How much a wedding costs and how to build a wedding budget

What drives the cost of a wedding the most

Before adding up individual items, clarify four things. Almost every other cost depends on them.

What you typically pay for at a wedding

These are the most common wedding budget categories. Treat them as a prompt, not a mandatory shopping list — skip anything you don't need.

Ceremony and reception venue

Hire of the hall, garden, barn, or marquee. Ask about the deposit, the curfew for music, and whether cleanup is included.

Food and drink

Usually the largest single share of the budget, calculated almost entirely per person. It covers the wedding meal, evening buffet, drinks, waiting staff, and any corkage fee if you bring your own wine.

Photographer and videographer

Pricing depends mainly on how many hours they stay and what is delivered: number of edited photos, turnaround time, printed album, or highlight video.

Wedding dress, suit, and accessories

Buying or hiring? Remember to factor in tailoring alterations, shoes, underwear, veil, and a tie or bow tie.

Wedding rings

Metal, width, and engraving. Order well in advance — custom making or resizing can take several weeks.

Music

DJ, live band, or both. Check whether ceremony sound equipment is included and what each extra hour costs.

Flowers and decorations

Bridal bouquet, buttonholes, ceremony flowers, and table centrepieces. Delivery, on-site setup, and returning hired vases or stands are often billed separately.

Ceremony and registry office fees

In the Czech Republic, a civil ceremony held in the place and time designated by the municipality (typically the town hall ceremony room on set days) has no administrative fee. Permission to marry at another venue or outside designated hours costs 3 000 Kč. If only one partner has permanent residence in Czechia, the fee is 3 000 Kč; if neither does, it is 5 000 Kč. For a church wedding, the certificate from the registry office (matrika) costs 500 Kč. Check any additional local fees with your registry office.

Hair and make-up

The trial run, wedding-day styling, and optional styling for mothers or witnesses. If your hairstylist or make-up artist travels to your venue, travel is usually charged on top.

Invitations, announcements, and stationery

Printing, envelopes, and postage, plus place cards, menu cards, and the seating board. A wedding website can replace part of the printed stationery.

Transport and accommodation

Wedding cars, guest shuttles, and travel between the ceremony and reception. If you are paying for guest rooms, include them here too.

Wedding cake, sweet bar, and guest favours

The cake is priced by the number of portions. Take-home sweet boxes (výslužky), thank-you gifts for parents and witnesses, or a photo booth seem small individually but add up quickly.

How to divide your wedding budget

1. Agree on your total spending limit. Start by agreeing together how much you want and can afford to spend, and where the money will come from. If parents offer to contribute, talk openly early on about the amount and whether any expectations come with it — it prevents misunderstandings later.
2. Write your first guest list. A rough count of adults and children is enough at this stage. It lets you estimate per-person costs and see straight away whether your guest count and total budget match.
3. Pick what matters most to the two of you. Each of you should pick two or three things you truly care about — whether that is great food, photography, or live music. Allocate money to those first, then divide what remains across everything else and look for savings there.
4. Set aside a contingency buffer. Ring-fence part of your budget from day one for last-minute changes and forgotten extras. The fewer confirmed quotes you have, the larger this buffer should be.
5. Replace estimates with real quotes as they arrive. As soon as a supplier sends a quote, update your estimate with the agreed figure. You will see immediately whether you are still on track or need to trim another category.

Example: how guest count changes the total

These figures are purely illustrative — plug in quotes from your own suppliers. Suppose a caterer quotes 1 200 Kč per person for food and 600 Kč per person for drinks. For 60 guests, that comes to 60 × 1 800 Kč = 108 000 Kč. With 80 guests, it jumps to 144 000 Kč. That 36 000 Kč difference is on food and drink alone, before counting cake portions, chairs, or table flowers. That is why it helps to settle your guest count before choosing your venue and menu.

What couples most often forget in their budget

Budgets rarely blow up because of one big purchase — it is usually a string of small extras that weren't in the headline quote. Ask suppliers about these before you sign:

• Prices excluding VAT: check whether quotes include tax or not.
• Overtime hours for the band, DJ, photographer, or waiting staff if the party runs late.
• Travel, staff meals, and overnight accommodation for suppliers who are with you all day.
• Equipment hire: tablecloths, chairs, tableware, marquee, or patio heaters.
• Post-wedding cleanup and waste removal if the venue does not include it.
• A wet-weather backup plan for an outdoor ceremony.
• Children's portions, a kids' corner, or a babysitter.
• Dress and suit alterations after the final fitting.
• Thank-you gifts for parents, witnesses, and friends who help on the day.
• Next-day breakfast or brunch for guests staying overnight.
• Tips for waiting staff and suppliers.

How to keep spending under control

Track three numbers for every item: your initial estimate, the agreed price, and how much you have already paid. Remember that a deposit is part of the agreed price, not an extra cost — counting it twice makes it look as if you have spent more than you really have.

Note the due date for every deposit and remaining balance, along with the cancellation terms for each contract. Check in together from time to time to see how much remains to be paid and whether your buffer is still intact. Whenever your guest count changes, recalculate per-head items straight away.

A shared spreadsheet, notebook, or wedding planner that both of you can access is all you need. In the planner, deposits and remaining balances sit right next to each supplier, so you never have to dig through old emails and contracts to see what is due when.