Wedding Hidden Fees Exposure Scorecard

Guest count

Please enter 10–500 guests.

Estimated catering (food) per guest (USD)

Please enter $10–$300 per guest.

Local sales tax rate (%) Typical U.S. range: 6%–10%

Please enter a tax rate between 0% and 12%.

Vendors needing meals Commonly 5–10

Please enter 0–30 vendor meals.

Industry benchmarks used:

Service charge: 22% (typical 18%–24%)
Bar packages (per guest, 4–5 hrs): Open bar $45; Beer/Wine $28; Non‑alcoholic $8
BYO corkage: $20 per 750ml wine/champagne bottle; ~0.5 bottle per guest
Bartenders: 1 per 75 guests, $35/hr, 5 hours
Cake cutting (outside cake): $4 per guest ($2.50–$6)
Vendor meals: $50 each ($35–$75)
Delivery/setup (rentals): $250
Outdoor/tented power: $600 generator; Restrooms: $1,200; Permits/insurance: $200
Ceremony fee: Same venue + fee $750; Separate venue $1,100
Overtime risk: $0–$600 depending on timeline buffer

Tip: Hover the icons for context.

LOW

$0 Estimated hidden-fee exposure

$0 Per guest

$0 Service charge + tax portion

Potential fee	How we estimated it	Est. amount

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