Wedding budget calculator and planner

Enter your total budget, add items and record the planned cost, actual cost and amount already paid for each one. The planner instantly shows how much budget is left, what is still due and where you are over plan. Everything is stored only in your browser.

How it is calculated

How the wedding budget planner works

For each item you can enter up to three amounts: planned (what you set aside), actual (quote or invoice) and paid (deposits and payments). The expected cost of an item is the actual amount once you enter one, otherwise the planned amount. From that the planner works out:

How to plan a wedding budget

Enter the total budget and add cost items – yourself or with one click using the example split.
For each item, record the planned cost, the actual cost from the quote or invoice and what you have already paid.
See how much is left, what is still due and which items are over plan.
Export the budget as a CSV for Excel.

Still available = total budget − expected costs. A negative result is shown as the amount you are over budget.
Balance due = expected cost − amount paid (per item, never below 0).
Share of budget = the item’s expected cost ÷ total budget.

All sums are calculated in whole cents, so the totals always add up exactly.

Example

Total budget 15,000. The venue is planned at 6,000, the quote came in at 6,450 and you have paid a 2,000 deposit. The item shows “4,450 due” and “450 over plan”. Photography is planned at 1,500 with no quote yet, so 1,500 counts. Expected costs are 7,950, leaving 7,050 available.

Sample split: an example, not an average

The “Create items from a sample split” button divides your budget using this planner’s own rounded example: venue & catering 40%, attire 10%, photo & video 10%, music 8%, flowers & decor 8%, rings 5%, ceremony 3%, hair & make-up 3%, stationery 3% and a 10% buffer. It is a starting point to edit, not an average from a survey – real costs depend on where you live, your guest count and your priorities. With 15,000 that gives 6,000 for venue & catering and 1,500 as a buffer. Amounts are rounded down to whole units and the remainder goes into the buffer.

Saving, export and privacy

Everything stays in your browser: the planner saves your entries locally (localStorage) and sends nothing to a server; no amounts appear in the address bar. “Export CSV” downloads a spreadsheet for Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers (comma-separated, decimal point). “Delete all” removes the saved data. The planner works with any currency – amounts are shown without a symbol.

More wedding tools: the wedding guest list and RSVP tracker, the wedding drink calculator and the savings goal calculator if you are saving up for the big day.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a wedding cost?

There is no fixed figure – guest count, location, venue and your wishes drive the cost. Set your total budget first and split it across items; the planner then keeps showing what is left.

Is the sample split an average?

No. The split (e.g. 40% venue & catering, 10% buffer) is this planner’s own rounded example meant as a starting point. Change the amounts to match your quotes.

What is the difference between planned and actual?

Planned is what you intend to spend on an item. Actual is what the quote or invoice says. Once an actual amount is entered, the planner uses it and shows how far it is from your plan.

Is my data saved?

Only in your browser (localStorage), so it is still there next time. Nothing is sent to a server. “Delete all” removes it; private windows do not keep it.

Which currency does it use?

Any. Amounts are shown without a currency symbol, so you can plan in pounds, dollars, rupees or euros.

How big should my buffer be?

That is your call. Add a separate “buffer” item with a fixed amount; the sample split uses 10%. Extra costs on other items show up as “over plan”.

Sources and legal basis

As of: 27 September 2026