The times, they are indeed a-changin'. According to The Knot's 10th annual Real Weddings Study, which surveyed close to 13,000 brides and grooms that got married in America in 2016, weddings all across the country are getting more and more expensive.
Overall, the national average cost of a wedding (not including the honeymoon) has reached $35,329 (it was $32,641 in 2015) but, interestingly enough, the number of average guests (141) has decreased. "Wedding spend continues to rise but, at the same time, guest lists are shrinking as couples spend more per guest to create an unforgettable experience for those closest to them," said Kellie Gould, editor in chief at The Knot. "Couples are also using their wedding day to make their first big statement as a couple. From invitation to the reception band, couples are spending more to put their personal stamp on every detail."
Survey results include the average price of a purchased wedding dress ($1,564), the most popular month to get engaged (December), the average length of engagement (15 months), the average marrying age (29 for the bride, 31 for the groom), the percentage of destination weddings (20%) and a list of the most expensive and most affordable places to get married in America—which we reproduce below:
The 25 most expensive places to get married
1. New York – Manhattan: $78,464
2. New York – Long Island: $67,831
3. New Jersey – North/Central: $62,606
4. Illinois – Chicago: $60,035
5. New York – Outer Boroughs: $59,027
6. Massachusetts – Cape Cod: $58,608
7. New York – Westchester/Hudson Valley: $54,428
8. Rhode Island: $52,328
9. Florida – Southern: $48,596
10. Pennsylvania – Philadelphia/Delaware: $48,093
11. New Jersey – South: $46,486
12. California – Santa Barbara/Ventura: $45,957
13. California – Los Angeles: $44,062
14. Massachusetts – Boston: $44,028
15. California – San Francisco/Greater Bay Area: $42,716
16. Louisiana – New Orleans: $42,628
17. Connecticut: $42,127
18. Texas – Houston/East TX: $40,285
19. DC – Washington DC/Northern VA/Suburban MD: $40,176
20. California – San Diego: $37,268
21. Texas –Austin/San Antonio/South TX/Central TX: $36,522
22. Maryland – Baltimore: $35,861
23. Michigan – Detroit: $35,576
24. California – Orange County: $35,303
25. NY – Capital District/Upstate NY: $34,874
The 10 most affordable places to get married
1. Arkansas: $19,522
2. Utah: $20,337
3. Montana: $20,794
4. Texas – West Texas: $21,688
5. Oregon: $21,854
6. Idaho: $22,018
7. Arizona – Tucson: $22,175
8. Iowa: $23,098
9. Nevada: $23,239
10. Oklahoma: $23,302