Wedding Budget Calculator

What makes up a wedding budget

A 2026 wedding budget breaks down into 7 main categories. Understanding the structure helps avoid surprises and reallocate funds if one category goes over. Below are approximate percentages for an 80-guest wedding.

• 40–50%
  Venue & catering

  Venue rental, dinner, drinks, cake, wait staff. Largest expense.

• 10–15%
  Photo & video

  Photographer, videographer, photo book, editing. Don't cut — stays forever.

• 8–12%
  Decor & flowers

  Venue decor, bridal bouquet, boutonnieres, arch. Seasonal flowers save up to 30%.

• 10–15%
  Attire & beauty

  Dress, suit, shoes, makeup, hair. Buy vs rent — 2–3× price gap.

• 6–10%
  Music & host

  DJ or live band, host, sound, lighting. Host 30–80k ₽, DJ — 20–50k ₽.

• 3–5%
  Transport

  Bridal car, guest shuttle, registry transfer. Business-class taxi replaces limousine.

• 5–10%
  Invitations & website

  Paper print 12–30k ₽. YesDay wedding site — 1,990 ₽ one-time with RSVP, countdown, map.

• 5–8%
  Emergency reserve

  Mandatory buffer for extra guests, weather, tech issues.

Where you can save without cutting quality

An average Moscow wedding for 80 guests costs 1.2M ₽, regions start from 400k ₽. With a smart approach you can cut 25–35% without hurting the experience. Key: set priorities, don't skimp on photographer, host, and food.

1. 1Wedding website instead of paper invites. Saves 10,000–30,000 ₽: paper 150–500 ₽ × 80 guests + designer + delivery = 15,000+ ₽, YesDay — 1,990 ₽ one-time.
2. 2Weekday or off-season. Venues Mon–Thu 20–40% cheaper. Jan–Mar and Oct–Nov — 15–25% off photographers and decor.
3. 3Seasonal flowers & greenery. Peonies in June vs December — 3× price gap. Eucalyptus, branches, candles — budget but look luxe.
4. 4Buffet vs seated dinner. Buffet for 80 is 30–40% cheaper and feels more alive.
5. 5Rent dress vs buy. Saves 40–150k ₽. Showrooms offer haute couture from 15–25k ₽ rental.
6. 6DJ vs live band. Quality DJ 25–50k ₽ replaces band 100–200k ₽ and flexes better to playlist.
7. 7Business taxi vs limousine. 15–40k ₽ limo → 3–8k ₽ taxi. 80% savings.
8. 8Guest list: every extra = 4–8k ₽. Honest 'close only' cuts banquet 20–30%.
9. 9Own or small-baker cake. Top bakery 60–150k ₽, local master — 8–20k ₽.
10. 10Digital invites in WhatsApp/Telegram vs courier. Short site-invite link sends in seconds, RSVP auto-lands in dashboard.

Average wedding costs in Russian cities 2026

Wedding costs vary by region. Moscow venues and vendors are 2–3× pricier than regional capitals. Outside Moscow you get the same service level for 40–60% of the capital budget.

Estimates based on public 2026 vendor offers. Luxury or destination weddings can cost significantly more.