Wedding Budget Splitter
Split a wedding budget between two sides by percent, see the cost per guest, and plan nine categories from a template or your own quotes. How it works
Use the Wedding Budget Splitter
About the Wedding Budget Splitter
A $30,000 wedding split 60/40 means one side pays $18,000 and the other $12,000, and with 120 guests the whole budget works out to $250 per guest. The splitter applies one percentage to the total, then lays the same total over a template of nine categories, from catering at 35% ($10,500) down to stationery at 3% ($900). Type a real quote into any category and the page shows the planned total and how much is left or over.
The template category shares on three budgets
| Category | Share | $20,000 budget | $30,000 budget | $50,000 budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catering | 35% | $7,000.00 | $10,500.00 | $17,500.00 |
| Venue | 15% | $3,000.00 | $4,500.00 | $7,500.00 |
| Photography & Video | 12% | $2,400.00 | $3,600.00 | $6,000.00 |
| Attire & Beauty | 10% | $2,000.00 | $3,000.00 | $5,000.00 |
| Flowers & Décor | 8% | $1,600.00 | $2,400.00 | $4,000.00 |
| Music & Entertainment | 8% | $1,600.00 | $2,400.00 | $4,000.00 |
| Rings | 5% | $1,000.00 | $1,500.00 | $2,500.00 |
| Honeymoon | 4% | $800.00 | $1,200.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Invitations & Stationery | 3% | $600.00 | $900.00 | $1,500.00 |
The shares are a starting template built into the tool, not survey averages. They apply to the whole budget, not to either side’s part of it, and an amount typed into a category replaces that line’s share.
How to use this tool
- Enter the total wedding budget in dollars.
- Enter the groom’s share as a percent from 0 to 100. The bride’s side pays the rest.
- Enter the number of guests. The split updates as you type.
- Read the two amounts, the cost per guest and the category breakdown under them.
- Type a quote into a category’s amount field to replace its template share, or a caterer’s price per head into Catering cost per guest, and read the planned total and Remaining or Over budget by.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you split wedding costs between two families?
- Agree on one percentage for the whole budget and multiply. At 70/30, a $25,000 wedding is $17,500 and $7,500. If one side is paying a fixed sum instead, divide it by the total to get its percent: $9,000 of $30,000 is 30%, so enter 30.
- Does it have to be the bride and the groom?
- No. The two boxes are labeled groom and bride, but the arithmetic is the same for any two payers, such as two sets of parents or a couple and one family. Type the first payer’s share in the groom box and read the second payer’s amount under Bride Pays.
- Can I change the category amounts?
- Yes, by amount rather than by percent. Each category has an optional amount field; an empty one keeps the template share. On a $20,000 budget the venue template is 15%, $3,000. Type a $5,000 quote and the line reads $5,000.00 (25%), the planned total is $22,000.00 and the page shows Over budget by $2,000.00.
- Why is the cost per guest higher than the caterer’s price per head?
- Because it divides the whole budget, rings, attire and honeymoon included, by the guest count. $30,000 for 120 guests is $250 a guest, while the catering line alone is $10,500, or $87.50 a guest.
- Can I enter the caterer’s price per head?
- Yes. Type it into Catering cost per guest and the catering line becomes that price × the guest count, replacing the template share and any catering amount. On a $20,000 budget, $150 a head for 100 guests makes catering $15,000.00 (75%), the planned total $28,000.00 and the page shows Over budget by $8,000.00. It needs at least 1 guest.
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