Wedding Cost Statistics for the Upcoming Nuptials Season

Planning a wedding is as exciting as it is daunting: The number of marriage ceremonies in the US was at a steady 2-million mark in 2024, and the average cost of a wedding is expected to rise significantly with it.

In this handy guide to stats on wedding expenses, we’ll delve deeper to see how much people are paying for their nuptials and what they’re spending all that money on.

Key Wedding Statistics for 2025 - Editor's Choice

• The wedding venue is the biggest expenditure for most couples.
• New Jersey, New York and Vermont are the most expensive US states to get married in.
• The average cost of a wedding dress in the US is $2,000 (including alterations).
• 28% of couples go into debt to pay for their weddings.
• The average couple spends between 10% and 15% of their total budget on a wedding photographer.
• It is estimated that there will be more than 2 million weddings in the US in 2024.
• 45% of couples go over their wedding budget.

Wedding Prices in General

The average US wedding cost was around $33,000 in 2024.

(Business Insider)

The costs have been rising sharply in recent years, with this year seeing a 14% increase compared to 2023.

The biggest wedding expense for most couples is the venue.

(The Knot)

The bulk of the budget goes toward securing a wedding venue. On average, couples pay around $6,000 or $10,500 for this, depending on the source. The most popular places to hold wedding receptions and ceremonies in the US include places of worship, farms and barns, vineyards, hotels, country estates, banquet halls, and parks and gardens.

Saturday is the most popular - and most expensive - day to get married.

(NerdWallet)

Saturday is the most popular day to get married, and this demand for weekend weddings usually pushes prices up. Holidays are also more expensive to use as wedding dates. Couples looking to save money on planning their celebration may be able to cut expenses by switching to a weekday.

Summer and the Christmas holidays are also more expensive than spring, fall, and winter weddings outside of the festive period.

Wedding Budgets by Purpose

Most couples spend between $3,000 and $11,000 on renting a venue.

(WeddingWire)

For most couples, the most significant wedding costs are the venue, photographer, food, and entertainment. Recent wedding venue cost statistics show that, on average, a couple will spend $6,000 to book an appropriate space for their ceremony.

Couples spend 10%-15% of their total wedding budget on a photographer.

(Wedding Forward)

Professional wedding photographers charge between $2,500 and $10,000 for their services, and these costs are expected to rise.

The average couple spends $27 to $40 per person on catering.

(WeddingWire)

Food is also among the bigger wedding expenses for couples, and the costs depend primarily on your serving style of choice. For example, the average per-person price for a buffet meal is $28, while plated meals will run you $40 per guest. The range of catering costs is widening, as more and more people choose to explore alternatives to the traditional sit-down wedding breakfast. In recent years, food carts, brunches, afternoon tea, and barbecues have become more popular. 

Brides give an average of $2,000 for their dream dress, with alterations.

(Brides)

Luckily, this cost includes alterations, but it can also go much higher, depending on your choice of materials, embellishments, and accessories. High-end wedding gowns can cost several thousand dollars, or even millions.

On the plus side, renting a gown has become more popular recently, enabling brides to have a luxury experience on their wedding day for a fraction of the gown’s actual cost. This form of reuse is also pretty eco-friendly, considering how much material goes into making a single wedding dress.

US couples spend $500 on their wedding cake.

(WeddingWire)

A wedding cake is a ceremony staple, and its average price sits smack-dab on $500. However, wedding statistics suggest that spending on this particular dessert may be decreasing, as more people exchange decadent, multi-tier centerpieces for minimalist alternatives. Donut walls, homemade cakes, and savory cheese offerings have also gained popularity.

Nearly half the couples spend less than $1,000 on wedding rings in 2024.

(USA Today)

47% of surveyed couples spent less than a thousand dollars on their rings, while 11% spent more than $5,000.

Wedding Locations

The three most expensive US states to get married in are New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

(Business Insider)

The average cost of a wedding in the US varies hugely from one state to another. For example, the biggest average marriage costs in 2024 were $55,000 (NJ), $49,000 (NY), and $44,000 (VY).

The least expensive states to tie the knot are Utah, Idaho, Kentucky and Montana.

(Business Insider)

Exploring different locations can save couples on a budget a fortune. For example, the average costs for a wedding in 2024 in the least expensive states stood $17,000 (UT) and $20,000 in Idaho, Kentucky and Montana.

Wedding Budget Statistics

45% of couples go over their initial wedding budget.

(The Knot)

Smart spending is vital in every aspect of life, but especially for weddings. Unfortunately, planning a wedding and making it happen are two different things, and nearly half of couples admit going over their initial budget. They’re most likely to splurge on a better venue, food, and entertainment.

28% of couples go into debt to pay for their wedding.

(Business Insider)

In the US, 28% of couples go into debt as a result of paying for their wedding. The highest rates for wedding-related debt are in Peru and Brazil, where 47% of couples end up in debt after their nuptials.

In 2024, the average US couple invited 115 guests.

(USA Today)

More and more couples are opting for smaller weddings and more intimate celebrations, with 44% choosing to have less than 50 guests.