Wedding cost per guest: how to work it out and use it

Cost per guest is the number that turns a wedding budget from a wish into a plan. It's one division, and it answers the two questions every couple wonders about: can we afford this venue, and can we afford the people we love? Here's how to work it out and how to use it.

1. The basic sum

Take your total budget and divide it by the number of guests you expect to attend.

A 30,000 budget for 120 guests is 250 per guest. A 22,000 budget for 90 guests is about 244. That figure covers everything: the venue, the food, the photographer, the flowers, your outfits. It's an average, not a price tag, but it's the right average to compare quotes against, because venues and caterers almost always price per head.

Use attending guests, not invited ones. Plan on 10 to 20 percent of invitations being declined for a local wedding, more for a destination one. Our guide to the guest list covers how to estimate that.

2. Fixed costs and per-guest costs

Not everything scales with headcount. Split your categories in two:

• Per-guest costs: catering, bar, cake, rentals (chairs, linens, place settings), stationery, favors. Add a guest and each of these goes up.
• Fixed costs: photography, video, music, officiant, attire, rings, hair and makeup, most decor, the planner. These cost the same for 60 guests as for 160.

The venue is usually a mix: a hire fee plus a per-head food and beverage minimum.

This split is the most useful thing you can know about your budget. It tells you what one more guest really costs. If fixed costs come to 12,000 and per-guest costs run 150 a head, the 121st guest costs 150, not 250. And the average cost per guest drops as the list grows, because the fixed costs spread thinner.

3. Flip it: how many guests can we afford?

Now run the sum backwards. Take the total, subtract fixed costs and your buffer, then divide what's left by the per-guest cost.

Say the total is 30,000. You keep a 2,000 buffer. Fixed costs are 12,000. That leaves 16,000 for per-guest costs. At 150 a head, that's 106 guests. If your list is at 130, you now know the conversation you need to have, and you know it before you sign a venue contract instead of after.

Our free budget calculator does this for you: put in the total and the headcount, and it shows cost per guest and the maximum guests you can afford at a given per-head figure.

4. Compare it to real quotes

Once you have a per-guest figure, use it as a filter.

• Venue and catering quotes are usually per head, with tax and service charges on top. Add both before you compare: a 120 menu with 18 percent service and 5 percent tax is really about 148.
• Bar packages are per head for a set number of hours. Check what happens if the reception runs late.
• Rentals quoted per item add up quickly at 120 guests. Chairs, linens, chargers, glassware: multiply each by headcount, then add 5 percent for breakage and spares.

If a venue's all-in per-head cost is more than about half your overall cost per guest, the rest of the budget will be tight. That's not a reason to walk away; it's a reason to decide now which fixed costs give.

5. Ways to bring it down

There are only two levers: the per-guest cost or the number of guests.

• Change the meal, not the menu quality. A lunch or brunch reception, a family-style dinner or food stations usually cost less per head than a plated evening dinner.
• Shorten the bar. Beer, wine and one signature cocktail instead of a full open bar; or an open bar for the first two hours.
• Pick the day. Friday, Sunday and off-season dates often come with lower food and beverage minimums.
• Trim the list by tier. Cutting a tier of the guest list saves the per-guest cost for every person in it. It's the hardest lever and the biggest one.

6. Keep it current

Cost per guest changes every time the guest list or a contract changes. Keep both in the same place, so a new RSVP or a signed quote updates the number without anyone redoing the maths. That's exactly what the budget in Linenfold does: confirmed vendors fill in their contract prices, and the guest count comes straight from your list. Our budget guide covers the tracking side.

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical cost per guest for a wedding? It varies hugely by region and style. The useful number is your own: total budget divided by expected attendees.

Does cost per guest include the venue? Yes. It's the whole budget divided by headcount, so it includes every category, fixed and per-guest.

How much does one extra guest cost? Only the per-guest costs: catering, bar, rentals, stationery, favors. Usually well below your average cost per guest.

Should we count vendors who eat? Yes, for catering. Vendor meals are often charged at a reduced rate, so ask your caterer.

Work out your own figures in the free budget calculator, then create a free account to keep your budget and guest list working together.