Wedding vs House Deposit Calculator NZ

This calculator shows the opportunity cost of your wedding budget, what that same money could become if you put it toward a house deposit instead and let it grow over time. Weddings in New Zealand often run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and it is easy to spend that amount without weighing up the alternative use for the funds. You enter your wedding budget, an assumed annual rate of return, and the number of years you would let the money grow for. The calculator then returns the total it could grow to if invested instead, alongside a breakdown showing the amount available as a deposit today and the growth added over the period. For example, a $35,000 wedding budget invested at 6 percent a year for 10 years could grow to around $62,700, nearly double the original amount. This is not an argument against having a wedding; it is a tool to help you spend deliberately, with a clear picture of what the money could otherwise do for your first home. Adjust the return and timeframe to reflect your own investment approach or savings plan, and use the result alongside a wedding budget calculator and a home deposit timeline calculator to plan both goals side by side. Returns are never guaranteed, so treat the projected growth figure as an indicative estimate only, not financial advice.

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$62,680
what the wedding budget could grow to if invested instead
As a deposit today$35,000
Growth over the period$27,680

This shows the opportunity cost only. A wedding is a valid and meaningful choice; the point is to decide the spend deliberately, knowing what the money could otherwise do. Returns are not guaranteed. Estimate only, not financial advice.

How it works

The calculator takes your wedding budget and shows it as a lump sum that could instead go toward a house deposit today, then grows it at your assumed return over the chosen period to show what it might be worth if invested. This is the opportunity cost, what the money could have become. It is not an argument against a wedding, just a clear view of the trade-off so the decision is a conscious one.

Worked example

A $35,000 wedding budget, if instead invested at a 6% return for 10 years, could grow to around $62,700. As a deposit today it is $35,000 toward a home. Seeing both helps a couple decide how much of that to spend on the day and how much to keep for their future.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the opportunity cost of a wedding?

It is what the money could have done instead, such as a house deposit that grows over time. A wedding is a valid choice, but seeing the alternative helps you decide how much to spend.

Should I spend on a wedding or save for a house?

There is no right answer; it is about your priorities. This calculator shows what the wedding budget would be as a deposit and how it could grow, so you can choose with eyes open.

How is the growth calculated?

The calculator grows the wedding amount at an assumed return over a number of years, to show what it might be worth if invested or added to a deposit instead. Returns are not guaranteed.