HOW TO CREATE A WEDDING BUDGET: OUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
Before the dress shopping, venue tours, and floral inspiration boards begin, there’s one essential step that sets the tone for your entire wedding planning experience: your budget. Creating a clear wedding budget from the start allows you to make informed decisions, prioritize what truly matters, and enjoy the process without unnecessary stress along the way — especially when planning a wedding in Southern Ontario, where venue styles, guest counts, and seasonal considerations can all influence your overall spend.
This guide walks you through how to build a wedding budget that works for you — from establishing your overall number to breaking it down by category and tracking your spending as plans come together. With a little organization and a thoughtful approach, your budget can become a helpful planning tool rather than a limitation.
Besides booking a venue and setting a date, one of the first items a newly engaged couple determines is their wedding budget. Considering this is most likely the first time planning a wedding, setting a budget may be daunting and feel overwhelming: where do you start? How do you know how much to spend? Who is supposed to contribute and how much? The hope is that this post provides some clarity and makes the process feel less stressful!
Where do you start? how to figure out your WEDDING budget
The first thing to consider is what you want your wedding celebration to look like. Is the focus just on the day of or will there be a welcome reception, rehearsal dinner, farewell brunch, or other miscellaneous events that will be out-of-pocket? if you are spreading the funds across all of these events, budget for each one separately, placing the wedding at the top of the pyramid and allowing the smaller events to trickle down. It is not necessary to assume that as the hosts you will be covering the costs of these events in their entirety, so if the budget doesn’t allow you to host all of your wedding day guests at a welcome reception or for you to cover the costs of wedding party dates at a rehearsal dinner, then be logical and upfront about this when planning your budget.
Who will be contributing — conversations and expectations
It’s really easy to want to go for it on the day as you won’t want to regret not splurging on something, but in the end, your wedding shouldn’t put you (or anyone else) in debt or be something that financially strains your brand-new marriage. Besides any savings you may have set aside, most couples allocate approximately 10% of their monthly income toward their wedding budget. Sit down together to do the math and have an honest conversation about where you think a reasonable place to land is.
If you have parents or loved ones who have kindly offered to contribute to the budget or you are comfortable asking for assistance with the finances, you can choose to use those funds as a way to elevate your planning or to help cover the costs of any pre or post-wedding events. Traditionally, the groom’s family covers the cost of a rehearsal dinner and the bar bill at the wedding reception, while bridesmaids and mothers of the bride + groom help cover the cost of a bridal shower. Although traditional, it shouldn’t be assumed.
how to allocate funds by category
Now you have your base nest egg of funds and a figure that you want to work with, where should you expect the money to be spent. The bulk of the budget or approximately 40%, goes towards your venue, food, and beverage costs. These costs are typically bundled in your venue fee but may also include site fees, gratuities, and any applicable taxes. Check your contract to see if gratuities are automatically included or need to be considered outside of your quote. tracking your budget.
The remaining 60% is spread out across video and photography, wedding planning, attire, beauty, florals + decor, transportation, cake, entertainment, etc. Determine which details are the most important and which items you aren’t fussed about including — being realistic about your wants and needs will help create more room in your budget for the things you deem important.
how to track your wedding budget
Regardless of the system you use: a wedding planning spreadsheet, an online planning program, or good old-fashioned pen + paper, tracking your budget and spending is the key to ensuring you stay on track. This visual will give you a realistic look at where you stand and should be referenced after any purchase is made, so make a point to revisit your budget together and often so as not to lose sight. Hiring a wedding planner is a wonderful way to have professional budget management support and to receive insight into how to make your budget go further. Planners have learned invaluable tips and tricks that can make the investment to hire them extremely smart and worth the effort in the end.
EXTRAS to consider
Beyond your contractual payments be sure to remember that there are customary gratuities for some of the vendors your will book. Traditionally, transportation drivers, hair + makeup artists, and catering/bartending staff are tipped outside of their quote.
STAYING ON TRACK: BUDGET TIPS FOR 2026 AND 2027 COUPLES
As mentioned above it is really easy to get swept away when planning a wedding. The amount of inspiration at our fingertips is endless and it’s hard to gauge the cost of something simply by looking at a photo. Once you have a plan and budget that feels right to you, stick to it and see that through to the end.
VENDOR CREDITS
Photography: Livi Shaw Photography
Venue: Rosemount on The Bench
Florist: Threads & Blooms
Hair: Hair Creations
Makeup: Makeup by Alana Snoei
Dessert: Darling Donuts
Gown + Veil: The Modern Bride
Gown Designer: Made With Love Bridal
Rentals: Special Occasions Party Rentals Inc.
Brides Jewelry: Olive and Piper
Stationery: Minted
Officiant: Cathy Davis and Co
Caterer: The Best Little Menu
Wax Seals: Artisaire
Ring Box: Belle Box Boutique
Rings: Mammon Diamonds Ltd.
Brides Shoes: Stuart Weitzman
Grooms Watch: Seiko Presage
Grooms Attire: Indochino
Bridesmaids Dresses: Xscape at Hudsons Bay
Groomsmen Suits: Moores
Bubbly: Back 10 Cellars
Beer: Furnace Room Brewery
Wine: Jackson Triggs
Robes: Endless Temptations