Last Updated: 16.05.2023
by Rinas Bullatovci
The Most Surprising Wedding Cost Statistics And Trends in 2023
Choosing a wedding venue is a crucial decision, as it takes up a significant portion of the budget, and there are various types available. This post can assist you in making an informed decision by providing relevant information.
Key Takeaways: May 2023 Data
✓ The average cost of a wedding in May 2023 is $29,000, which represents an increase from $28,000 in 2022. (CNBC)
✓ Based on a total budget of approximately $29,000, the national average cost for wedding venue services in May 2023 is between $6,500 and $12,000. (Zola)
✓ There were a total of 61.44 million married couples in the United States in 2023. (Statista)
✓ The marriage rate increased in almost all states in May 2023, resulting in an overall increase of 18% from 5.1 marriages per 1,000 population to 6.0. (CDC)
✓ In 2023, the median age for women's first weddings in the United States was 28.6 years, while for men, it was 30.6 years. (Statista)
✓ Every year in the US, approximately 2.3 million couples tie the knot, translating to nearly 6,200 weddings taking place each day. (Wedding Day Sparkles)
Section 01
Average Wedding Cost
Section 02
Average Cost by Wedding Venue Type
Section 03
Average Wedding Cost by State
Section 04
Average Wedding Cost by Size
Section 05
U.S. Marriage Statistics
Section 06
Marriage Rate by State
Section
01
Average Wedding Cost
Discover what the most and least expensive wedding expenses are in this section, where we've included information about the average wedding cost.
The reception venue cost is $10,700.
Average 2022 wedding venue cost $11.2K (out of $30K total), up $500 from 2021.
Almost 40% of couples' total wedding budget was allocated to their venue, based on this, meaning the location is a significant expense.
Ninety percent of respondents opted to book a professional wedding venue for their celebration, indicating that most considered it a worthwhile investment.
The average cost of wedding catering is $72-$92 per person, depending on the type of food and services provided.
A professional wedding planner is preferred by 27% of couples.
40% of couples prefer to plan their wedding themselves.
The majority of couples, about 65%, tend to choose the summer and fall seasons for their wedding.
On average, couples spend between $12,343 and $14,006 for their wedding venue, as revealed by recent surveys of brides.
This expense covers the general location fee and additional costs such as food, drinks, tables, chairs, linens, and other incidentals.
Size, location, and entertainment, among other factors, determine the cost of a wedding, along with the couple's preferences for additional expenses.
The average cost of a wedding decreased by $4,400 per wedding from the previous year to $20,300 in 2020.
The cost can vary significantly, up to $18,063, based on the state where the wedding ceremony and reception are held.
Typically, the priciest aspects of a wedding are linked to the reception venue, which includes expenses for renting furniture such as tables and chairs, as well as catering for food and beverages.
At $9,261, the average expense for a wedding venue is one of the highest costs associated with weddings.
The expense goes up when couples have to rent tables, chairs, and other furniture to complete a venue hall.
For a 66-guest wedding, the average cost is $4,075 or $62 per plate, and as weddings return to pre-pandemic sizes, food expenses are expected to rise, particularly for extravagant weddings.
On average, engagement rings cost $5,204 per wedding, although the price can vary greatly depending on factors such as the size and type of stone, cut, manufacturer, and other factors that can increase the price to tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Having a band play at a wedding costs an average of $3,263.
Compared to a live band, hiring a DJ is usually more than $2,200 less expensive.
On average, the cost was $2,117 per wedding.
The aforementioned cost doesn't even cover the expense of a videographer, which can average around $1,588.
In total, these services add up to $3,705.
A florist typically charges an average of $1,764 per wedding.
For most people, wedding favors are the least expensive part of a wedding. The average cost of wedding favors in 2022 was $353.
Based on the average number of guests who attended weddings in 2022, a wedding cake costs $441, which equates to $6.68 per slice.
On average, invitations cost $7.88 each, assuming most people attend as couples. However, more elaborate invitations can cost more per person.
The average cost of arranging transportation for a wedding is $706 per occasion.
Section
02
Average Cost by Wedding Venue Type
The cost of wedding venues usually falls between $12,300 and $15,000, but it can be higher in certain circumstances. Several factors, including the time of year, catering and beverage needs, and additional charges, can impact the venue's ultimate cost.
A Park or Garden wedding venue typically costs between $7,886 and $13,353.
The cost of a Private Club wedding venue usually falls between $2,331 and $17,123.
An Event Center wedding venue can cost anywhere from $2,083 to $23,823.
A Museum wedding venue typically ranges in cost from $4,474 to $14,748.
The cost of a Hotel or Resort wedding venue can vary greatly, typically ranging from $5,021 to $73,014.
A Brewery wedding venue generally costs between $4,812 and $10,259.
The price range for the Historic/Landmark Building is between $4,083 and $22,596.
The Banquet Hall/Restaurant is priced between $2,378 and $22,576.
Section
03
Average Wedding Cost by State
The cost of your wedding can vary greatly depending on where you choose to tie the knot. While the national average cost of a wedding is $20,300, the price tag can differ by up to $18,063 depending on the location of the ceremony and reception.
Massachusetts is the priciest state to get married in, with an average wedding cost of $30,489.
New Jersey and Massachusetts are the only two states where the average cost of a wedding exceeds $30,000.
On the other hand, Arkansas is the least expensive state to have a wedding.
West Virginia is a close runner-up to Arkansas as the most affordable state to get married in.
The East Coast is home to several of the priciest states for hosting weddings. Apart from the District of Columbia, four out of the five most expensive states are located in the Northeast region.
Among the top 10 most expensive states to hold a wedding, California and Hawaii are the only states situated to the west of the Mississippi River, ranking eighth and ninth, respectively.
In contrast, seven out of the 10 most economical states to tie the knot are located in the southern region, while the remaining three affordable states are situated in the West - New Mexico, Montana, and Nevada.
The cost of a wedding can differ greatly even among the 20 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.
A report shows the projected average spending on weddings by 4,000 couples in 2023, with Washington, DC leading the list at $45,400.
It is followed by New Jersey at $44,219 and New York at $43,863.
The lowest spending state is Alaska at $12,083, while the national average is $28,700.
The national average spending on weddings in 2023 is expected to be $28,063.
There is a difference of $13,653 in the average cost of a wedding between the priciest and the least expensive of the largest metropolitan areas.
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater in Florida is the metropolitan area where weddings are the most affordable.
The average cost of a wedding in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida is $20,044.
Conversely, the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metropolitan area in California has the highest average cost of weddings among the 20 metros, coming in at $33,697.
Section
04
Average Wedding Cost by Size
The average cost per person for a wedding varies due to several factors, but it is possible to obtain some information by considering the number of guests on the list.
If the guest list for a wedding exceeds 200 people, the expected cost will be $40,000 or more.
For weddings with a guest list of 150 to 200 people, the average cost is estimated to be $36,000.
Weddings with 100 to 150 guests typically have an average cost of $31,000.
If a wedding is attended by 75 to 100 guests, the expected cost is approximately $22,000.
A wedding attended by 50 to 75 guests is estimated to cost around $18,000.
Weddings with less than 50 guests are expected to cost less than $15,000.
It is possible to plan a wedding with a budget of around $60,000 without compromising on essential aspects. This budget allocation guide suggests spending $34,000 on the venue, catering, and cake, $9,600 on invitations, $4,200 on flowers and decorations, and $3,600 on the dress, suit, and alterations.
Other wedding expenses include $538 on hair and makeup, $6,000 on bachelor/bachelorette parties, $2,700 on a DJ, $4,200 on a photographer and videographer package, $600 on ceremony officiant, location, and decor, and $3,000 on rehearsal dinner and other miscellaneous costs.
To plan a wedding close to the average budget, spend $37,000 with $24,000 on venue, catering, and cake, $480 on invitations, $2,100 on flowers and decorations, $1,800 on dress, suit, and alterations, $270 on hair and makeup, and $3,000 on bachelor/bachelorette parties.
Wedding expenses include $1,350 on a DJ, $2,100 on a photographer, $300 on ceremony officiant, location, and decor, and $1,500 on rehearsal dinner and miscellaneous costs.
Spending $80,000 on a wedding is not so extravagant. You can allocate $41,000 towards the venue.
You can allocate $1,280 for catering and cake.
For invitations, consider allocating $5,600 in your budget.
For flowers and decorations, you may allocate $4,800 in your wedding budget.
You can budget $717 for the wedding dress, suit, and alterations.
For hair and makeup, the cost is around $700. The bachelor and bachelorette parties may cost $8,000.
The cost for a DJ is $3600 and $5600 for a photographer and videographer package.
The cost breakdown includes $800 spent on the ceremony officiant, location and decor, and $4000 spent on the rehearsal dinner and other miscellaneous expenses.
Section
05
U.S. Marriage Statistics
The statistics show that marriage has become less popular in recent decades, with declining marriage rates now reaching "record lows."
The total number of married women is 68.33 million.
There are 67.54 million married men.
The main reason for unmarried status among 42% of men is attributed to not being financially stable.
In comparison, 40% of women cite the same reason for being unmarried.
The mean age for marriage has risen to 34 years.
This is an increase from the mean age of 32 years in 2019 and 2020.
Women, on average, get married at the age of 33.
Men, on the other hand, have an average age of 35 for marriage.
Among individuals aged 18-55 in the middle and upper-class categories, 56% were found to be married.
In contrast, only 39% of working-class and 26% of poor individuals within the same age range were married.
Among spouses aged 18-55, who reported being "very happy" in their marriages, 54% belonged to the poor category.
In the same group, 56% of "very happy" spouses were classified as working class, while 65% belonged to the middle and upper-class categories.
Pew Research Center reports that the proportion of married adults varies according to their religion.
With a marriage rate of 66%, Mormons have the highest percentage of married individuals, followed by Hindus at 60%.
Historically Black Protestants have the lowest marriage rate at 31%.
The marriage rates for Catholics, Evangelical Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jewish, Mainline Protestants, Muslim, and Orthodox Christians fall between 39% to 56%.
Section
06
Marriage Rate by State
75% of all U.S. households have at least one person who plays.
The state with the highest marriage rate is Nevada, which has 26 marriages per 1000 residents.
Hawaii has the second-highest marriage rate, with 12.8 marriages per 1000 residents, following Nevada.
Utah, Arkansas, and Hawaii are among the other states with high marriage rates.
The state with the lowest marriage rate is Texas, where only 4.9 marriages occur per 1000 residents.
Wisconsin, Delaware, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are among the other states with low marriage rates.
Individuals in all states are legally allowed to get married without parental consent once they turn 18 years old.
The only exception is Nebraska, where the minimum age for marriage without parental consent is 19.
In over half of the states, individuals can get married at the age of 16 with the permission of their parents.
Fifteen states permit marriage for minors who are younger than 16 years old.
Eight states do not have an established minimum marriage age but mandate parental consent or court approval.
These eight states are California, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
In the Northeast region, the average age of women at marriage is 33, and for men, it is 34, resulting in an average age of 34 for couples.
In the Mid-Atlantic region, the average age of women at marriage is 33, and for men, it is 34, resulting in an average age of 33 for couples.
In the Midwest region, the average age of women at marriage is 31, and for men, it is 33, resulting in an average age of 32 for couples.
In the South/Southeast region, the average age of women at marriage is 33, and for men, it is 34, resulting in an average age of 33 for couples.
The average age of couples in the Southwest is 32, with women being 32 years old and men being 33 years old.
The average age of couples in the West is 33, with women being 33 years old.