What Is the Average Cost of a Wedding?
Posted by Frank Gogol | Updated on May 30, 2023
The big day has come: your partner proposed, and you have a wedding to plan. It almost seems too good to be true. But while you’re happy to unite your destiny with the love of your life, there is also a less pleasant aspect you must consider: the cost of the wedding.
It’s not a secret that weddings are not exactly the cheapest events. Before you organize yours, you must make sure you can afford it.
In this article, we will take a look at the average cost of a wedding, so you know what to expect before saying “Yes” at the altar.
Table of Contents
Average Cost of a Wedding
What exactly do you have to pay for when it comes to a wedding? There are a few things that influence the final price of the big event, so let’s take a look at each one:
Location and Transport
First things first, you will have to decide on a location for the wedding. Prices vary from one venue to another, but on average, a reception venue will cost around $10,700.
Furthermore, you need to deal with transportation costs, respectively how you and your guests will be transported to the location on your big day. On average, this may cost around $900.
Attire
The attire is one of the most anticipated aspects of a wedding – especially the bride’s dress. Each bride wants to feel like the most beautiful and important woman on Earth when tying the knot. So, it only makes sense the dress should fulfill this purpose. But this means it can be quite expensive too.
Wedding attire may cost around $1,000, but in some cases, it can exceed this amount.
Also, you’ll have to do your makeup and hair, which will add at least an extra $245 to your expenses.
Vendors
Next, you’ll have to take vendor costs into account. After all, you need a florist, as well as a photographer and videographer to capture the most magical moments of your wedding. Videographers might cost $1,900, whereas a photographer will require around $2,500 on average.
Then, you might need at least $2,300 for the florist. And let’s not forget the event planner, which might require a minimum of $1,700.
Food
One way to make sure you and your guests have a good time at the wedding is by providing delicious food. This will cost quite a fortune depending on what you are getting, as well as how many guests you’ll have at the event.
Catering will cost at least $75 per individual. As for the rehearsal dinner, you’ll have to prepare around $2,300 for it. Lastly, there’s the moment everyone is waiting for: the cake. A beautiful wedding cake is at least $500.
Entertainment
A wedding wouldn’t be complete without music. Based on the theme of your wedding or just your preferences, you might have to pay at least $1,400 for a reception DJ and $4,300 for a live band.
Misc
Miscellaneous expenses will add to your overall wedding cost. Favors are usually around $450, with invitations possibly costing about $530.
Average Cost of a Wedding by State
The average cost of a wedding in 2022 is about $27.000. This is just slightly lower than the average cost from the previous year, which was $28,000.
But in reality, prices are influenced by many things, with one of the largest factors being the state. As you can imagine, less populated or smaller areas tend to have lower prices, while more populated locations bring higher costs.
Let’s take a look at the average cost of a wedding in each state:
- Alabama – $15,056
- Alaska – $24,037
- Arizona – $18,782
- Arkansas – $12,426
- California – $26,049
- Colorado – $20,771
- Connecticut – $29,499
- District of Columbia – $27,965
- Delaware – $23,416
- Florida – $15,936
- Georgia – $19,142
- Hawaii – $25,747
- Idaho – $15,116
- Illinois – $20,617
- Indiana – $17,408
- Iowa – $16,531
- Kansas – $16,380
- Kentucky – $13,537
- Louisiana – $16,842
- Maine – $19,069
- Maryland – $27,498
- Massachusetts – $30,489
- Michigan – $17,742
- Minnesota – $21,485
- Mississippi – $13,399
- Missouri – $15,328
- Montana – $14,599
- Nebraska – $16,603
- Nevada – $14,877
- New Hampshire – $27,074
- New Jersey – $30,357
- New Mexico – $14,591
- New York – $27,533
- North Carolina – $17,445
- North Dakota – $16,541
- Ohio – $17,899
- Oklahoma – $13,881
- Oregon – $19,580
- Pennsylvania – $23,025
- Rhode Island – $25,458
- South Carolina – $17,087
- South Dakota – $15,217
- Tennessee – $14,057
- Texas – $19,324
- Utah – $19,582
- Vermont – $20,575
- Virginia – $23,966
- Washington – $24,629
- West Virginia – $12,498
- Wisconsin – $19,606
- Wyoming – $18,890
Average Cost of Wedding Vendors
The vendors you hire will also affect the final cost of the wedding. On average, most people hire around 14 vendors. It’s also worth noting that each vendor will have its own price – some will be cheaper, and some will be pricier.
If you want to estimate the overall cost of your big day, you must look for vendor prices in your area. All in all, the vendors will take the wedding price to at least $27,000, although costs may be higher in some instances.
Tips for Lowering the Cost of a Wedding
If you do not want to take out a loan and you’re looking to keep costs at a minimum, there are a few things you can do. These include:
Choose a Different Day
Most weddings take place on Saturdays, so you probably want yours to follow the same pattern. However, it’s this habit that raises the price of a wedding. Instead of a Saturday, you can have your wedding on a weekday or a Sunday. It’s great for cutting costs.
Consider Suburban Venues
The location of the venue is quite important. It’s not just the venue itself that might be expensive. If you want to lower costs, look into suburban venues instead.
Hired Friends Instead of Pros
Do you have friends who are photographers or makeup artists? You can ask them to help you organize your wedding instead of paying for a pro. This way, you’ll not only support your friend, but you’ll also be able to decrease the price of this service.
Set the Date Off-Peak Season
Everyone likes summer weddings, but they also tend to be the most expensive ones. So, why not go for a less conventional wedding? You can organize your big event in winter when rates are much lower.
Cut the Guest List Down
Let’s be honest, you do not need to invite every single individual you’ve ever met to your wedding. A wedding is perfect if those closest to you are there. So, do you want to decrease your wedding’s costs? Cut down the guest list.
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Final Thoughts
Weddings can be pretty expensive. In 2022, the average cost for a wedding is $27,000. However, different aspects such as vendors and the state can affect the final price of the event. So, it’s important to consider this when calculating the costs. Also, you can try to make some compromises if you want to lower the rates.
