Mes Invités How much does a wedding cost in 2026?
Studies and guides published in France give very varied benchmarks, from about 120 à 215 € par invité depending on the method and the level of service. Several general sources are around 120 à 150 € par invité, while some specialist surveys show higher budgets. None gives a single national median.
Updated on 7 October 2026
Published benchmarks, side by side
| Source | Published budget | Guests and cost per guest | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Representative opinion survey, May 2026 | 7 781 € | 52 invités, 150 € par invité | Average budget French people plan for, representative survey |
| Guide from a credit provider | 8 000 à 15 000 € | number of guests not specified | Range, from the simplest reception to the most complete |
| Mainstream editorial guide | 12 000 € | 100 invités, 120 € par invité | Mainstream editorial benchmark |
| Specialist magazine, February 2026 | 13 500 € | 100 invités, 135 € par invité | Average announced for France in 2026 |
| Mainstream banking guide, May 2026 | 13 500 à 20 000 € | 80 à 100 invités, 150 à 200 € par invité | Mainstream summary range |
| Specialist platform, 2026 report | 19 293 € | about 90 guests, 215 € per guest | 1 304 couples mariés en 2025 issus de la plateforme, hors lune de miel et bague de fiançailles |
What can be said without extrapolating
| Cost per guest | What this covers |
|---|---|
| 120 à 150 € | The zone where several mainstream benchmarks sit: an editorial guide (€120), a specialist magazine (€135) and a representative opinion survey (€150). |
| 150 à 200 € | The range given by a mainstream banking guide in 2026 for a typical reception, depending on the level of service. |
| 215 € | The figure published in 2026 by a specialist platform. It is real, but above the other benchmarks, and does not on its own represent all weddings. |
An article that says “a wedding costs this much” without saying who answered, for how many guests and what is included tells you nothing.
Breakdown by item, for 100 guests
| Item | Modelled amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reception and caterer | 9 440 € | 41 % |
| Outfits and rings | 3 410 € | 15 % |
| Venue | 2 260 € | 10 % |
| Entertainment and music | 2 260 € | 10 % |
| Decoration and flowers | 1 960 € | 9 % |
| Photo and video | 1 760 € | 8 % |
| Others | 1 670 € | 7 % |
| Total | 22 760 € | 100 % |
The budget by number of guests
The total cost goes up, the cost per guest goes down: in the model below, going from 50 to 100 guests raises the estimate by 48%, not 100%. The photographer, outfits or DJ do not double with the list. This specialist model sits at the upper end of published benchmarks: remember the shape of the curve more than the amounts.
| Guests | Estimated budget | Per guest | Of which venue, caterer and drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 guests | ≈ 11 000 € | ≈ 440 € | ≈ 3 500 € |
| 50 guests | ≈ 15 500 € | ≈ 300 € | ≈ 6 500 € |
| 80 guests | ≈ 19 500 € | ≈ 250 € | ≈ 9 500 € |
| 100 guests | ≈ 23 000 € | ≈ 230 € | ≈ 12 000 € |
| 120 guests | ≈ 26 000 € | ≈ 215 € | ≈ 14 500 € |
| 150 guests | ≈ 30 000 € | ≈ 200 € | ≈ 17 500 € |
| 200 guests | ≈ 36 000 € | ≈ 175 € | ≈ 22 500 € |
Five typical budgets
A budget is made up of a fixed cost, which doesn’t depend on the guest list, plus a cost per guest. Removing 20 guests therefore doesn’t lower the total by 20%.
| Package | Calculation | 50 guests | 100 guests | 150 guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic, homemade | 2 000 € + 70 € par invité | 5 500 € | 9 000 € | 12 500 € |
| Budget-friendly with professionals | 4 000 € + 95 € par invité | 8 750 € | 13 500 € | 18 250 € |
| Standard | 6 000 € + 120 € par invité | 12 000 € | 18 000 € | 24 000 € |
| Comfort | 11 000 € + 200 € par invité | 21 000 € | 31 000 € | 41 000 € |
| Premium | 18 000 € + 300 € par invité | 33 000 € | 48 000 € | 63 000 € |
The detail by size: 30 personnes 50 personnes 60 personnes 80 personnes 100 personnes 120 personnes 150 personnes 200 personnes
What really brings the bill down
| Lever | Possible saving | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Ten fewer guests | 600 à 1 500 € | Fixed costs do not move |
| A day other than Saturday | 0 à 10 % | Depending on the suppliers |
| Outside peak season | 0 à 20 % | Weather, shorter days |
| A buffet rather than a served meal | €10 to €30 per person | Circulation and comfort |
| Crémant rather than champagne | €3 to €8 per bottle | Depending on the vintage |
| Fewer alcohol brands | 10 to 30% of the bar budget | Fewer choices |
| Decor reused from the ceremony to the reception hall | 200 à 1 000 € | Someone to move it |
Keep a contingency reserve of 5 to 10% if the project is well defined, 10 to 15% if some items are still without a quote.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average wedding budget in France?
- There is no single national average. Published sources range from about €120 to €215 per guest: €12.000 for 100 guests according to a mainstream editorial guide, €13.500 according to a specialist magazine, €13.500 to €20.000 according to a mainstream banking guide, and €19.293 for about 90 guests according to a specialist platform’s report.
- Does a wedding cost 215 € per guest?
- This is the figure from the 2026 report by a specialist platform, gathered from 1.304 couples on its platform. It is real, but it sits above the other benchmarks consulted and is not in itself a national average.
- Why do the figures differ so much?
- Because they do not measure the same thing: a budget imagined by the French as a whole, an editorial estimate, or the spending declared by the couples of a specialist platform.
- What share of the budget goes to the reception?
- A little over half in itemised budgets: the caterer accounts for around 41% and the venue 10%.
Sources and method
- Representative opinion survey published in 2026: budget imagined by 1.045 representative French people.
- Guide from a credit provider: range of €8.000 to €15.000.
- Mainstream editorial guide: benchmark of €12.000 for 100 guests.
- Specialist magazine, article from February 2026: €13.500 for 100 guests.
- Mainstream banking guide, May 2026: range of €13.500 to €20.000 for 80 to 100 guests.
- 2026 report from a specialist wedding platform: spending declared by 1.304 couples married in 2025 through that platform, excluding the honeymoon and engagement ring.
- 2026 simulator and barometer from a specialist site: budgets targeted by 9.144 future couples and budgets modelled by number of guests.
Private studies and guides are described without being named; public bodies are cited with their link.
Each figure is labelled: Official public statistic; Observed expenses declared after the wedding; Survey declared intentions or estimates; Market price ranges seen among suppliers; Calculation calculated preparation benchmark, not a statistic.
These are orders of magnitude for mainland France. A local quote always takes precedence, and a price per person only makes sense if you know what it includes. Last updated: 7 October 2026.