How Much Is The Average Cost Of A Wedding?

For engaged couples planning their wedding, the sticker price for their Big Day is as unique as the pair getting married. From the videographer and engagement ring to the wedding cake and live band, here's how much a wedding could cost on average.

How Much Does A Wedding Cost?

For many couples, their big day is a joyous occasion preceded by meticulous planning – and loads of spending.

Having a wedding isn't as simple as saying “I do” — and can be a lot more expensive. The research site The Wedding Report blended surveys of pre- and post-wedding couples with data on product and service costs across the U.S. It found the average cost of a wedding in 2022 was $29,195.

Similarly, wedding planning website The Knot puts the average cost of a wedding around $30,000. However, this cost can be lower or higher depending on various factors, including where you live, the size of the guest list, and more.

The $30,000 average is a $2,000 increase from the year prior. The reason for the bump in costs might be chalked up to a trifecta of reasons: inflation, a rise in demand and shortages. Plus, in the past few years there have been a flurry of couples who initially planned to get hitched during COVID-19, and had to postpone their nuptials, which is contributing to the increase in demand.

Average Cost Of A Wedding By State

How much you can expect to dole out on your wedding can hinge on the location. According to data by the Knot, getting hitched in New Jersey is the priciest, while getting married in Kansas, Oklahoma or Utah is the cheapest.

Let's take a look at the price tag of a wedding, based on where you live:

*Hawaii and Alaska not included

The Most Expensive Wedding Costs

While this isn't an exhaustive list of wedding expenses, these are the most common, big-ticket costs to bear in mind, according to The Knot:

Reception Venue, DJ And Live Band

The average cost of the reception venue is $11,200. As you might imagine, this is one of the largest – if not the largest – costs for a wedding. Its price tag can vary, based on the type of venue, size, day and time of day. For instance, recreation centers are typically less expensive than a banquet hall, and you'll likely find a better rate on a weekday evening than a weekend afternoon.

The cost of a DJ for a reception can also be pricey, and hovers at an average of $1,500. And if you're thinking of hiring a live band, the cost soars to $3,900. The actual price will hinge on the duration, when you're booking talent and how in demand they are.

Photographer Or Videographer

If you want to hire a videographer, you're looking at spending about $2,100. This includes a videographer for the entire day, plus post-production work. The cost also comes with an edited video, or a series of clips of varying lengths.

Paying for a photographer is more expensive, about $2,600. The cost depends on whether it includes the rehearsal dinner, if they'll include extra hours before and after the wedding, and the number of photos they'll be sending.

Engagement Ring

While the 3-month salary rule is outdated and can get tossed out the window, it can still cost a pretty penny to get the "just-right" engagement ring for your soon-to-be-spouse. The average cost of an engagement ring is $5,800.

It's a highly personalized choice, and boils down to preference. The cost depends on the type of stone, settings, cut, size, type of band, and any embellishments.

Wedding Dress

What the bride will be wearing on the big day is often a front-and-center question, and the price tag can be a hefty one. The average cost of a wedding dress is $1,900, and the majority of folks buy new. As you might imagine, the more customized the dress, the higher the cost.

Florist

There are wildflowers you can pick from a field, and there are elaborate table arrangements with exotic flowers. Multiply that by the number of tables at your reception, along with the boutonnieres and bouquets, and the costs of flowers add up quickly. The average national cost for a florist is $2,400, and ranks up there along with the wedding dress.

The Least Expensive Wedding Costs

All wedding costs can impact your wedding budget. Let's look at costs that are on the lower side.

Hair And Makeup

Hair and makeup on your wedding day averages around $130 and $120, respectively. The actual costs depend on the specifics, and whether you’re hiring a professional for just the bride, or for the entire wedding party and family members.

Invitations

That ink and paper can prove more expensive than you anticipated. The average cost of wedding invitations is $510. This typically includes save-the-dates, and return envelopes for invited guests to send in their RSVPs.

Depending on the paper stock, number of invitations and postage, your invitations can run higher or lower. If you want a highly customized invitation, expect that number to go up.

Wedding Cake

The average cost of a wedding cake in 2022 was $510. This number can differ based on your baker, the number of tiers, ingredients of the cake, decorations and embellishments, the cake stand – even your location.

Favors

Whether you're opting for candy in plastic cubes or personalized chocolate bars, wedding favors can put a dent in your wedding budget. The average price tag for favors in 2022 was $440, and can be higher or lower depending on quantity and the type of parting gifts you'd like to give your wedding guests.

On average, a couple spends $14 per guest on wedding favors, and includes welcome bags and games for kids.

Wedding Planner

A wedding planner can work with you leading up to the wedding and to take care of the details to make sure your special day goes without a hitch. However, expect to pay a premium for their time and expertise. The national average to hire a wedding planner is sung to the tune of $1,900.

6 Tips To Save Money While Wedding Planning

Now that we've gone over the general costs of a wedding, we'll look at some ways to shave off some dollars:

1. Create A Wedding Budget

Without a wedding budget, you run into a greater risk of going overboard. Create a budget in your early planning days, and note all potential costs. Next, you'll want to do some research and allocate an amount to each category.

It's a good idea to revisit your budget frequently. That's because your expenses and anticipated costs are likely to shift, so you'll want to make tweaks along the way. In turn, your budget can help provide guardrails to keep your spending in check.

2. Start Planning Early

Getting the planning process off the ground quickly can boost the likelihood of saving money, which allows for more time to pay wedding expenses in full before the wedding day. Plus, you'll have more opportunities to spot deals on say, party favors and book the best professionals with rates that fit your budget.

When you plan early, you can also save funds for your big day. For instance, let's say you're 18 months out and anticipate spending $30,000. While you might not be able to pay for the wedding in full with cash, you might be able to swing shoring up half by aiming to save about $833 a month, or $208 a week.

3. DIY When Appropriate

Opting for DIY projects can help you save significantly. Tap into the talents of willing helpers in your life, and consider creating your own table signage, head wreaths, even your invitations.

However, only attempt to do it yourself if you're comfortable and confident in doing so. And if you have the time. Also, it might be best leaving certain aspects of your wedding to the experts. For instance, wedding planning, videography, wedding cakes and floral arranging could benefit from hiring a professional.

4. Be Flexible

A wedding is one of the most important and largest endeavors you might plan for. And as planning big productions goes, anticipate surprises along the way. Stay nimble and be flexible.

Consider having a bit of padding in your wedding budget. Plus, don't leave anything up to chance or last-minute. It could prove stressful and costly.

5. Consider A Wedding Loan

If you could benefit from getting some financing for your wedding, you might want to consider a personal loan. A personal loan can be used for a variety of purposes, including funding your big day. If you have good credit, they often come with flexible repayment terms and reasonable rates.

If you're mulling over going this route, do your homework and research rates, terms and amounts from different lenders. You can often get prequalification, which won't hurt your credit.

6. Rent When You Can

Not all wedding expenses come from purchases. Some pieces can be rented, which may prove cheaper in the long run. For instance, consider renting table linens, runners and napkins for your special occasion. Otherwise, you'll be stuck with a stack of table linens that you're responsible for reselling or unloading down the line.

Along the same lines, tables, chairs, glassware, candle holders and vases can also be rented. It's less expensive to rent than buy, and you won't have to worry about potential storage issues after your wedding day.

The Bottom Line

A wedding can certainly be a pricey affair, but it's also a special occasion you don't want to cut corners on. To bear the costs of a wedding, get your head around the different costs, plan ahead and create a wedding budget. It'll keep you in the green, and start an exciting new chapter in your life on sound financial footing.

For help monitoring your finances and sticking to a budget, you can download the Rocket Money℠ app.