What this is, and what it isn't
This is a lightweight calculator hub, not a vendor marketplace, registry, or full planning app. There's no account to create and nothing to install. Your inputs are stored in the page URL, so you can bookmark or share a link to your exact numbers.
How we estimate
Every calculator is a transparent formula built on widely used wedding-planning rules of thumb (the same guidance caterers, bartenders, and planners reach for), implemented in code and covered by unit tests so the math stays consistent. We deliberately favor simple, defensible rules over opaque “proprietary” numbers. The key ones:
- Budget: a category split of venue 30%, catering 25%, photo/video 12%, attire 8%, entertainment 8%, florals 8%, then stationery, transport, and miscellaneous at 3% each, after reserving a 10% contingency.
- Alcohol: 2 drinks the first hour and 1 per additional hour, adjusted for a light (×0.75) or heavy (×1.25) crowd, plus a 10% buffer; a wine bottle pours 5 glasses, a 750ml liquor bottle ≈ 16 drinks, and a champagne bottle ≈ 6 toasts.
- Catering: 3 / 5 / 8 appetizer pieces per guest (light / moderate / heavy), ~12 for a cocktail reception; buffets add a 10% buffer; cake at ~0.85 slices per guest.
- Seating & tents: ~13.5 sq ft per guest for a seated dinner, ~19 with a dance floor, ~8–9 for a standing reception; standard table seat counts (60-inch round = 8, 72-inch = 10, and so on).
- Hotel & shuttles: ~60% room-block uptake at 2 guests per room with a buffer; shuttle vehicle counts from round-trip cycle time vs. your arrival window.
- Tips: customary U.S. ranges of catering 15–20%, bartenders 10–20%, hair/makeup 15–25%, transport 15–20%, and DJ/band 10–15%.
“Wedding planning is mostly arithmetic dressed up as agony. Do the arithmetic first, and the agony gets a lot smaller.”
The methodology behind each tool is also summarized on the calculator page itself, under “How this is calculated.” You can read the exact formulas and their tests in the open source.
Cost-by-location estimates
Our average-cost-by-state and by-city pages start from a documented U.S. national-average wedding cost and adjust it by a per-location cost multiplier. These are honest ballpark estimates to set expectations, not scraped quotes from local vendors. Your own budget and guest list are always the better starting point.
Estimates, not quotes
Results are planning estimates to help you budget and order, not financial advice or vendor pricing. Real costs and quantities vary by region, season, venue, and vendor, so always confirm final numbers before you purchase or sign. See our terms of use.
How we keep it free
We may add clearly labeled affiliate links, sponsored vendor recommendations, or an optional printable PDF. These never change the price you pay or the numbers a calculator produces. See our affiliate disclosure, privacy policy, and terms of use.