It's no secret that one of the trickiest parts of getting hitched is figuring out your wedding budget breakdown (that's why it's step one in our how to plan a wedding step by step guide). So to help you figure out your exact breakdown of wedding costs — and what wedding budget percentages to divide among catering, attire, flowers, music — we surveyed thousands of couples around the country in our WeddingWire Newlywed Report to share their wedding budgets with us — and we're sharing the average wedding budget breakdown here, so you can make the most informed decision for your day.
Remember, though, that what we've outlined is the average wedding cost breakdown and wedding budget percentages — how you choose to create your own wedding budget breakdown is completely your call (along with whomever else is paying for the wedding). You may choose to spend more or less in certain areas depending on your preferences and personality, and that’s totally okay. Also note that your wedding cost breakdown and wedding budget percentages may differ depending on where you’re getting married, the size of your guest list, and other factors. An online wedding budget tool can be helpful in doing the tricky math for you.
Venue, Catering, Cake, and Rentals: 50% of total wedding budget
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You’ll notice that the biggest chunk of your wedding budget breakdown will be taken up by your venue and your catering costs. First, you’ll need to make sure that you find a venue that can comfortably fit all of your guests, and has location options for different weather scenarios. You’ll also want to find a venue that fits your style—whether it’s a rustic barn, a hotel ballroom (bonus points if it offers room blocks for weddings!), or a modern, industrial space.
As for catering, it’s clear that your guests will be expecting delicious (and plentiful!) food. Remember, though, that your catering bill doesn’t just mean the actual food—you’re paying for preparation, equipment, wait staff, and more. If your caterer is also handling the bar, the liquor and bartenders are also part of this bill.
Your wedding cake and any additional desserts will also account for part of this wedding budget percentage, too. From glamorous multi-tiered fondant confections to rustic naked cakes, there are lots of different types of cake styles to choose from—the more elaborate and bigger the cake, the more expensive.
And don’t forget about rentals, either. You’ll likely need to rent a variety of items for your wedding — tables, chairs, glassware, linens, flatware, and much more — so be sure to factor them into your wedding budget breakdown. Lagu jujur aku tak sanggup aku tak mampu. If you’re hosting an outdoor wedding, a tent may be necessary. In some cases your venue or caterer will provide these items for you. If not, you’ll need to hire a separate rentals company to supply these important details.
Photography and Videography: 12% of total wedding budget
It is the job of your wedding photographer and videographer to capture your wedding day moments in still or moving images to cherish for a lifetime, which is why these pros should make up a good portion of your wedding cost breakdown. Choose a photographer or videographer whose work you love, of course, but also people who you genuinely like and enjoy being around (you’ll be spending a lot of time with these pros on your wedding day!). Also remember that you’re not only paying for the final products (photos and/or video), but your photographer and videographer’s time at your event, editing time, equipment and more — hence the substantial wedding budget percentage. Learn more about a wedding photographer's costs and a wedding videographer's costs »
Wedding Attire, Hair, and Beauty: 9% of total wedding budget
You want to look your best on your wedding day—and between your attire, hair, and makeup, it can really add up. Fortunately, there are lots of wedding dresses and tuxedos to choose from at a variety of price points — just be sure you’re upfront about your budget when you start shopping. And don’t forget to factor alterations into your wedding budget breakdown. Tailoring your attire can be costly, but necessary to ensure your gown or tux fits like a glove.
As for hair and makeup, it’s a good idea to hire professionals for the task. They’ll know how to highlight your best features and guarantee you’ll look amazing for your entire wedding day—and in photos, too!
Flowers, Lighting, and Décor: 8% of total wedding budget
This category is all about ensuring that your wedding looks beautiful with stunning flowers, lighting, and décor. The right lighting, flowers, and décor can truly transform any space. And when it comes to flowers, remember that you’re not just paying for the actual blossoms, but the labor involved with processing the flowers, labor and productions, supplies, delivery, breakdown, and more. Find out more about wedding florist costs »
Reception Music: 7% of total wedding budget
Music is an important part of a wedding reception, so hiring a professional to coordinate the music is essential to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Whether you choose a band or a DJ for your reception is entirely your call, but there are different costs associated with live music as opposed to a DJ, so it’s important to do your research before booking and factoring into your wedding budget breakdown.
Wedding Planner: 3% of total wedding budget
There are lots of advantages to hiring a wedding planner—perhaps the biggest one is that they can actually help you save money! With their knowledge and connections in the industry, a wedding planner will ensure that you stay within your wedding budget and on schedule, and will keep your planning experience as stress-free as possible. Learn more about wedding planner costs »
Invitations and Stationery: 3% of total wedding budget
Printed products play a big role both before your wedding (save-the-dates, invitations, and more) and on the day of (ceremony programs, table numbers, escort cards, menu cards, etc.). There are lots of options to choose from when it comes to wedding invitations and stationery, so be sure to pick paper products that fit your style and wedding budget. Pro tip: Be sure to factor postage into your wedding budget breakdown — depending on the shape and size of your invites, you can pay an additional dollar per invitation in stamps!
Officiant and Ceremony Music: 2% of total wedding budget
These are the people responsible for your ceremony running perfectly — and of course, your officiant is the person who will actually legally marry you and your partner! There’s a lot of prep work involved with officiating a wedding, so be sure you read up on what a wedding officiant’s costs actually include.
Transportation: 2% of total wedding budget
Hiring transportation or limo services for your wedding will ensure that everyone gets to where they need to be safely and on time—yes, it's an added expense to factor into your wedding budget breakdown, but it's definitely worth it. You may choose to provide transportation for yourself, your partner, family members and wedding party, or you can also provide transportation for all of your guests. This is a nice gesture, particularly if you have a lot of out-of-towners who are unfamiliar with your wedding location.
Wedding Rings: 2% of total wedding budget
Don't forget these in your wedding budget percentages! The wedding rings are an ages-old symbol of marriage, and an important part of the wedding ceremony. Your and your future spouse’s wedding rings should fit your personality and style — and fortunately, there are lots to choose from!
Favors and Gifts: 2% of total wedding budget
Providing wedding favors to your guests, whether they are edible or keepsakes, is a nice gesture — and don’t forget about buying gifts for your wedding party and family members! These favors and gifts are a lovely way to say “thank you” to those who helped you prepare for your big day, and those who traveled to attend the celebration.
Zelda oot debug rom. Costs displayed in graph are based on spend from thousands of couples who recently reported pricing for this service within their WeddingWire review. Pricing varies based on factors including, but not limited to, vendor’s experience, level of expertise, event guest count, date, and geographic region.
How much does a wedding reception venue cost?
One of the first decisions you’ll make when planning your wedding is choosing your wedding venue—and there are lots of types of wedding venues to choose from, from barns to ballrooms! You’ll likely spend a large portion of your budget on your wedding venue cost (half of couple’s total budgets are spent on wedding venue cost, catering, and rentals), so it’s important to do your research before selecting your wedding site. The average wedding venue cost in the U.S. is $6,000, with most couples spending between $3,000 to $11,000. Note that these are only averages and pricing varies widely depending on a variety of factors, like whether in-house catering is included.
How much does a wedding ceremony venue cost?
Some couples choose to have their wedding ceremony and reception in separate locations. A wedding ceremony is shorter than a reception and doesn’t include catering, so the cost of a ceremony venue is typically cheaper than wedding reception prices. In the U.S., the average starting site fee for wedding ceremonies is $600.
Do you save money by having your ceremony and reception in the same venue?
In many cases, you will save money by having your ceremony and reception at the same venue. You’ll not only save on the venue itself, but also on other wedding costs including transportation (you won’t have to worry about shuttling from one site to another), and rentals (you can reuse chairs and other items for both ceremony and reception).
What impacts a wedding venue’s prices?
There are many factors that can drive wedding venue prices up or down, including:
- Location: Wedding venues located in major cities tend to cost more than those in more rural areas. In fact, the most expensive places to get married in the country are big cities, like New York City, San Francisco, and Boston.
- Wedding date: It’s true, the wedding date you choose can have an impact on your wedding venue cost. If you want to get married on a Saturday night during peak season, you’ll likely pay more than a weekday wedding during an off-peak time of year. Many venues offer discounts for weddings during low season or on a weekday.
- Size:The more guests you invite, the more money you’ll spend. Larger venues that accommodate more people will cost more than smaller venues with lower capacities. If your venue includes catering, you’ll pay “per person,” so a large number of a guests means a higher wedding venue cost.
- What’s included: For some venues, you’ll pay a site fee and then have to hire an outside caterer, rental company, and all other vendors. Other venues are all-inclusive (typically hotels, banquet halls, and country clubs, for example) and have an in-house vendor and other vendors. While there’s no rule that all-inclusive venues always cost less, you may be able to find some savings on your wedding reception prices if your venue has in-house vendors.
Do wedding reception venue prices include rentals, like tables and chairs?
69 percent of venues do include tables and chairs, but with others, you’ll have to hire an outside rentals company to provide tables, chairs, china, flatware, linens, and more. Also, if you would like a wider range of rentals to choose from, consulting with a rentals company can be a good idea. On average, you’ll spend about $650 on event rentals.
Are there additional wedding venue costs that a couple should plan for?
When it comes to the average cost of a wedding venue, there are a lot of expenses that you might not have anticipated. Here are a few of these little-known expenses:
- Parking: If many of your guests will be driving to your venue, you may have to pay for valet parking or other parking fees.
- Taxes and fees: From cake cutting fees, corkage costs, service charges, and more, your wedding venue contract may include additional fees you might not have expected. Be sure to talk to your venue coordinator to clarify these additional expenses before signing on the dotted line.
- Tips: Many of your vendors will receive gratuities for a job especially well done. At your venue, you should tip the wait staff, bartenders, restroom attendants, and coatroom attendants. We also recommend writing an online review of your venue as an additional thank-you.
- Outside vendor fee: Many wedding venues have approved vendor lists—a list of vendors the venue has vetted and trusts. If you choose to hire a vendor outside of this list, you may have to pay an additional fee.
How can you save money on your wedding venue?
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Yes, your wedding venue will likely be one of the most expensive things you pay for during your wedding planning journey—so every bit of money you can save on your wedding venue cost is a good thing! Here are a few ways to save money on your wedding venue:
- Cut the guest list: As mentioned, the more guests you invite, the more you’ll pay. Cutting even just 10 guests from your list can save you major bucks!
- Be smart about setting a date: Saturday night weddings during peak season will cost more than weekday weddings during the off-peak season.
- Look for tax-deductible sites: Certain venues that are affiliated with nonprofit organizations (museums, historic homes, parks, etc.) may have tax-deductible site fees.
- Read all contracts closely: Be open and honest with your venue about your budget, and be sure you completely understand your venue contract. There may be some fees that your venue can waive if you ask politely.
What questions should you ask your wedding venue before booking?
Choosing a venue is one of the first decisions you’ll make—at least a year before your wedding date. You’ll want to start by figuring out if you want to host a destination wedding or a hometown wedding. Once you’ve selected the area where you’d like to wed, read online reviews of wedding venues and narrow down the list to a few you’d like to visit. When touring venues, be sure to ask the following questions:
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- Is your venue available on my target date?
- What’s the capacity?
- For outdoor wedding venues: What is your Plan B in case of bad weather?
- Do you have climate control?
- Can I see the restrooms?
- How big is the dance floor?
- What’s the parking situation?
- What’s included in the contract?
- Who is my main contact? Will he or she be present on my wedding day?
- Are you accessible to guests with special needs?
- What are your rules and regulations?
- How much time do my vendors have to set up and clean up at the end of the night?
- Do you have an approved vendor list or can I hire whomever I want?
- Can I host my ceremony here as well?