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This is a preview of the wider Wedvisa planner. Try it on this page. It does not keep what you enter when you leave.
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A Complete Wedding Planning Platform
The free tool is the start. A free account adds the rest of the planner.
How Much Does a Wedding Cost in the UK in 2026?
The average cost of a wedding in the UK is approximately £20,604 in 2026 (Bridebook), with surveys ranging from £20,604 to £25,815 depending on what is included. However, the range is vast — a genuinely intimate celebration of 30 guests can come in under £8,000, while a larger London wedding with 150 guests can easily reach £60,000 or more.
For the full breakdown by region, supplier category, and hidden costs, see our complete UK wedding cost guide.
The single biggest variable is guest count. Every additional guest adds roughly £150–£250 in catering, stationery, favours and seat costs. Getting your guest list right before setting a budget — rather than the other way around — is the most important step in wedding financial planning.
Average UK Wedding Cost Breakdown by Category
| Category | Average Spend | % of Budget | When to Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue hire | £5,000 – £8,000 | 25–35% | 12–18 months ahead |
| Catering & bar | £4,000 – £7,000 | 20–30% | 12 months ahead |
| Photography | £1,200 – £2,500 | 8–12% | 12–18 months ahead |
| Wedding attire | £1,000 – £3,000 | 8–10% | 9–12 months ahead |
| Music & entertainment | £1,200 – £3,000 | 5–8% | 12 months ahead |
| Flowers & décor | £1,500 – £3,500 | 5–8% | 9–12 months ahead |
| Videography | £1,500 – £3,500 | 5–8% | 12–18 months ahead |
| Honeymoon | £3,000 – £7,000 | Separate fund | Anytime |
| Stationery & invitations | £300 – £900 | 1–2% | 6 months ahead |
| Hair & makeup | £400 – £1,200 | 2–3% | 9–12 months ahead |
| Transport | £300 – £800 | 1–2% | 6 months ahead |
| Rings | £1,000 – £4,000 | 3–6% | 6–12 months ahead |
| Cake | £400 – £1,200 | 1–2% | 6 months ahead |
| Contingency (10%) | 10% of total | 10% | Always keep this |
Venue — Your Biggest Decision
Venue typically accounts for 25–35% of the total wedding budget and is often the first major booking. In London and the South East, expect venue hire alone (before catering) to start at around £4,000 for a modest space and climb past £15,000 for an exclusive-use property. Outside London, the same quality comes at roughly 30–40% less.
Catering — Per Head is King
Match the wedding-cost article figures and service-style ranges for per-head pricing, then adapt by guest count and catering format. Dietary requirements — particularly halal, kosher, vegan, and allergen-free options — typically add 5–8% to catering costs and must be communicated to your caterer at least 4 weeks before the day.
Photography — Don't Cut Here
UK wedding photographers range from £800 (early-career) to £6,000+ (destination editorial). The sweet spot for reliably excellent documentary-style coverage in the UK is £2,000–£3,500. This is the one budget category most couples regret under-spending on. Good photographers in popular date windows book 12–18 months in advance.
The 10% Contingency Rule
Always retain at least 10% of your total budget as a contingency. Unexpected costs are not exceptional — they are the rule. Last-minute supplier issues, guest number changes, weather contingencies for outdoor venues, and late additions to the order of service all eat into reserves. Couples who plan without a contingency almost universally overspend.
How to Use This Wedding Budget Calculator
Enter your total budget at the top of the tool. The calculator pre-populates suggested percentage allocations based on UK wedding industry averages. Adjust each category to match your priorities — if photography is essential but you're happy with a relaxed dress code, shift money accordingly. The tool updates in real time showing how much you've allocated and what remains unassigned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about our free Wedding Budget Calculator.
The Wedvisa Wedding Budget Calculator is a free online tool that helps you divide a total wedding budget across major costs such as the venue, catering, photography, and other categories. Enter the overall budget and you can immediately see how much has been allocated and how much remains.
The public calculator is useful for a starting budget. Sign up to Wedvisa to keep working on the budget in the planner.
There is no single perfect wedding-budget split because your priorities, guest numbers, location and wedding style will affect where the money goes. A useful starting point is to allocate the largest amounts to the venue and catering, followed by areas such as photography, attire, entertainment and décor.
The Wedvisa calculator gives you a category-by-category starting structure, but you can adjust the amounts to reflect what matters most to you.
As a broad UK planning guide, venue hire can take around 25–35% of the overall budget, catering around 20–30%, and photography around 8–12%. These are starting points rather than rules: a dry-hire venue, a destination wedding, a luxury photographer or a very large guest list can change the proportions substantially.
Use the Wedvisa calculator to test different allocations before committing to suppliers.
Guest numbers can affect several costs at once, particularly catering, drinks, stationery, favours, furniture and venue choice. Setting an approximate guest count before you settle the budget can prevent unrealistic spending later.
Wedvisa also provides a Wedding Guest List Manager, so you can work on guest numbers alongside the budget instead of planning the two separately.
Yes. Keeping around 10% of the total wedding budget uncommitted can provide a useful buffer for unexpected expenses, supplier changes or last-minute additions.
The free Wedvisa calculator includes contingency as a separate category so it is visible from the beginning rather than becoming an afterthought.
Yes. The calculator works from the total figure you enter, so it can be used for a smaller wedding, a typical mid-range UK wedding or a much larger celebration. The important part is not matching a national average but allocating the money you actually have available.
Try several totals to see how different budgets affect each category before you commit to suppliers.
The public calculator helps you allocate a planned budget for this visit. Create a free Wedvisa account to keep financial planning in the planner, rather than relying on a one-off calculation.
That becomes more useful once deposits, payments and suppliers start to add up.
It is easy to remember the major suppliers and overlook smaller costs such as alterations, delivery charges, stationery postage, supplier meals, transport, accessories, extra décor, ceremony fees and last-minute purchases. Individually they may seem small, but together they can affect the overall budget.
A contingency fund and a category-by-category budget make those costs easier to see before they add up.
No. The public calculator is for trying figures during this visit. It does not keep the budget when you leave the page.
Ongoing budget planning lives in the planner. Sign up to Wedvisa when you want to plan there. This page does not keep the budget.
Once you have a realistic total and a split across categories, the usual next steps are to confirm an approximate guest count, decide which suppliers matter most, and enquire about the items with the longest lead times.
The Wedvisa planner brings budget, guests, checklist and timelines into one place. Sign up to Wedvisa to use them together.
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