Bride’s Best Wedding Budget Planner: Here you will find the best budget planner, taking advice and tips from the best planners in the world.
Our form is especially suited to adapt to your preferences: traditional or modern, expensive or less costly, simple or extravagant in design, formal or casual. Simply circle the items you will need under each category, and then estimate your cost by category. When done, enter each amount in the chart below, and add up your total estimated budget. See our wedding resources section for online help determining costs of each item. If you do not know your style, then aim conservative and choose the more expensive options (you can always return and change it later).
When you are finished, you can see the grand total. Then print this budget for your convenience! (and to show to the father-in-law or whoever will be responsible for the bill).
Note: Traditionally the rehearsal dinner is paid for by the groom’s family, and the honeymoon by the groom, so those expenses are not figured in to this chart. To help with planning your honeymoon, visit our resources for a honeymoon expense planner.
Print this Wedding Budget Planner Worksheet Wedding Budget Planner Items by category Estimated Total by Category:
- ceremony reception
- attire
- rings
- music
- flowers
- photography
- stationery
- transportation
- Total Budget Estimate:
***See below for the category breakdown***
Ceremony: location (if church, members often get use of facilities free, but you may need to pay for vacuuming after event) marriage license (check your state laws: get this early!) officiant fee or honorarium musicians fee or honorarium decorations (do you want a runner? ring pillow? unity candle? special communion goblets? candles, or bows on each row/aisle? basket for ring girl to carry rose petals to sprinkle on the runner before you enter?)
reception: hall rental (if at your home church, facilities are often free) catering: wedding cake, groom’s cake (if having one), food (finger foods, sit down dinner, light refreshments?), drinks, favors (often birdseed, bubbles, chocolate, etc.), rentals (check if your church already has some items they will let you borrow, such as lattice, pillar, etc.- do you want mini-white Christmas-type lights for decoration? foliage? a table for the guest book and your bridal portrait to display as guests enter? What kind of decor on each table- votif candles in a bowl of water with confetti sprinkles makes an elegant and inexpensive centerpiece), tables for caterer items. Will you be showing a video? (do not forget projector or computer for powerpoint display (sometimes guests show a brief slideshow to music of the bride and groom growing up and meeting each other). Extras include keepsake cake cutter, glasses to toast, cake topper, etc.). Do not forget gifts for attendants (give gift bags to someone else to distribute at end of reception so you do not have to remember this).
attire: wedding dress, headpiece/veil, hosiery, undergarments, accessories (gloves? jewelry?), shoes (be classy but comfortable-these will only be seen when groom gets the garter off your thigh at reception), garter, hair/makeup special costs, groom’s tuxedo (often free if the rest of the groomsmen get tuxedos at the same store), shoes, bow tie (and cuff links, studs, suspenders?).
rings: groom’s ring (usually NOT that expensive, unless you want it to be), her ring (extra: engraving?)
music: ceremony CDs and equipment (if live musicians, fees already listed above in “ceremony”), band or DJ and sound equipment rental if dancing at reception
flowers: ceremony flower set up and rentals: the florist usually provides your overall set up for the ceremony (aside from items mentioned above in “ceremony” to decorate where the guests will be seated). rentals include: candelabras, arch, spiral candelabras, and flowers to decorate each item. Ask florist to show you photos of wedding set ups and choose types of flowers you like. Get the price for the whole package, including delivery, set up and take down. Other flower items: bride’s bouquet, “throw” bouquet (usually a smaller version of your special bridal bouquet), flowers for bridesmaids to carry, corsages and boutonnieres, centerpieces, rose petals for flower girl, flowers (rose petals?) to decorate cake (given to caterer), flowers for guestbook table at location entrance.
photography: photographer fees and package costs including album for you and two small parents albums, videographer fees and/or equipment, disposable cameras for candids at reception tables (if desired)
stationery: invitations (response cards if required), thank you notes, postage, guest book, special pen, printing on invitations (by catalog?), program
transportation: limousine for special transportation to wedding night locale any wedding party or out-of-town guest transportation required
