Tools in This Collection
Wedding Budget Calculator
Allocate your wedding budget across venue, catering, photography, and more
Wedding Seating Tool
Arrange guests across tables, flag conflicts, and visualize room layout
Wedding Alcohol Calculator
Calculate bottles of wine, beer, and spirits needed for your guest count
Wedding Day Timeline
Build a detailed schedule from getting ready through the last dance
Event Catering Calculator
Estimate food quantities for any guest count and meal type
Gift Budget Calculator
Decide how much to spend on wedding gifts based on relationship and occasion
Wedding Planning Workflow
The average US wedding cost in 2026 is approximately $33,000, with enormous variance by region and guest count. New York City and San Francisco weddings average $50,000-80,000; rural Midwest weddings can be done for $12,000-18,000 for the same guest count. The biggest planning mistake is committing to venue and catering before understanding how they fit the total budget — these two categories alone typically consume 65% of spending.
Start With the Budget
Standard wedding budget allocation by category: venue 30-40%, catering/bar 25-30%, photography/video 10-12%, florist/decor 8-10%, attire (dress, suits) 5-8%, music/DJ 4-6%, invitations/stationery 2-3%, officiant 1-2%, other (rings, transportation, tips) 5-8%. The Wedding Budget Calculator takes your total budget and distributes it across these categories, showing where you're over or under relative to typical allocations. Most couples adjust after seeing the breakdown — venue cost is usually higher than expected relative to other priorities.
Alcohol Planning
Alcohol is one of the most consistently miscalculated wedding expenses. A rough guideline: 1 drink per guest per hour for the first two hours, then 0.5 drinks per guest per hour afterward. For a 150-guest, 5-hour reception: (150 × 2) + (150 × 0.5 × 3) = 300 + 225 = 525 drinks total. Allocate roughly 50% wine, 30% beer, 20% spirits for a mixed crowd — adjust based on your specific guests. A standard bottle of wine yields 5 glasses; a case of beer has 24; a 750ml bottle of spirits makes about 17 shots/mixed drinks. The Wedding Alcohol Calculator does this math automatically and breaks out quantities by type, accounting for dry hours (ceremony), drinking hours (cocktail hour and reception), and guest mix.
Seating, Timeline, and Catering
The Wedding Seating Tool handles table assignments for any guest count, lets you flag seating conflicts (ex-couples, feuding family members), and visualizes the room layout. Start seating assignments early — finalizing a 150-person seating chart the week of the wedding is extremely stressful. The Wedding Day Timeline builds a schedule from getting-ready through last dance. Allow more buffer than you think you need: ceremonies typically run 10-15 minutes over; photo sessions take longer with large bridal parties; cocktail hours expand to accommodate late guests. The Event Catering Calculator estimates food quantities for any event type — useful for the rehearsal dinner, engagement party, or any catered gathering. The Gift Budget Calculator helps guests decide how much to spend based on relationship and occasion type.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the average wedding cost in 2026?
The average US wedding costs approximately $33,000 in 2026, but this figure varies enormously by location and guest count. Metropolitan areas like NYC and LA average $50,000-80,000. Midwest and Southern venues run $15,000-25,000 for similar weddings. Per-guest cost typically runs $200-400 including venue, catering, and bar — multiply by your guest count for a rough total before adding fixed costs like photography and flowers.
How much alcohol do I need for my wedding?
A common guideline: 1 drink per guest per hour for the first two hours, then 0.5 drinks per hour after. For a 100-guest, 4-hour reception: (100×2) + (100×0.5×2) = 300 drinks. Split roughly 50% wine, 30% beer, 20% spirits. Add 10-15% buffer to avoid running out. The alcohol calculator computes bottle quantities automatically based on your guest count, event duration, and drink preference split.
When should I finalize the seating chart?
Finalize seating assignments 2-3 weeks before the wedding, after all RSVPs are collected and confirmed. Earlier is difficult because RSVPs trickle in late. Later is too stressful — the venue needs table counts, name cards need printing, and any late changes cascade through multiple assignments. Allow one full day for the seating chart: it takes longer than expected with a large guest list.
How much should I budget per catering guest?
Catering costs depend heavily on meal style. Buffet typically runs $55-85 per person including food, service, and basic linens. Plated sit-down service runs $80-150 per person. Heavy appetizers/cocktail style runs $40-65 per person. These ranges don't include alcohol, cake, or venue rental. For full-service wedding catering in a major metro, budget $100-175 per guest as a realistic all-in number.