Start with the guest number, not the total
Almost every large cost on an Irish wedding scales with headcount. Catering is quoted per person, drinks reception is per person, and the venue you can consider is decided by whether you need to seat 90 or 220.
Before you set a budget figure, write the guest list. Then multiply your realistic per-head food cost by that number. That single line is usually between 45 and 65 per cent of the whole day.
The five costs that move the needle
Venue and catering, photography, music, flowers and styling, and attire. Everything else is meaningful but rarely changes the total by more than a few hundred euro.
If the budget is tight, adjust the big five first. Moving from a Saturday in July to a Friday in April changes venue pricing more than cutting favours ever will.
Build in a contingency you never touch
Set aside 8 to 10 per cent and do not allocate it. Late additions to the guest list, an extra hour of the band, transport for a second location and last-minute stationery all appear in the final six weeks.
Real listings to compare next
These examples come from the live directory database, so couples can move from advice into actual Irish venues and suppliers.
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