SeatChartBaseWedding budget calculator
A wedding budget calculator turns one number into category caps you can argue with. Type the total, optionally add guest count for a per-person read, adjust percentages, and see venue / catering / photo / other in dollars. Use it before you say yes to an upgrade that quietly eats the flower budget.
Reception budget
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Seating tools help you arrange guests — not a venue floor-plan CAD service or a wedding planner contract.
When to use — and when not to
When to use
Early planning (can we afford this room); mid-planning when a quote lands high; anytime someone says it's only another $2,000.
When not to
You need a full payment schedule with due dates — build that in your sheet after export. You need seating — wrong tool. You want us to call florists — no.
Assumptions
Same default % table as the spreadsheet page (asOf: 2026-07). Calculator UI emphasizes total + guests + live recalculation; math matches the spreadsheet export.
Worked examples
Input: Total $22,000; 80 guests → $275 / guest before category nuance.
Output: category dollars under defaults.
Per-guest is a sanity check, not what catering invoices line-by-line.
Input: Raise photo to 18%, cut decor to 4% on a $22,000 total.
Output: photo $3,960; decor $880.
Say the trade out loud before you book both at default levels.
How it works
dollars_i = total × percent_i optional per_guest = total / guests
- Enter total and optional guest count.
- Adjust category percentages — aim for 100% combined.
- Read live dollar caps per category.
- Export CSV when you want a file in Sheets.
Common traps
- Calculator precision envy — two decimals on a guess are still a guess.
- Guest count changes after you invite the B-list; revisit the math.
- Vendor minimums can beat your % math; the quote wins.
- Cost calculator searchers sometimes want national averages — we still want your total.
Compare
Related on this site: Wedding budget spreadsheet · Wedding budget planner · How to organize a wedding guest list.
FAQ
You provide a total (and optional guest count). We apply editable category percentages and show dollars.