Wedding Cost Per Head Calculator
See the real cost per guest at your wedding. Break down your budget across venue, catering, drinks, photography, and more with adjustable percentages and what-if scenarios.
Cost Per Guest
£100.00
Total budget divided by 100 guests
Budget Breakdown
catering
Food, staff, service
Total
£3500.00
Per Guest
£35.00
% of Budget
35%
venue
Venue hire, tables, chairs, linens
Total
£3000.00
Per Guest
£30.00
% of Budget
30%
drinks
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Total
£1000.00
Per Guest
£10.00
% of Budget
10%
photography
Photographer, videographer, albums
Total
£800.00
Per Guest
£8.00
% of Budget
8%
entertainment
Music, DJ, entertainment, dancing
Total
£500.00
Per Guest
£5.00
% of Budget
5%
flowers
Bridal bouquet, arrangements, decorations
Total
£500.00
Per Guest
£5.00
% of Budget
5%
other
Miscellaneous (decor, favours, etc.)
Total
£500.00
Per Guest
£5.00
% of Budget
5%
stationery
Invitations, place cards, signage
Total
£200.00
Per Guest
£2.00
% of Budget
2%
What If Scenarios
See how adding or removing guests affects your cost per head
Adjust guest count manually:
Budget Planning Tips
- •Catering is your biggest expense. Reducing guest count or choosing simpler menu options makes the biggest impact.
- •Smaller guest lists = lower per-head cost. An intimate 50-guest wedding is often cheaper per person than 200 guests.
- •Afternoon weddings cost less. Lunch or afternoon tea receptions are cheaper than evening dinners.
- •Flowers are flexible. Seasonal flowers and greenery-heavy designs cost far less than elaborate floral displays.
- •Build in contingency. Add 10-15% for unexpected costs and unexpected guests.
- •Get quotes before committing. Use your per-head cost as a target when negotiating with vendors.
Typical Cost Ranges (UK)
These are approximate ranges and vary greatly depending on location, season, and vendor choices.
What a Wedding Actually Costs Per Guest
The average UK wedding cost £20,700 in 2024 according to Hitched's national survey, and most couples invite around 80 to 100 guests, which works out to roughly £80 to £200 per head. The Wedding Cost Per Head Calculator takes your total budget and guest count and breaks it across the eight standard categories, then shows what each guest is genuinely costing you once you factor in their share of the venue hire, photography, flowers and music as well as the obvious food and drink.
Cost per head matters most when you're deciding whether to invite borderline guests. The 'extra' cost of one more guest isn't just their meal; it's their share of corkage, place setting, favour, evening food, and (often) one more bottle of wine. Most couples find the marginal cost lands at £80 to £130 per additional guest beyond the obvious catering line.
Typical Cost Per Head by Total Budget
| Total Budget | Guests | Per Head | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10,000 | 60 | £167 | Pub or restaurant venue, simple meal |
| £20,000 | 80 | £250 | Typical UK wedding budget |
| £20,700 | 100 | £207 | Hitched 2024 average |
| £35,000 | 100 | £350 | Manor house or barn, full catering |
| £50,000 | 120 | £417 | London or destination, premium suppliers |
Cutting the Guest List vs Cutting Categories
When the budget feels tight, the lever most couples reach for is cutting suppliers (cheaper photographer, smaller cake, no videographer), but cutting the guest list often does more for the bottom line. Removing 10 guests from a £20,000 wedding for 100 saves around £700 to £1,000: the catering and drinks for those guests, plus their share of place settings, favours, transport, and the marginal increase in venue capacity. Cutting the cake budget by £200 saves £200; removing 10 guests saves four times that.
The hardest part is who to cut. The simplest test: 'have we seen them in the last two years?' Anyone who answers no can typically be excluded without offence. Pair this with the [Wedding Budget Calculator](/wedding-budget-calculator) to see the full category split, and the [Wedding Catering Calculator](/wedding-catering-calculator) to map exact food and drink savings as the headcount changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average wedding cost per head in the UK?
Around £200 per head based on the Hitched 2024 average of £20,700 for 100 guests. London weddings run higher (£300 to £450 per head); rural and weekday weddings run lower (£100 to £150 per head). The figure varies wildly by venue type: pubs are £80 to £120, manor houses £200 to £400, marquee weddings on private land can be either depending on infrastructure costs.
How do I work out the marginal cost of one extra guest?
Add together the per-head catering cost (typically £60 to £100), per-head drinks (£20 to £30), evening food share (£15 to £25), favour and place setting (£5 to £10), and a small allocation for the increased flowers, transport, and admin. The marginal cost lands at £100 to £170 per extra guest at most UK weddings, even though the headline 'per head' average looks higher because it includes fixed costs like venue hire.
Should the wedding party be excluded from the per-head total?
No. Bridesmaids, groomsmen and parents eat and drink the same as everyone else, and excluding them just hides the real cost. What you can do is include their costs (gifts, accommodation, suit hire contributions) as separate budget line items, which keeps the per-head figure focused on the catering side.
Is it cheaper to have a smaller or larger wedding?
Smaller is almost always cheaper on the headline number, but cost per head is often higher because fixed costs (venue, photographer, music) get spread across fewer guests. A 30-guest intimate wedding can land at £400 to £600 per head; a 100-guest wedding at the same venue can land at £180 to £250 per head. The total budget is what matters, not the per-head figure in isolation.
How do I track my actual spending against this calculator?
Use this tool for the planning estimate, then move to a detailed spreadsheet or the [Wedding Budget Calculator](/wedding-budget-calculator) for tracking actual deposits and final invoices as you book each supplier. The two together cover both the strategic 'is this affordable' question and the operational 'are we still on track' question.
Related Tools
Wedding Drink Calculator
Calculate exactly how many bottles of champagne, wine, beer, and soft drinks you need for your wedding. Adjusts for season, duration, and bar type with cost estimates.
Wedding Catering Calculator
Calculate food quantities for your wedding reception. Choose between sit-down, buffet, canapes, or BBQ and get exact kg amounts for meat, fish, vegetables, and desserts.