The Honest Wedding Budget Breakdown Nobody Shows You

The average wedding budget article on the internet is wildly out of date. The numbers below come from 47 weddings we coordinated in the last 18 months, in markets ranging from rural Vermont to downtown Manhattan.

Venue + catering is consistently 45–55% of total spend. Photography is 8–12%. Florals are 8–15%, swinging hard depending on whether you want installations. Music is 6–10%. Attire averages 5–8%. Stationery, transportation, and hair/makeup round out the rest.

The line items that surprise couples most: rentals (chairs, linens, glassware can add $4–8K easily), service charges and gratuities (often 22–25% on top of catering), and the planner's favorite category — 'miscellaneous,' which in our experience runs 3–5% no matter how disciplined you are.

Build a 10% contingency. Not because you'll spend it on something specific, but because you will spend it. Every time.