Wedding Budget Template: Printable Worksheet and Free CSV
Updated
A wedding budget does not need complicated software, just a table with the right categories and three columns: what you plan to spend, what it really costs, and what is already paid. That is exactly what this template is. Print it or download it as a CSV for your spreadsheet app, then fill it in piece by piece as the offers come in.
The blank budget template
| Category | Planned | Actual | Paid | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | ||||
| Catering | ||||
| Drinks | ||||
| Photography and video | ||||
| Music | ||||
| Flowers and decor | ||||
| Outfits and rings | ||||
| Stationery | ||||
| Accommodation | ||||
| Ceremony | ||||
| Other | ||||
| Total | ||||
| Per guest |
How to use the template
Start with the Planned column: set your overall limit and split it across the categories before you request the first offer. The planned amounts are your ceilings when negotiating. As soon as a contract or invoice arrives, enter the real amount in the Actual column; every transfer goes into the Paid column. The Notes column is for deadlines, contacts and anything you want at hand for the next phone call. The total row then shows at a glance whether the overall budget still holds.
If an item does not apply to you, accommodation for example, simply cross it out. Add your own items such as childcare or the bachelorette party under other.
The template deliberately ships without average prices or percentage guidelines: what a wedding costs depends on region, season, guest count and your priorities. The only reliable numbers are your own offers.
How the per-guest figure works
The Per guest row is plain arithmetic: divide the sum of the Planned column by the number of confirmed guests. With 10,000 in the total and 100 confirmations, that row reads 100 per guest; when someone declines or a planned amount changes, you recalculate. The figure is useful because many offers are priced per person: it lets you compare a catering quote directly against your own limit and shows immediately what a longer guest list means overall.
Keeping an eye on deposits
Most vendors ask for a deposit at booking and the balance shortly before or after the wedding. So for every booking, note in the Notes column how high the deposit is and when it and the final payment are due. Enter paid deposits under Paid right away: the difference between Actual and Paid then shows you per category what is still outstanding. Also check the contract for the conditions under which a deposit is refunded if you cancel.
Once the budget stands, the seating chart is next: the step-by-step seating chart guide walks you through it, and the guide on how many tables you need covers the table math.