Starter
$74$49one-time
For couples who want the essentials
Unlimited photos & videos
Unlimited guests
Original quality (no compression)
3 months upload from event date
6 months storage + ZIP download
QR code template designs
Free planning tool
Wedding cost calculator by state, city and guest count
Pick where you are getting married, how many guests and the style. You get a total, the cost per guest and a breakdown that adds up, built on the $34,200 US average from The Knot 2026 study.
Just need a quick number? See cost by guest count10US average: 117350
Style
The typical US wedding in the averages.
Buffer for surprises
Estimated total, United States (national average)$34,200
$292 per guest117 guests, classic style
Average wedding in the US: $34,200 (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study). The calculator treats that average as 117 guests, classic style.
What would save the most
Invite 20 fewer guests: save $3,014
Go simple instead of classic: save $10,260
More ways to lower the totalCost breakdown by category
Category split: average of the 50 state breakdownsWhere your $34,200 goes
Venue & rentalsSite fee, tables, chairs, linens
$11,13033%
Catering, bar & cakeFood, drinks, service, cake
$8,37024%
Photo & videoPhotographer and videographer
$5,58016%
Flowers & decorBouquets, centerpieces, lighting
$1,9806%
Music & entertainmentDJ, band, ceremony music
$1,4604%
Attire, hair & makeupDress, suit, alterations, beauty
$2,2106%
Planner & officiantPlanner or coordinator, officiant
$2,1606%
Stationery, favors & transportInvitations, favors, shuttles
$1,3104%
Total$34,200
Budget mapped out. Now collect every guest photo in one free albumStart my photo album
Email me my cost estimate
Get your cost estimate sent straight to your inbox so it doesn't get lost.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Average wedding cost ranking
All 25 cities, most to least expensive
Tap any row to load it into the calculator.
US average for comparison: $34,200 (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study). The ranking shows each location's published average, before your guest count and style.
01How the estimate works
Real averages in, your wedding out
Most wedding cost calculators either hand you one national number or ask for a budget you do not have yet. This one starts from a published average for your location and adjusts it for the two things that move a wedding budget most: how many people you invite and how formal the day is.
01
Start from a real average
Each location starts from its published average: $34,200 for the US, a state average from our state cost data, or one of 25 city averages.
02
Split it the way that place spends
States use their own 14-line cost breakdown, grouped into eight categories. Cities borrow their state's split, and the US figure uses the average split of all 50 states.
03
Scale by guest count
Catering, rentals, flowers and paper grow with every guest. Attire and the photographer mostly do not. At the US average, one guest moves the total by about $151.
04
Apply your style
Simple is 0.7 times the average, Classic is the average, Upscale is 1.5 times and Luxury is 2.2 times. The tiers are our planning estimate, not survey data.
The $34,200 average comes from The Knot. The Knot Worldwide's press release for the same study gives the 117 guest average, the $292 per guest figure and the 10,474 couple sample. State and city averages come from our wedding cost by state and city data. The calculator treats each average as a classic wedding with 117 guests, which is our assumption.
02Where the money goes
How the calculator splits the $34,200 average
These are the eight categories behind every estimate, at the US average. The column to watch is how much each line grows with guests, since that is what the guest count slider moves.
Swipe to compare
| Category | Amount | Share | Grows with guests | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue & rentals | $11,130 | 33% | Mostly | Site fee, tables, chairs, linens |
| Catering, bar & cake | $8,370 | 24% | Almost fully | Food, drinks, service, cake |
| Photo & video | $5,580 | 16% | Barely | Photographer and videographer |
| Flowers & decor | $1,980 | 6% | Mostly | Bouquets, centerpieces, lighting |
| Music & entertainment | $1,460 | 4% | Barely | DJ, band, ceremony music |
| Attire, hair & makeup | $2,210 | 6% | No | Dress, suit, alterations, beauty |
| Planner & officiant | $2,160 | 6% | Barely | Planner or coordinator, officiant |
| Stationery, favors & transport | $1,310 | 4% | Mostly | Invitations, favors, shuttles |
| Total | $34,200 | 100% | About $151 a guest | Everything above |
Rounded to the nearest $10, the lines add up to $34,200. For vendor by vendor averages and budget tiers, see the full wedding cost breakdown.
03Quick reference
Wedding cost by guest count
The US average run through the calculator at common guest counts and three styles. Each guest you add or remove moves a classic wedding by about $151, and the per-guest cost falls as the list grows because some costs are fixed.
Swipe to compare
| Guests | Simple | Classic | Upscale | Per guest (classic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 guests | $16,872 | $24,103 | $36,154 | $482 |
| 75 guests | $19,511 | $27,871 | $41,807 | $372 |
| 100 guests | $22,147 | $31,639 | $47,458 | $316 |
| 117 guests (US average) | $23,940 | $34,200 | $51,300 | $292 |
| 150 guests | $27,421 | $39,175 | $58,758 | $261 |
| 200 guests | $32,695 | $46,707 | $70,062 | $234 |
| 250 guests | $37,970 | $54,243 | $81,363 | $217 |
US average location, no buffer and no guest photo line. Luxury is 2.2 times the average and is left out to keep the table readable. Switch the style in the calculator to see it for your location. These are our modeled estimates; The Knot's surveyed averages by guest count bracket are in the wedding cost breakdown.
Three worked examples
Ohio, 60 guests, simpleTop three lines. Illustrative, from the calculator.
Small and simple in Ohio
$14,683$245 per guest
Venue & rentals$4,434
Photo & video$3,142
Catering, bar & cake$2,602
US average, 117 guests, classicTop three lines. Illustrative, from the calculator.
The average US wedding
$34,200$292 per guest
Venue & rentals$11,130
Catering, bar & cake$8,370
Photo & video$5,580
New York City, New York, 180 guests, upscaleTop three lines. Illustrative, from the calculator.
Big and upscale in New York City
$144,119$801 per guest
Venue & rentals$49,933
Catering, bar & cake$41,855
Photo & video$18,223
04The line most budgets skip
Guest photos: what each option costs
Your photographer covers the big moments. The candid ones at the tables, on the dance floor and at the after party are taken by guests, and without a plan they stay in guests' phones. The calculator has an optional guest photo line so you can budget for it. Here is how the usual options compare for an average 117 guest wedding.
Our pickPix Wedding QR album
Pix Wedding collects photos and videos from every guest with a phone, free for 20 uploads or $59 once for Standard. No app to download, no subscription.
| Option | Cost for 117 guests | What you get | When you see the photos | Guest effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pix Wedding QR albumOur pick | $0 for 20 uploads, or $59 once (Standard) | Every guest with a phone adds original-quality photos and videos to one album. Paid plans take unlimited guests. Standard adds a live slideshow and an audio guestbook. | Live, during the wedding | Scan a QR code. No app, no account |
| Nothing extra | $0 | Your photographer's gallery only. The candid moments at the tables and on the dance floor mostly stay in guests' phones. | When the photographer delivers | None |
| Disposable cameras | $540 for 15 cameras | 27 film shots per camera. About $36 each: $21.99 for a Fujifilm QuickSnap at Target plus developing from $14 a roll at The Darkroom, before shipping. | After you mail the film. The lab quotes 1 to 3 days once it arrives | Low, but only the guests holding a camera take part |
| Second photographer | About $650 | A second professional angle on the ceremony and the room. Joy puts this add-on at $500 to $1,500. | With the main gallery | None |
Swipe to compare
Disposable camera math: one camera per table of 8, so 15 cameras for 117 guests at about $36 each (Target camera price and The Darkroom developing, checked September 2026). Second photographer range from Joy. The $650 figure matches our photographer cost calculator. More on film in are disposable cameras worth it.
First dance
You guys!!
Your budget has a guest photo line now. Keep it small
One QR code on every table, and every guest's photos and videos land in one album in original quality. Free for 20 uploads, then one payment.
From Mom
Point your camera
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
9:41
UPLOADING
Saving your moment
9:41
THE ALBUM
Emma & Jack
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
AllMomentsMine
★
Add photosShare your moments
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
06Lower the total
Six ways to bring the estimate down
The first two savings come straight from the calculator at the US average. The rest depend on your vendors, so the honest advice is to ask for the price both ways.
About $3,014 less
Trim the guest list
Twenty fewer guests at the US average. Guests drive catering, rentals, flowers and paper, which is why the list is the biggest lever you have.
About $10,260 less
Go one style tier down
Classic to Simple at the US average: a daytime reception, buffet or family style service and fewer extras.
Ask for both prices
Pick a Friday, Sunday or off-season date
Peak-season Saturdays are the most requested dates. Many venues price other days and months lower, so ask for both quotes before you choose.
Ask for a per-person quote
Shrink the bar
Beer, wine and one signature cocktail usually cost less than a full open bar. Get both options priced by the caterer.
$0 to $59 vs about $650
Let guests fill the candid gaps
A QR album collects guest photos for the price of a free or one-time plan. A second photographer runs about $650.
5 or 10% set aside
Keep a buffer anyway
A small buffer keeps surprises off your credit card. Turn it on in the calculator to see the total with it included.
GUEST PHOTO ALBUM PRICING
One payment. Yours to keep.
The guest photo line in your budget, priced once. Every paid plan takes unlimited guests, so a longer guest list never changes the price. Start free with 20 guest uploads; nothing renews.
Standard
$89$59one-time
Most couples pick this
Everything in Starter
Live slideshow at the venue
6 months upload from event date
1 year storage + ZIP download
Up to 6 sub-albums
Audio guestbook & guest name tracking
Custom script and serif fonts
One-time payment, no subscription
Pro
$133$89one-time
For a longer window and more control
Everything in Standard
Custom domain for your album
1 year upload from event date
2 years storage + ZIP download
Priority support
Multiple admins
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
Secure checkout. Polar, Apple Pay, Google Pay.
Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
07Pick the right tool
Which wedding cost tool do you need?
This calculator answers one question: what will the whole wedding cost. If you are past that point, one of these fits better.
This calculatorYou do not know the total yet. Start from a location, guests and style and get the number.Wedding budget allocatorYou already have a budget. Split that exact amount across categories and track it.Wedding cost by state and cityYou want the local picture: state and city averages, cost factors and budget tips.Wedding cost breakdown guideYou want the category by category guide with national vendor averages.Photographer cost calculatorYou are pricing a photographer: hours, style, second shooter and extras.Photo booth cost calculatorYou are deciding on a photo booth and want the rental price for your hours.Marriage license costYou need the license fee and the rules for your state.Wedding venue costThe venue is your biggest line and you want to know what drives the price.
Couple reviews
Rated 4.9 by couples who used Pix Wedding
4.9
out of 5 · Based on 289 reviews
Tiny elopement style ceremony, just our closest people. Literally every guest uploaded something. The audio guestbook got us recordings of our grandparents telling stories and I've replayed them way too many times
Emerson F. · Burlington, VTVerified couple · October 2025
Used the free QR designer, printed the table cards at FedEx for like $20. Guests scanned without asking a single question. A few of these are framed in our apartment now
Paige U. · Raleigh, NCVerified couple · November 2025
City hall ceremony then 35 of us for dinner at a little Brooklyn restaurant. The album feels like a tiny documentary of our night. The live slideshow on the restaurant TV kept everyone uploading
Nina B. · Brooklyn, NYVerified couple · March 2026
How Much Does a Wedding Cost? Start With Location and Guests
The average US wedding cost $34,200 in The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, but few couples pay exactly the average. Where you marry and how many people you invite explain most of the gap. In our state data the averages run from $22,000 in Mississippi to $52,000 in New York, and New York City sits well above its state.
Guest count comes next. Catering, bar, rentals, centerpieces and invitations are bought per guest, so every name on the list carries a price. In this calculator one guest moves a classic US wedding by about $151, and the per-guest cost falls as the list grows because the photographer, attire and part of the venue fee stay the same.
- Location sets the starting average: the US, 25 cities or 50 states.
- Guest count scales the per-guest categories and leaves the fixed ones alone.
- Style multiplies the whole budget, from Simple (0.7x) to Luxury (2.2x).
- A 5 or 10 percent buffer covers tips, fees and surprises.
Wedding Cost Calculator vs Wedding Budget Calculator
A wedding cost calculator estimates what a wedding will cost before you have a number. A wedding budget calculator starts from the amount you have and splits it across categories. This page does the first job and covers the second: enter your budget and it shows whether the estimate fits, how many guests your budget covers at your style and how much to save each month.
If you already know your total, the wedding budget allocator splits it category by category and lets you track spending as quotes come in.
What the Estimate Leaves Out
The calculator's eight categories cover the ceremony and reception. The engagement ring, the honeymoon and weekend events such as a rehearsal dinner are not in the total, so budget them separately. Treat the result as a planning range and replace each line with real quotes as they arrive.
Common Questions
Wedding Cost FAQ
Straight answers on wedding cost, cost per guest and how this calculator gets its numbers.
Yes. Pick the US average, any of the 50 states or one of 25 US cities. Each state starts from its own published average and its own category split. Cities start from the city average and use their state's split, scaled to that average. If your city is not listed, pick your state for the closest local number.
Only the parts of the budget that are bought per guest move. Almost all of catering, bar and cake grows with the list, most of the venue, flowers and stationery grows with it, and the photographer, music and attire barely move or stay fixed. At the US average and a classic style, each guest you add or remove changes the total by about $151, and the cost per guest falls from $482 at 50 guests to $261 at 150.
At the US average and a classic style, the calculator estimates about $31,639 for 100 guests, or $316 per guest. That is our estimate built from the $34,200 average for 117 guests, not a survey figure. Pick your state or city in the calculator for a local number.
It starts from the published average for your location, splits it into eight categories using that state's own cost breakdown, then scales each category by how much it depends on guest count and applies a style multiplier. At 117 guests and Classic the result equals the published average exactly, and the breakdown always adds up to the total.
Venue demand, local wages and the cost of living. Venue rent and catering labor cost more in big coastal metros, so the same guest list and style can cost far more in New York City than in Indianapolis. The ranking under the calculator shows every city and state side by side.
Style is a flat multiplier on the whole estimate: Simple is 0.7 times the average, Classic is 1 times, Upscale is 1.5 times and Luxury is 2.2 times. The tiers are our estimates, not survey figures. Classic matches the published averages, so start there and move up or down to match the venue, menu and bar you have in mind.
Yes. In the calculator a simple-style wedding at the US average stays under $20,000 with up to 79 guests, and in lower-cost states you can invite more. Weekday or off-season dates, a restaurant or backyard venue and a smaller bar all bring it down further.
Treat it as a planning range, not a quote. The location averages are real, but the guest scaling and style tiers are our estimates, and your venue and vendors set the final price. Use the estimate to set a budget, then replace each line with real quotes as they come in.
Service charges and tax on catering, vendor tips, alterations, the marriage license (roughly $20 to $170 depending on the state and county), overtime, cake cutting or corkage fees, vendor meals, postage and transportation. Setting aside 5 to 10 percent as a buffer covers most of them.
Subtract what you have saved from the estimate and divide by the months until the wedding. Enter your savings and months to go in the calculator and it does the math. For example, a $34,200 wedding with $10,000 saved and 12 months to go needs about $2,017 a month.
It can be, mostly because the guest list gets smaller. Add travel and lodging for the two of you and close family, site visits and shipping decor before you compare. Run both locations in the calculator with the guest count you expect for each.
Ask for off-peak pricing on Fridays, Sundays and quieter months, bundle services from one vendor, and share your budget early so vendors can tailor a package. Get the all-in price with service charges and tax in writing before you sign.
Explore more free wedding tools
Everything you need to make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
Budget Allocator
Turn your total into a category-by-category plan.
Courthouse Wedding Cost
Real fees by county and what to expect.
Photo Sharing QR
The best way to collect guest photos.
Wedding Checklist
Month-by-month planning checklist.
AI Vow Generator
Write "banger" vows in seconds.
AI Speech Pro
Banger toasts for Best Man & more.