Wedding Catering Per-Head Calculator

This calculator estimates the cost of catering a wedding, both per guest and as a total, so you can budget the reception with confidence. Catering is usually the single largest line in a wedding budget, and it scales directly with the guest list, which is why the per-head figure is the number couples and venues talk about most. But the true cost is not just food per person: there is drink, whether a bar tab or per-head package, and a set of fixed costs that do not change much with numbers, such as staff and waiting, equipment and marquee hire, and extras like the cake, a celebrant's meal or late-night snacks. Bringing these together gives both the all-in cost per guest and the grand total, which is what you actually need to budget. This tool does it. You enter the number of guests, the food cost per head, the drinks cost per head, and your fixed costs split into staff and hire, and other extras. The calculator returns the total catering cost, the effective all-in cost per head once the fixed costs are spread across the guests, and the breakdown between variable and fixed spending. The results update as you type, so you can see how trimming the guest list or choosing a simpler menu changes the total. Use it to set a catering budget, to compare quotes from caterers and venues, or to decide where to save. A useful insight the calculator reveals: because fixed costs are shared among all guests, the cost per head falls as the guest list grows, but the total of course rises, so the two pull in opposite directions when you are deciding on numbers.

Total = (food + drinks) x guests + fixed costs. All-in per head = total / guests. Fixed costs are shared across guests, so the per-head figure falls as numbers grow.