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Wedding Venue & Catering Cost Calculator
The two biggest line items in most wedding budgets, combined into one number.
Why catering per guest changes everything
Venue and catering together are usually the single largest expense in a wedding budget, and catering is the part that scales directly with your guest list — every name you add or cut moves the total by exactly one per-guest price. That's why cutting the guest list is the single most effective lever for lowering a wedding budget, far more effective than trimming flowers or favors.
Most venues and caterers also add a service charge or gratuity on top of the food and rental total — commonly somewhere between 18% and 24% — which is easy to forget when you're comparing quotes. This calculator applies that percentage to catering plus venue rental so the number you see is the number that actually appears on the final invoice, not just the headline per-plate price.
Frequently asked questions
Is the service charge the same as tipping the staff?
Not necessarily. Many venues apply a mandatory service charge that covers staffing and setup, and that charge may or may not be distributed to servers as a tip — some venues also expect additional gratuity on top. Always ask the venue directly how their service charge is applied before you budget your final tipping amount.
Does the per-guest catering price include drinks?
It depends on the caterer — some per-guest quotes are food only, with a separate bar package or per-drink charge, while others bundle a house wine and beer package into the plate price. Ask for an itemized quote and enter the true all-in per-guest cost here for an accurate total.
Should I budget for the final guest count or my initial invite list?
Budget for a realistic final headcount, not your invite list — most weddings see a 10–20% decline rate between invitations sent and guests who actually attend. Many caterers also require a final guest count and matching payment about two to three weeks before the wedding, so revisit this calculator once RSVPs are in.
What isn't included in this number?
This total covers catering and venue rental with service charge only. Photography, flowers, music, attire and other categories are estimated separately — use the total wedding budget calculator to see how this fits into the full picture.