want to factor in your hair trial with your stylist into your overall hair budget.
- Extra decorations: Things like stamps for the RSVP cards, ribbons for the favors and marriage license fees seem so small that you can shrug them off, but like any costs, they add up. Going "just over budget" in a few different categories with a vague plan of making it up somewhere else can push you past your limit.
- Gratuities and vendor tips: From the sexton who cleans the church to the hotel steward who delivers your welcome bags, even conservative tipping can add hundreds to your wedding cost. Use this vendor tipping cheat sheet to make sure to account for these costs in your initial budget. You should also set aside at least $800 for gratuities (the additional amount given to your wedding vendors for their hard work). As with a waiter or your hairdresser, tips are generally expected unless you're unhappy with the service.
5. Not Allowing Room for Overspending
If you account for some budget wiggle room, then you'll never actually blow your budget. "Couples should plan ahead by aligning on what they are willing to spend, including the max that they will spend for each vendor, and cross-reference that with their overall budget," warns Gall. Try to earmark at least 5% of your budget for unforeseen costs. Want to learn more? Here's everything you need to know about how many couples typically go over budget.
6. Not Taking Advantage of Rewards Programs
Take advantage of budgeting and money management tricks along the way. Put all your wedding money in one separate account, so you can easily track additions and withdrawals without getting it confused with your day-to-day funds. We also recommend familiarizing yourself with the best credit cards for wedding planning and opening an account with the one that most suits your needs. Then, pay for as many of your expenses as possible on that one credit card that offers benefits like mileage, rewards or cashback. Make sure everyone making purchases (your partner, mom and so on) is all on the same card system, allowing you to benefit from the rewards and also from the easy tracking of your purchases. To avoid credit card fees, pay the bill off in full each month.
Gall also suggests using smart-shopping programs to make the most out of your purchases. "Use cash-back programs, like Rakuten, on your wedding purchases," she recommends, noting that such sites offer this benefit on top of deals and credit card rewards. "These programs are a great way to maximize savings." Plus, there are plenty of free wedding items that couples can avail themselves of to save even more money.
7. Not Discussing Priorities From the Start
Whatever your budget, you don't have to resort to last-minute DIY projects to come in on target. Instead, be honest about what's most important to everyone involved up-front. Pick your top three priorities and allocate a little extra money for them (such as your attire, catering and band). Next, pick the three things that come lowest on your priority list and budget accordingly.
Also, avoid going all-out on details that aren't a top priority to you. Free yourself of the pressure to upgrade and instead make honest choices based on what you want. As a general rule, before you sign a contract, look through the itemized list of what you're buying and ask yourself, "Will anyone notice if we don't do this?"
Keeping your priorities in check is the best way to avoid taking on too much debt as well. "You don't want to enter your marriage by taking on debt, as it can cause stress," warns Westlin. "Your wedding is an incredible life milestone, but you need to have a realistic understanding of your financial picture and also prioritize what is most important." However, if you see fit, wedding loans are a possibility to consider.
8. Not Being Tough on the Guest List
It can be challenging, but one of the fastest and most effective ways to lower your wedding cost is by narrowing the guest list down. For example, if catering is $100 a head, taking 10 guests off the guest count can save you $1,000. Also, consider the size of your wedding party; gifts and transportation are cheaper for three than for 10.
9. Forgetting to Invest In Insurance
Here's the truth: special event insurance is absolutely worth the investment. "Special event coverage that protects in the event of a cancellation or postponement—for whatever reason—is important to consider," says Laura Piwinski, Insurance Product Director at Lemonade. She notes that insurance (such as liability coverage) is particularly important for any wedding events held at home, like a backyard ceremony. But beyond that, some vendors will require insurance coverage too.
Even if it seems like wedding insurance is one area you can skip, consider the wedding planning stress you'll avoid by knowing your celebration will be protected no matter what. "The sense of security insurance provides, like knowing deposits or non-refundable payments are covered, will make the planning process that much easier," Piwinski adds.
10. Not Being Realistic
As mentioned above, it's easy to oversimplify some of the financial aspects of a wedding. To stay on top of your wedding budget, you have to be realistic about what each element generally costs. Once you know this, it's easier to allocate funds from your budget.
There's a lot to keep track of when it comes to wedding budget planning, but it doesn't have to be stressful. Follow our tips above and you'll be more equipped to stay within your means.
Additional reporting by Diane Hall.
Please note: The Knot and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, financial or tax advice and should not be used as such. You should always consult with your financial and tax advisors about your specific circumstances. This information contained herein is not necessarily exhaustive, complete, accurate or up to date and we undertake no responsibility to update. In addition, we do not take responsibility for information contained in any external links, over which we have no control.
