Event Budget Breakdown with Overage Warnings
Takes the total budget and the costs or quotes gathered so far, sorts them into categories, and shows how much of the budget each category has used.
Before and after
Anniversary Dinner Budget: Rose Cardenas
Saturday, October 18 | 80 guests | Flintmoor Events, 3842 Eldermoor St, Wheatgate
Total budget: $24,000
| Category | Limit | Spent or quoted | Remaining or over | Percent used | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue (final bill, paid) | $5,000 | $4,800 | $200 remaining | 96% | Close to limit |
| Catering (quote) | $9,600 | $10,400 | $800 over | 108% | Over budget |
| Rentals (quote) | $2,200 | $2,350 | $150 over | 107% | Over budget |
| Decor (quote, $900 deposit paid) | $2,800 | $2,500 | $300 remaining | 89% | Within budget |
| Music (quote) | $1,800 | $1,800 | $0 remaining | 100% | Close to limit |
| Photography (quote) | $1,500 | $1,650 | $150 over | 110% | Over budget |
| Staff (not booked) | $600 | $0 | $600 remaining | 0% | Within budget |
| Planning fee (agreed) | $1,500 | $1,500 | $0 remaining | 100% | Close to limit |
Grand total: $25,000 quoted or spent against a $24,000 budget. That is $1,000 over, with staffing not yet booked.
Your category limits add up to $25,000, which is $1,000 more than the $24,000 total budget. The limits need to come down by $1,000 somewhere, or the total needs to go up.
Overage warnings
- Catering is $800 over. Gablemoor Catering's quote of $10,400 comes to $130 a head for 80 guests, and the limit is $9,600.
- Rentals is $150 over. The quote of $2,350 includes a $150 delivery charge.
- Photography is $150 over. Sally Graves quoted $1,650 against a $1,500 limit.
- Venue is close to its limit at 96 percent. The paid final bill of $4,800 leaves $200 of the $5,000 limit.
- Music is close to its limit at 100 percent. The quote from Ross Coleman is $1,800, which uses the full $1,800 limit.
- Planning fee is close to its limit at 100 percent. The agreed fee of $1,500 uses the full $1,500 limit.
- Overall, the quotes and bills so far total $25,000 against the $24,000 budget, which is $1,000 over. Staffing is not yet booked, so if the $600 staff limit is used, the event would be about $1,600 over, if nothing else changes.
Options for the client
We recommend talking with Rose Cardenas about whether to raise the total budget or reduce a category. Possible places to look: the per-head catering price, the rentals list, or the photography package.
Questions for the owner
- Is the $150 delivery charge in the rentals quote correct, and does it belong in rentals?
- Do the quotes include tax, tip, or service charges? Please confirm with each vendor.
- Do you want to book staff at the $600 limit, and who will it be?
- Should the music line show Ross Coleman as the DJ in the client's copy?
What it does
Takes the total budget and the costs or quotes gathered so far, sorts them into categories, and shows how much of the budget each category has used. It warns clearly where a category is over its limit and where the whole event is over.
Use it when: Use when an event planner needs to turn a total event budget and a list of costs or quotes into a budget breakdown by category with overage warnings, such as "break down this budget," "are we over budget," or "where are we on the budget for this event."