Budget Breakdown?

Try costofweddings.com. You use your zip code and it can give a realistic analysis of how much should go to each category.

I think this really depends on where you live as well. Our wedding was on the lower end of that range; however, I got some great deals on things ( I had a lot of guests).

I got my flowers (everything I wanted including 32 centerpieces) for about 3K because I went downtown (Los Angeles) and found a florist I can work with. Our venue included food, tables, linen etc. so that cut down on cost of rentals.

I think you need to make a list of all potential vendors and how much you're willing to spend. usually food/alcohol/venue takes up the largest chunk of it.

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I've never heard of that, thank you!!

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I agree, I'm in Denver so a big city but not as expensive as LA or NY. Ours doesn't include food or linens, just tables and chairs. I've contacted most vendors, but I'll keep doing that. Some just think I'm ridiculous because our wedding is far away (July 2019).

I would say venue, caterer and photography is what I'd book now. Maybe DJ. The other stuff can probably wait a bit.

My transportation (party bus) told me to call him a month or so before the wedding. The cake I freaked out about not ordering three months before the wedding, told me that as long as I booked it within a couple of weeks it would have been fine lol.

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That's great advice! I've booked the venue and photographer. Next is the caterer, month of coordinator, floral, and DJ. It's good to know bakery & transportation should be last.

I've actually found the Wedding Wire budgeting tool really helpful! I put in my budget, and it gives a breakdown estimate of what you "should" pay for each vendor. Personally....I'm using it more of a guideline. I paid a little more than the WW budget tool said I "should" pay for my venue and photographer, and my catering/bar costs are also above, however from there it was easy to see the areas where I could cut costs so I can stay on budget.

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I didn't even know they had one, I've just been using Excel. It's so hard when there are so many planning websites, I'll try it out right now!

On the lower end/barely 40k in Syracuse NY (so not a very large city). Very rough breakdown for 150 people....

Venue cost 29k for rental of reception and ceremony space, room decor, food, open bar, taxes and fees. Within that food is 11k, room rental 3k, drink 6k, decor 3k. All before tax and fees.

Photographer 4,200
DJ and photo booth maybe 3,500 I can't remember exactly.
Video 2k
Limo $800
Personal flowers $800
Dress veil and alterations 1,400

So many other things like invites, groom attire, rings, gifts for bridal party. It adds up.

View Quoted Comment I am in NYC and we are in that range. We haven't booked all of our vendors but I found costofwedding.com helpful and accurate. Food and alcohol are taking up around 50%, Venue around 15%, band around 15%, photos around 7%, flowers/decor around 6%, attire around 5%, rabbi donation & DOC around 1% each.

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Thank you! My parents are paying for the wedding so things like rings, gifts for parents and wedding party, invites, suit rental, and favors we are paying for. I'm just trying to budget the bigger things like venue, food, alcohol, DJ, floral, officiant, transportation, photo, video, hair and makeup, and dress! We have FOR SURE started saving for the stuff we are paying for already!

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Thank you! That's super helpful. I'll compare your percentages to what mine are so far.

I'm spending around 40k for 80 people in a big city:
Venue (DJ included) - $12k
Catering - $14k
Booze - $2,500
Photographer - $4,500
Dress - $2,000
Flowers - $3,000
Planner - $1,000
Okay, maybe I'll be slightly over. 🤣😭 That's just my tentative budget, with an expensive venue. Yours can look however makes most sense to you!

Second using Wedding Wire's budgeting page! It gave me a good starting point for price breakdowns. As a reference though, for the big stuff I'm currently looking at: venue(+decor upgrades): 15%, catering (food only): 25%, bar: 20%, band: 8%, photographer & videographer: 8%, florals: 6%

I spent over $45,000 for 40 guests in Sonoma. About $15,000 was the catering and about $7,000 was for the guests' accommodations for the weekend.

I have never been so grateful to live in Michigan! We are trying to spend $7000-$8000!

Honestly I used (and am still using) the wedding wire budgeting tool! It's helped me a lot better understand how much I should be spending each thing. I'm not sure where you live/are having your wedding. Also you're not ridiculous for looking at venues now for July 2019, most of the venues we looked at were already booking for October of 2019!

Hi Delaney! WeddingWire has a lot of great resources you can use to help you figure out your budget breakdown!!

Definitely check out the WeddingWire Cost Guide!! You pick the wedding service (like photography) and enter your local zip or city/state and we will display the full range of average spend by engaged couples. We also include a ton of great information about the factors that go into each of those costs!

WeddingWire Cost Guide

You can also check out our Newlywed Report to see average spend by region and wedding service, and check out our articles on setting up your budget:

https://publications.weddingwire.com/i/795912-weddingwire-2017-newlywed-report

Wedding Budget Breakdown 101

As of now, My total costs have reached around $50,000. I don't have a "budget" per say, because I am not putting a top limit on it (If i need something, I will get it, and not cry that it is missing from my big day), but I am trying to stay aware of what each vendor costs.

I am nearly done with everything, and expect the total to be about $55,000 or $60,000.

The venue is the biggest cost. Including food, the cake, linens, tables, servers, alcohol, ect. is $17,000. Paradise Point in Mission Bay San Diego.

I am also having a less formal second reception. It is the weekend after my wedding and main reception. It is a less formal buffet style in San Marcos (North San Diego County). It will be about $3,000.

I got a KILLER deal on photography b/c he is my planner's husband. So photography is only $500.00

Videography is $1.300.

My dress & veil are $4,500 (Yay Badgley Michska Dress!!!)

Rehearsal Dinner is $3000

DJ is $1000

I'm not a flower person, and I'm getting married over the water overlooking the ocean, so I opted for more shells, and just a few flowers, so only $750 for the florist

I ordered brooch bouquets for me and my bridesmaids for $850 (instead of fresh flower bouquets)

Planner & officiant (She does both!) was $1000

My hotel stay is $850

We are around 40,000 in NJ - getting married September 2019

Venue - $28,000 (food, linens, alcohol, DOC, centerpieces included)

Photographer - $4,650 (gift)

Videographer - $3,600

Dj - 2,100

Officiant - free (family member)

Florist - $500

Trolley - $1,200

We didnt do save the date or invitations yet