Wedding budget
Small wedding budget for 25 guests
A 25-guest wedding is an intimate one: a backyard, a restaurant room or a small venue. Enter your total below to see your cost per guest and a category split. The table underneath works through $5,000 as an example.
$5,000 for 25 guests is $200 per guest.
Cost per guest at 25 guests
Divide the total by 25. Plain arithmetic at a few budgets:
- $2,500 ÷ 25 = $100 per guest
- $5,000 ÷ 25 = $200 per guest
- $7,500 ÷ 25 = $300 per guest
- $10,000 ÷ 25 = $400 per guest
Example: $5,000 split by category
These are common starting splits that we use in our own calculator. They are a planning starting point, not survey data; your city, season and priorities will move them.
| Category | Share | Amount | Per guest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue & catering | 45% | $2,250 | $90 |
| Photography & video | 11% | $550 | $22 |
| Attire & beauty | 8% | $400 | $16 |
| Flowers & decor | 8% | $400 | $16 |
| Music & entertainment | 7% | $350 | $14 |
| Rings | 4% | $200 | $8 |
| Planner / coordinator | 4% | $200 | $8 |
| Stationery & invitations | 2% | $100 | $4 |
| Cake & desserts | 2% | $100 | $4 |
| Transport | 2% | $100 | $4 |
| Favors & gifts | 2% | $100 | $4 |
| Officiant & license | 1% | $50 | $2 |
| Buffer for surprises | 4% | $200 | $8 |
| Total | 100% | $5,000 | $200 |
If you want to stretch the budget at 25 guests
- Small lists cost more per head. Fixed costs such as photographer hours, an officiant and attire do not shrink with the guest list, so the per-guest figure runs higher than at 100 or 150 guests.
- Move money, don't add it. Raise the categories you care about by lowering others so the total stays fixed.
- Keep the 4% buffer. At $5,000 that is $200 for fees, tips and alterations.
For bigger guest lists, see the worked examples for 50 guests, 75 guests, 100 guests, 150 guests and 200 guests.
Want it as a spreadsheet you can fill in?
The $9 planner has planned vs actual, payments and a guest list. The $19 Kit adds a vendor sheet, RSVP tracker, seating chart and checklist as printable PDFs. Not what you expected? Email for a refund within 30 days.
Not ready to buy? Take the free checklist.
“40 Wedding Costs Couples Forget” is a printable PDF of the costs that most often blow a budget, such as service charges, alterations, tips and delivery fees. Pay what you like, including $0.