Should we include honeymoon costs?

If you’re funding the honeymoon separately, exclude it. Otherwise, add it to the wedding budget and rerun the numbers.

Add a contingency (5–10%) and rerun when quotes change. If the monthly needed jumps, adjust savings or timeline.

Can we use a bonus or gift funds?

Yes—add expected bonuses to current savings or treat them as lump sums alongside monthly savings to reduce the needed monthly amount.

Does this include debt or financing?

No. This is a pay-in-cash plan. If you consider financing, add the financed amount to budget and model repayment separately.

How should we handle deposits and staged payments?

This tool is straight-line. Map vendor due dates and ensure cash is available earlier than the wedding date. Increase monthly savings short-term if large deposits are due soon.

What about inflation or price creep?

Build a buffer (5–10%) and refresh the budget after each quote. If you see consistent increases, either raise monthly savings or reduce scope to stay on track.

How do we handle gifts from family?

If gifts are pledged, you can add them to current savings or treat them as lump sums. Be conservative until funds are in hand to avoid under-saving.

Do we need a separate contingency fund?

Yes. Keep 5–10% of the budget as a contingency line item to cover overruns, last-minute guests, or vendor changes. Don’t count your emergency fund as wedding contingency.

finance calculator

Fiancé Prep Budget

Plan the monthly savings you need as a couple to hit your wedding budget on time.

Results

Goal amount: $30,000
Monthly savings needed: $2,083
Projected savings by date: $23,000
Shortfall at deadline: $7,000
Surplus at deadline: $0
On-track status: behind

How to use this calculator

Set your total wedding budget, including venue, catering, attire, travel, tips, and a contingency cushion.
Enter months until the wedding and your current savings set aside for the event.
Add your combined monthly savings contribution.
Review the monthly amount needed, projected savings, and any shortfall/surplus.
Adjust savings or timeline until you’re on track; re-run when quotes change.

Inputs explained

Wedding budget: All-in target including contingency (venue, food, attire, travel, tips, extras).
Months until wedding: Timeline to your date; drives how many savings cycles remain.
Current savings: Cash already earmarked for the wedding (not general savings).
Monthly savings (combined): Total monthly contribution from both partners toward the wedding fund.

How it works

Remaining goal = budget − current savings.

Monthly needed = remaining goal ÷ months until wedding.

Projected savings = current savings + combined monthly savings × months.

Shortfall/surplus shows how far off you are from the goal at the target date.

Formula

Remaining goal = budget − current savings. Monthly needed = remaining goal ÷ months. Projected savings = current savings + monthly savings × months. Shortfall = max(0, budget − projected savings). Surplus = max(0, projected savings − budget).

When to use it

Quickly seeing if your current savings rate matches the budget and timeline.
Planning how much to set aside monthly after getting vendor quotes.
Testing a lower/higher budget or shifting the date to see how savings requirements change.
Aligning on a shared plan with your partner to avoid last-minute debt.
Evaluating how adding a lump sum (bonus, gift) changes the monthly amount needed.
Testing whether extending the timeline by a few months makes the plan doable without loans.

Tips & cautions

Add a 5–10% contingency to the budget to absorb surprises (fees, taxes, overtime, vendor changes).
If the needed monthly savings is too high, revisit the budget, extend the timeline, or break costs into phases.
Keep the wedding fund separate from your emergency fund so surprises don’t derail essentials.
Plan for deposits and staged payments—front-loaded costs may require saving more early.
Ask vendors about payment schedules and cancellation/refund policies to avoid losing deposits if plans change.
Track actual spend vs budget by category (venue, catering, attire, travel) so you can reallocate before overruns snowball.
Hold back a small reserve for final invoices and tips—these often run higher than expected near the event date.
If family is contributing, clarify amounts and timing in writing to avoid shortfalls close to the event.
Flat monthly savings—no bonuses or investment growth.
Does not include post-wedding expenses or inflation.
Does not schedule deposits or vendor payment milestones; simple straight-line savings model.
Does not allocate by category; build a category budget to avoid overruns in one area.
Does not model currency/FX changes if you’re paying overseas vendors—add a buffer for rate moves.
Does not handle debt/financing costs if you choose to borrow; model those separately.

Worked examples

On track with cushion

Budget: $30,000. Months: 10. Current savings: $5,000. Monthly savings: $2,500.
Remaining goal = $25,000; monthly needed = $2,500; projected savings = $30,000.
Surplus $0 (break-even); add a contingency if possible.

Shortfall scenario

Budget: $40,000. Months: 8. Current savings: $6,000. Monthly savings: $2,500.
Remaining goal = $34,000; monthly needed = $4,250; projected savings = $26,000.
Shortfall $14,000—consider more months, higher savings, or trimming budget.
If you can raise monthly savings to $3,500, projected savings become $34,000—still short; extending to 10 months would close the gap.

Lowering budget to meet timeline

Budget: $28,000. Months: 12. Current savings: $4,000. Monthly savings: $1,800.
Remaining goal = $24,000; monthly needed = $2,000; projected savings = $25,600.
Surplus $1,600; you’re on track with a small cushion.

Using a bonus to close the gap

Budget: $35,000. Months: 9. Current savings: $7,000. Monthly savings: $2,000. Expected bonus: $5,000.
Remaining goal = $28,000; monthly needed = ~$3,111 without the bonus.
Apply the $5,000 bonus to savings; projected savings = $30,000. Shortfall shrinks to $5,000, lowering monthly needed to ~$2,667.

Extending the timeline to lower monthly need

Budget: $32,000. Months: 8. Current savings: $4,000. Monthly savings: $2,000.
Remaining goal = $28,000; monthly needed = $3,500; projected savings = $20,000 → shortfall $12,000.
Extend timeline to 12 months: monthly needed drops to $2,000; projected savings becomes $28,000, eliminating the shortfall.

Deep dive

Use this fiancé wedding budget planner to see how much you need to save each month to hit your target by the wedding date.

Enter total budget, months until the date, current savings, and combined monthly contributions to spot any shortfall or surplus.

Stress test different budgets, timelines, and savings amounts to align on a realistic plan without taking on debt.

Add contingency to cover vendor changes, taxes, tips, and overtime so the plan survives real-world surprises.

Rerun after each major quote or deposit so you stay on track and avoid last-minute borrowing.

If the monthly need is too high, shift the date, trim scope, or add lump sums from bonuses to bring the plan within reach.

Map vendor deposit due dates and ensure your savings cadence covers them—front-loaded costs may require temporarily higher contributions.

Keep documentation of quotes and actual invoices so you can adjust the budget categories and avoid being blindsided late in the process.

Use a shared tracker with your partner to keep transparency on savings progress and upcoming payments; revisit weekly to stay aligned.

If you’re managing multiple currencies for destination events, add an FX buffer and rerun the plan whenever exchange rates move materially.

FAQs

Should we include honeymoon costs?: If you’re funding the honeymoon separately, exclude it. Otherwise, add it to the wedding budget and rerun the numbers.
What if costs rise?: Add a contingency (5–10%) and rerun when quotes change. If the monthly needed jumps, adjust savings or timeline.
Can we use a bonus or gift funds?: Yes—add expected bonuses to current savings or treat them as lump sums alongside monthly savings to reduce the needed monthly amount.
Does this include debt or financing?: No. This is a pay-in-cash plan. If you consider financing, add the financed amount to budget and model repayment separately.
How should we handle deposits and staged payments?: This tool is straight-line. Map vendor due dates and ensure cash is available earlier than the wedding date. Increase monthly savings short-term if large deposits are due soon.
What about inflation or price creep?: Build a buffer (5–10%) and refresh the budget after each quote. If you see consistent increases, either raise monthly savings or reduce scope to stay on track.
How do we handle gifts from family?: If gifts are pledged, you can add them to current savings or treat them as lump sums. Be conservative until funds are in hand to avoid under-saving.
Do we need a separate contingency fund?: Yes. Keep 5–10% of the budget as a contingency line item to cover overruns, last-minute guests, or vendor changes. Don’t count your emergency fund as wedding contingency.

Related calculators

finance

Emergency Fund Calculator

Estimate how much cash you should keep for emergencies based on monthly expenses and risk factors like variable income, single-income household, and dependents.

This tool shows a straight-line savings plan and does not model payment schedules, financing costs, or investment growth. Keep emergency funds separate and revisit your plan as quotes and timelines change.