Wedding budget template
A wedding budget in Excel with the usual categories, a suggested split of your total, estimated and actual cost, deposits paid, balance due and who pays.
- ๐บ๐ธ US format ยท Letter size
- Free
Pick your options and the preview updates. The file opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
The file is built in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or saved.
Sheets
- How to use
- Budget: 13 categories with a share of the total (yellow, totals 100%), suggested (total x share), estimated, actual, deposit paid, balance due (formula), who pays (dropdown), notes; total budget, guests, per guest and the shares check at the top; totals row and left to spend
Color key
- Yellow cells: fill these in
- Blue cells: formulas, leave them as they are
- Gray rows: examples you can delete
1 / 1
Wedding budget
| Category | Share | Suggested | Estimated | Actual | Deposit paid | Balance due | Who pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue and catering | 40% | (auto) | 12,800 | 12,800 | 3,000 | (auto) | Couple | |
| Photography and video | 12% | (auto) | 3,900 | 900 | (auto) | Couple | ||
| Attire (dress, suit, alterations) | 8% | (auto) | 2,400 | 2,150 | (auto) | Bride's family | ||
| Flowers and decor | 8% | (auto) | (auto) | |||||
| Music and entertainment | 8% | (auto) | (auto) | |||||
| Rings | 3% | (auto) | (auto) | |||||
| Total | 3% | =SUM(โฆ) | =SUM(โฆ) | =SUM(โฆ) | =SUM(โฆ) | =SUM(โฆ) |
This shows the first part of each sheet as it prints on Letter paper. The file also has a how-to sheet and formulas, and every column fits one page width when you print from Excel.
How to use it
Type the total you can spend and the guest count. The sheet splits the total across 13 categories using a common share for each, venue and catering taking the biggest slice at 40 percent, so you have a suggested number for every line before a single quote comes in. As quotes arrive, type the estimate, then the actual when you sign, and the deposit when you pay it. Balance due shows what is still owed to each vendor.
The shares are yellow because they are yours to change. Care more about photos than flowers? Move points from one to the other; the check cell at the top turns to OK when they add back to 100 percent. Open it in Google Sheets to share with your partner and whoever is contributing.
Things to watch
Catering quotes are usually per person before tax, service charge and gratuity, which together add 25 to 35 percent, so put the all-in number in Estimated. Keep a line for the small things (postage, marriage license, tips, alterations) in the last category; they add up to more than the cake. Vendor deposits are rarely refundable, so read the contract before the money goes into the Deposit column.
Calculators that go with this
Frequently asked questions
Where do the percentages come from?
They are the shares most US planners use as a starting point: venue and catering around 40 percent, photography and video 12, attire, flowers and music about 8 each, with the rest in small pieces. Your wedding will not match them exactly, which is why the cells are yellow.
How do I track a parent paying for one thing directly?
Put the full amount on the line as Actual and pick who pays from the dropdown. The totals then show the real cost of the wedding, not just what left your account. If you only want your own spending, filter the Who pays column to Couple.
Does it track the tasks and dates too?
No, this file is money only. The wedding checklist template has the 12-month task list with due dates, and the wedding guest list template keeps the head count that feeds the per-guest cost.
Is what I type saved anywhere?
No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is sent to our server. If you refresh the page it is gone, so print, save a PDF or download the DOCX when you are done.