How to use this calculator
Enter food and drinks as costs per guest, then add fixed costs such as the venue, decorations, entertainment and delivery. Put any items without a dedicated field into other fixed costs. The spending limit is your target, not an amount added to the estimate.
The formula and assumptions
Guests × (food + drinks per guest) → Add venue, decorations and other costs → Add contingency percentage
Base cost = guests × (food + drinks per guest) + venue + decorations + other costs. Total = base × (1 + contingency / 100). Remaining budget = spending limit − total. A negative remaining amount means you are over budget. Currency selection changes formatting only; no exchange rates are applied.
Worked example
For 30 guests, food at 15 and drinks at 4 cost 570. Add a venue at 200, decorations at 75 and other costs at 50: the base is 895. A 10% contingency adds 89.50, giving a total of 984.50, or 32.82 per guest. Against a 1,000 limit, 15.50 remains.
Before you order
Use supplier quotes in one currency and include taxes and service charges where appropriate. Values in this tool are independent of the food calculators, so copy your latest estimates into the per-guest amounts. At zero guests, fixed costs still count and cost per guest is undefined.
Frequently asked questions
Do the other calculators update this budget automatically?
Only the guest count is shared. Enter or update your food and drinks costs here to match your actual plan.
Does the currency menu convert prices?
No. It changes the currency label and number formatting. Enter all prices in the same currency.
What contingency should I use?
The 10% default is an editable planning allowance. Choose an amount that reflects how uncertain your quotes and guest count are.
Planning estimates only. Adjust portions for your guests, menu and event. Confirm serving yields, prices and venue capacity with your suppliers.