Split the budget before the quotes arrive
A vendor split is the same category percentages, expressed as money per supplier, so you know what "too expensive" means before anyone quotes you.
| Supplier | Share of total | £20,000 budget | £30,000 budget | £40,000 budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue, food and drink | 48% | £9,600 | £14,400 | £19,200 |
| Photographer | 7% | £1,400 | £2,100 | £2,800 |
| Videographer | 4% | £800 | £1,200 | £1,600 |
| Attire, beauty and alterations | 9% | £1,800 | £2,700 | £3,600 |
| Flowers, decor and rentals | 9% | £1,800 | £2,700 | £3,600 |
| Music and entertainment | 8% | £1,600 | £2,400 | £3,200 |
| Stationery, signage and postage | 3% | £600 | £900 | £1,200 |
| Transport and accommodation | 4% | £800 | £1,200 | £1,600 |
| Contingency | 8% | £1,600 | £2,400 | £3,200 |
Photography and video are shown separately here because they are booked separately, but together they are the 11% the category breakdown allocates. Drop videography and you release 4% of the total — £1,200 on a £30,000 budget — which is one of the largest savings available that no guest notices.
What to do when a quote breaks the split
It will. The venue quote is the one that usually does it, and the answer is not to abandon the split — it is to decide, once, which category funds the overrun.
| Overrun | Fund it from | Do not fund it from |
|---|---|---|
| Venue over by 5% | Flowers, transport, stationery | Contingency — that is not what it is for |
| Photographer over by 2% | Videography, or fewer coverage hours | Catering, which is per head and will not stretch |
| Catering over per head | Guest count, or the menu | Everything else at once — this one needs a real decision |
| Everything slightly over | The total, or the guest list | Optimism |
The contingency exists for what you did not know about: delivery charges, service charge, overtime, price increases between quote and invoice. Spending it on a supplier you chose to overspend on means it is not there in the final month, which is exactly when you need it.
Generate the split for your own total
Same percentages, your number.
Common questions
How should you split a wedding budget between vendors?
Venue, food and drink 48%, photography and video 11%, attire and beauty 9%, flowers and decor 9%, music 8%, transport and accommodation 4%, stationery 3%, and 8% held back as contingency.
What should a wedding photographer cost as a share of the budget?
Photography and videography together take about 11% of the total. Split roughly 7% to photography and 4% to video, which means dropping video releases about 4% of the whole budget.
What do you do when a wedding quote breaks your budget split?
Decide once which category funds it, and do not use the contingency. The contingency covers what you did not know about — delivery, service charge, overtime and price increases — and spending it early leaves nothing for the final month.
Is it worth cutting videography to save money?
It is one of the largest savings that changes nothing a guest experiences on the day — about 4% of the total, or £1,200 on a £30,000 budget.