Planning your wedding budget: The detailed cost guide

Engaged, now what? Before you visit venues and send out save-the-date cards, you need clarity on one thing: What does your wedding realistically cost, and how do you allocate the budget wisely?

This cost guide gives you an honest overview of all wedding expenses, shows you the biggest cost factors, and provides concrete money-saving tips so you can celebrate your dream wedding without overextending yourselves financially.

👉 Still in the middle of overall planning? Then start with our Wedding Planning: Guide & Checklist (2026).

What does a wedding cost in Germany and Austria?

The question "What does a wedding cost?" cannot be answered with a flat rate; the range is enormous. In Germany, couples spend an average of between 15,000 and 25,000 euros on their wedding celebration. In Austria, wedding costs are at a similar level.

Three factors are particularly decisive:

• Number of guests: by far the biggest cost driver
• Region and venue: a castle in Bavaria costs many times more than a barn in the countryside
• Your preferences: Multi-course menu or casual buffet? Live band or playlist?

Rule of thumb: Budget 100 to 200 euros per person for a solid celebration (venue, catering, drinks, basic decor). With 80 guests, you will quickly reach 8,000 to 16,000 euros just for the basics.

On top of that are the fixed costs that apply regardless of the number of guests: photographer, wedding dress, wedding rings, music, stationery, and much more. These items often add another 5,000 to 12,000 euros to the total.

All cost items at a glance: What really adds up

To ensure you don't forget anything, here are the most important items for your wedding budget with realistic price ranges:

Venue & room rental

• €500–€5,000 depending on the wedding venue (inn, event barn, winery, castle)
• Some venues require a minimum catering spend instead of a separate room rental fee
• Tip: Always ask about power outlets and technical connections during your site visit; it will save you a lot of stress when planning the party later on.

Catering & Drinks

• Menu: 50-130 euros per person
• Buffet: 40-100 euros per person (often cheaper and more flexible)
• Drinks package: 20-50 euros per person
• Wedding cake: 150-500 €

Catering, along with the venue, is by far the largest expense. For 80 guests, you can easily spend 6,000 to 12,000 euros on food and drinks alone.

Wedding dress, suit & styling

• Wedding dress: 800-2,500 € (second-hand or rental from approx. 300 €)
• Wedding dress alterations: 100-400 €
• Suit: 300-1,200 €
• Hair & makeup: 200-600 € (incl. trial session)
• Bridal bouquet: 80-250 €

The price range for wedding dresses is huge. A pre-owned dress or one from an outlet collection can save you hundreds of euros without sacrificing that wow factor.

Photography & videography

• Photographer: 1,000-3,000 € (depending on hours, experience, and region)
• Videographer: 1,000-2,500 € (optional, but increasingly popular)

For most couples, the photographer is one of the expenses they don't want to skimp on. Understandably so—the photos are what remain of your wedding day.

Music & entertainment

• Wedding DJ: 600-2,000 €
• Live band: €1,500–€5,000
• Equipment rental (PA system, microphones, lighting): €150–€800

This is one of the biggest opportunities to save on your wedding budget: instead of spending €1,500 on a wedding DJ, many couples find that a custom playlist plus a professional sound system works just as well for a fraction of the cost. You can find professional PA systems, microphones, and lighting equipment in our range with no deposit required, and they can be set up in just a few minutes.

Ceremony

• Registry office: €50–€200 (depending on the state and the desired room)
• Church / religious ceremony: €100–€500 (donation expected)
• Celebrant: €600–€1,500

A civil ceremony at the registry office is the most affordable option. If you are planning a secular ceremony, you should include the cost of a celebrant in your budget.

If you are planning a secular ceremony instead of a church wedding, include the celebrant as a separate item in your budget: what a secular ceremony costs depends primarily on them.

Decor, stationery & extras

• Floral decor & floristry: €300–€1,500
• Stationery (save-the-date cards, invitations, menus, thank-you cards): €200–€800
• Wedding car: €200–€800
• Party favors: €2–€8 per person
• Wedding rings: €500–€3,000 (pair)

Wedding planner (optional)

• Partial planning: €800–€2,000
• Full-service wedding planner: €2,000–€5,000 (or 10–15% of the total budget)

A wedding planner is particularly worthwhile for large celebrations with many guests or if both partners have demanding professional schedules.

Honeymoon

• €1,000–€5,000 (depending on destination and duration)

Strictly speaking, the honeymoon is not part of the wedding celebration, but many couples forget to include it in their budget planning. Plan for it as a separate cost item so it doesn't blow your remaining wedding budget.

Planning your wedding budget: Step by step

Step 1: Set a maximum budget

Before you make a single decision, sit down together and define a clear upper limit. Ask yourselves honestly:

• How much money do we have available (savings, monthly savings)?
• Is there any financial support from family?
• Do we want to take out a loan, or is that a no-go for us?

Write the number down. That is your limit.

Step 2: Set priorities

Not everything can be equally important. Sit down and agree on your top 3 priorities. Typical priorities for couples include:

• Couples who love to party: Venue + catering + music
• Couples who value memories: Photographer + wedding dress + decor
• Couples who prefer to save money for their honeymoon: Minimal celebration + maximum travel

Invest in the areas that matter most to you, and look for ways to save on everything else.

Step 3: List all cost items and enter the figures

Use a simple Excel spreadsheet or a budget planner app. For each item, enter:

• Target amount (what you would like to spend)
• Maximum amount (absolute upper limit)
• Actual expenses (once booked)

Step 4: Include a buffer

Golden rule: Set aside 10-15% of your budget as a buffer. There will always be unforeseen costs such as tips, last-minute changes, or small forgotten items. Calculating with a buffer from the start saves you stress.

8 wedding saving tips that actually work

Want to save on wedding costs without compromising the celebration? These tips make a real difference:

1. Keep the guest list tight
Every additional guest costs an average of 100-200 euros (catering, drinks, seat). 10 fewer guests = 1,000-2,000 € saved. The number of guests is the most effective lever for wedding costs.

2. Choose the off-season or a weekday
Venues, wedding vendors, and caterers often offer 20-30% discounts outside of the peak season (November to March) and on weekdays. Many couples are discovering that Friday is the perfect compromise.

3. DIY the music instead of booking a wedding DJ
A wedding DJ can easily cost 800-2,000 €. With a well-curated playlist and a rented professional sound system, you can achieve the same effect for under 200 €. No joke, this is one of the most common money-saving tips from experienced couples.

4. Buffet instead of a set menu
A buffet is often cheaper per person than a served multi-course meal and offers guests more variety at the same time. Fewer service staff, lower costs.

5. Buy your wedding dress smart
Outlet sales, second-hand platforms, or last season's dresses offer dream wedding gowns for half the price. Renting a wedding dress is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany.

6. DIY where it's fun
Save-the-date cards, place cards, wedding favors. You can design anything that brings you joy yourself. But be careful: only do what you truly enjoy. DIY out of a need to save money quickly leads to stress.

7. Compare offers, not just in the wedding industry
Many wedding vendors charge a "wedding premium." Ask for quotes from vendors outside the wedding industry as well, because an event photographer is sometimes significantly cheaper than a dedicated wedding photographer, and the results are just as good.

8. Rent equipment instead of buying
Projectors, string lights, fog machines for the first dance, photo booths. You can rent all of this for your celebration instead of buying it. You only pay for the days you need the equipment, which saves your budget significantly.

For items that are hardest to calculate, a fixed price helps more than a low one. Photography and entertainment often run on hourly rates, while a photo booth costs the same for the entire evening. If you are planning your budget tightly, consciously set such items as fixed costs. For photo booths with a fixed price, the daily flat rate is always listed.

Sample budget plan: Wedding with 80 guests

Here is a realistic overview of what a wedding celebration with 80 guests can cost in Germany:

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As you can see, a beautiful wedding is absolutely achievable with a smaller budget. It all comes down to setting the right priorities.

Budget set? Perfect. Now it's time for the concrete planning, step by step, all the way to your big day: Our Wedding Planning: Guide & Checklist (2026) will walk you through the entire process.