• HOME
  • PLANNING GUIDES
  • DIY WEDDING IDEAS
  • FASHION
  • BEAUTY
  • LIFESTYLE + RELATIONSHIPS
  • DIY ENTERTAINING
  • ALL POSTS

How to Plan a Wedding | Wedding Planning Tips | DIY Guides

  • HOME
  • GRAB YOUR FREE WEDDING PLANNING KIT
  • DIY WEDDING STATIONERIES
  • RINGS | BRILLIANT EARTH
  • FREE INVITATION SAMPLES | MINTED
Q & A

What Is The Average Cost Of A Wedding?

What is the average cost of a wedding? Perhaps you are at the very early stages of getting engaged and you wanted to know what you are getting into in terms of “investment” and “expenses” for your wedding.

  • What is the average cost of a wedding?
  • What is the most expensive part of a wedding?
  • What is a good wedding budget?

This site contains affiliate links. For more info, please see our full disclosure. 

Sure, there can be a lot of sources out there that will tell you what is the “average” and what “other” couples have spent, but the truth is, every situation is different isn’t it? We are here to share our insights on what you should expect in terms of costs for your upcoming wedding day!

This site contains affiliate links. For more info, please see our full disclosure.

What is the average cost of a wedding?

The quick answer is that the reception will cost you about:

  • $45-$55 per person (cocktail/appetizers only)
  • $55-$65 per person (buffet)
  • $65-$75 per person (brunch at a wedding venue or restaurant dinner)
  • $90-$150 per person (dinner at a wedding venue) for a generic menu selection (starter/appetizer, main course, and dessert).
  • If you are looking to add a standard bar, expect to add about $20-$30 per person on top of the food.

Of course, this goes without saying that prices will always vary depending on where you are. These ranges are applicable in USD and CAD.

You are probably wondering why we decided to share this price as “per person” pricing at the reception only, instead of a total amount.

Here’s why…

What is the most expensive part of a wedding?

It’s the wedding reception. Because all the other things at your wedding can be variable depending on your preference. But one thing for sure is that you will need to have some type of meal to serve and feed your guests. This is why we are presenting this “average cost” per person at the reception.



What Is The Average Cost Of A Wedding?

SAVING TIP: There are wedding venues and even restaurants that include their rental in their price per person when you guarantee a specific number of people.

We shared a mid-end and low-end wedding reception cost comparison here. BUT, and this is a big but, the other elements of your wedding CAN be totally variable for you.

You might find a better deal for your dress than you have initially budgeted for or might have a cousin that is a wedding officiant that offered services to you for free. Perhaps have a graphic designer friend who can design your wedding stationeries for you for free.

There are a lot of options and variables that you can play around with that can change what the cost of your wedding will be for you. You might also opt for digital wedding invitations instead of printed ones.

Choosing to “wisely” DIY some aspects of your wedding like your centerpieces (or purchase pre-arranged ones!), wedding invitations/stationeries, and wedding favors, can largely affect your “costs”.

We understand the “average cost of a wedding” ranges out there on the world wide web is also from real couples and the “general” public. But you can use those (and this) as a guide and a general overview of the costs, however, you know your situation better and what you think is right for you, it’s what’s mostly and truly right for you.

What is a good wedding budget?

Listen lovely, whatever budget you have set based on your situation, is a good wedding budget for you! With the right vendors, advisors, and support, you can make it happen! If the world wide web says that the average wedding cost is $30,000 – and you plan to have a budget of $20,000 (or whatever budget you have set, whether less or more than!) – then that budget is what is best for you.

When you are open to new ideas, concepts, and approaches to your wedding, you can make whatever budget you set, right for you.

There you are lovely! Our insights on your question “What Is The Average Cost Of A Wedding?”

RELATED GUIDES

Discussions

Waiting For Wedding Vendors To Respond

Q & A

All-inclusive Wedding Packages: Money Saver?

Q & A

Ordering Wedding Gowns Online And Bridesmaids’ Dr...

Guides

Should Guests Select their Entrées Before the Wedding?...

Discussions

Is buffet tacky for a wedding?

Discussions

Should I Hire a Wedding Videographer?

Discussions

Do Not Want To Have A Wedding Sit-down Meal?

Details

What can I DIY at my wedding?

Guides

Wedding Getting Ready: Where?


THE AUTHORS: creatives, researchers & event consultants

With over a decade of experience in the wedding and event industry, our designs and planning services have been featured in notable blogs and publications in Canada and the United States. Our team's goal is to share inspirations and guides to help you plan your wedding and event in style while having fun and pocketing some savings along the way!

Inspiring you to celebrate life and love! xo, Maria & the WPR team : Good vibes always bb! ~xo~

Previous Tropical Wedding Flowers: Inspiration
Next Wedding Vendor Consultation: How To Prepare?

Primary Sidebar

Listen to guides on the go!

Spotify

YouTube

PO Box 91156, Bayview Village M2K 2Y6
wpr@peppermintandco.ca

Contact | Advertise | Careers

Guides | Advice from the Experts
Social Events | Fashion
Q & A

Affiliate Disclosure
Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2023 How to Plan a Wedding | Wedding Planning Tips | DIY Guides
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT