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Events & Weddings

Catered wedding cost calculator

Work out what a catered wedding will really cost from the per-plate price and your guest count, then add the cocktail hour, the bar, the rentals, the service charge and the sales tax that turn a quoted plate price into the bill you sign. See the total, a realistic range, and what each part adds.

§ 01 Your numbers

Change anything. The answer updates as you type.

Your head count. Almost every line here is per guest, so this is the number that drives the total.
The per-guest food price the caterer quotes: the plated dinner or the buffet, per head, before anything is added on top.
Passed appetizers and the cocktail hour, per guest. Zero if there is none.
An open bar or drink package, per guest. Zero if the bar is cash or dry. A corkage or bartending fee still belongs here if you bring your own.
Tables, linens, china, glassware, flatware and serving equipment, whether the caterer supplies them or a rental house does. Zero if the venue includes them.
The staffing and administration fee, as a percent of food and drink. It is not the tip, and in many contracts it goes to the house rather than the servers.
Your state's sales tax on catered food, drink and rentals. Some states tax the service charge too, so confirm the taxable base.
Estimated cost
$19,932

Typical range $15,946 – $25,912

  • Food (guests × per plate)$8,400
  • Cocktail hour & appetizers$1,440
  • Bar$3,000
  • Rentals & equipment$3,000
  • Service charge / staffing$2,825
  • Sales tax$1,267
  • Total$19,932
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$8,000 to $25,000 all-in is a typical plated or buffet wedding with a full bar and rentals. Get the service charge, the gratuity policy and the taxable base in writing so the quote and the final bill match.

What this assumes, and where it could be wrong

Every one of these is a place the number could be off. They are here because you should be able to check our working, not because we are hedging.

THE PLATE PRICE IS NOT THE PRICE, AND EVERY NUMBER HERE IS YOURS.
A caterer quotes a per-head figure for the food. The service charge, the bar, the rentals and the sales tax stack on top of it, and each is quoted or billed on a line of its own. A catered wedding is priced by the caterer and by your state's tax rate, not by a published statistic, so the plate price, the guest count and the rest are your inputs, and the defaults are ours and editable.

The service charge is not the tip. It is a staffing and administration fee set as a percent of food and drink, and in many contracts it goes to the house rather than to the servers. Ask whether gratuity is expected on top of it, because sometimes it is.

The bar can rival the food. An open bar priced per guest, a consumption bar, and a cash bar are three very different lines. If you bring your own alcohol, the caterer may still charge a corkage or a bartending fee, so a dry-looking bar is rarely free.

Rentals are the quiet line. Tables, linens, china, glassware, flatware, chafing dishes and a tent are often a separate order, sometimes through the caterer and sometimes through a rental house. A venue that looks bare is a rental order waiting to happen, and one that includes settings can shrink this line to zero.

Sales tax applies to more than you expect. Many states tax catered food, drink and rentals, and some tax the service charge as well. The rate here is your state's, and the contract decides what counts as taxable, so confirm the base before you trust the total.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a catered wedding cost?
Start from the per-plate price the caterer quotes and multiply by your guest count, then add the cocktail hour, the bar, the rentals, the service charge and sales tax. Those add-ons are why the bill you sign is well above the plate price you were first quoted. The calculator above builds the real number from your own quote and count.
Why is the bill so much higher than the per-plate price?
Because the plate price is only the food. On top of it sit the service charge or staffing fee, the bar, the rentals for tables and place settings, and sales tax on most of it. Each is a separate line, and together they can roughly double the per-guest figure. When you compare two caterers, compare the all-in per head, not the plate price, because one may fold rentals in and the other may not.
Is the service charge the same as a tip?
Often not. A service charge is usually a staffing and administration fee set as a percent of food and drink, and in many contracts it goes to the business rather than to the servers. A tip is discretionary and goes to the staff. Read the contract: it will say whether gratuity is included, expected on top, or left to you, and the three answers change the total by a lot.
How can I bring a catered wedding down in price?
Guest count is the biggest lever, because almost every line here is per head. After that: a buffet or family-style service instead of a plated dinner, a limited bar or beer and wine only, seasonal food, and a venue that includes tables and linens so the rental order shrinks. Ask each caterer for the all-in figure and the itemised lines, so you can see which cost is worth trading.

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