How Much Does a Wedding Cost? (Plus, Easy Ways to Save Money!)
So you popped the question. The engagement ring has been insured. You’re in the throes of wedding planning — and you’ve quickly realized that before you can do any of your careful planning, you need to know one key detail: What’s your wedding budget?
Before you decide how much you’d like to spend on your wedding, knowing the average cost of a wedding overall and where couples spend most of their money can be helpful. Then, you can make informed decisions based on your hope that your big day will look like.
What You Will Learn
- How Much Does a Typical Wedding Cost?
- How Much Does it Cost for a Wedding? Factors That Impact the Average Wedding Cost
- Wedding Budget Breakdown: Where Should You Spend Your Money?
- Who Foots the Bill? How Do You Cover the Cost of a Wedding?
- Easy Ways to Lower the Average Price of a Wedding
- Average Cost of Wedding FAQs
- Avoid Costly Wedding Mishaps with Wedding Insurance
How Much Does a Typical Wedding Cost?
According to The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Study, the average wedding cost for 2024 was $33,000. The average cost for a destination wedding was higher at $39,000, while hometown weddings were lower at $32,000.
According to the average wedding costs, the wedding expenses are approximate for the following:
- $2,100 for the wedding dress
- $12,200 for the venue rental
- $2,900 for photography services
- $320 for the groom’s attire
- $85 per guest for catering
- $540 for the cake
- $290 for hair and makeup services
- $1,700 for a DJ
- $2,700 for floral arrangements
How Much Does it Cost for a Wedding? Factors That Impact the Average Wedding Cost
Couples spent about $33,000 on their weddings, but many factors can increase or decrease wedding costs.
Geography is one significant factor. You’ll pay far more for a wedding in a large metro area like San Francisco than in a small town a few hours away.
Geography, though, isn’t often in your control, especially if you don’t want to make your guests travel for a wedding. Luckily, many common wedding expenses are in your control. For example, a live band costs more than a DJ in just about every instance; a full sit-down dinner often costs more than a buffet. If you hire a wedding planner, that’s an additional cost many choose to forgo. The size of your guest list and wedding party also impact the overall wedding budget.
Wedding Budget Breakdown: Where Should You Spend Your Money?
But how do these average wedding costs break down? If you don’t want to spend the average of $33,000, and you’re working with a larger or smaller amount, how do you allocate your funds?
In general, expect to spend the most on your wedding venue, which will account for more than a third of your overall budget. Catering comes in at a close second, accounting for about another third of your budget. Then, you might split the remaining 40% equally across your other expenses, including photography, flowers, attire (including rings), and other vendor services such as a planner or decorator.
Who Foots the Bill? How Do You Cover the Cost of a Wedding?
There are a few ways you can go about covering your wedding costs.
- Assistance from Family
The first place many couples go for assistance covering their weddings is their family, whether that’s the soon-to-be in-laws or your parents.
- Wedding Debt
If relying on family for financial support is not an option, some couples take out personal loans to cover their wedding costs. However, this is not a good choice for every couple.
- Wedding Savings
If interest rates make you squeamish, you might hold off on your wedding until you’ve acquired extra cash in your savings account.
When amassing your overall budget, carefully understand your personal finance situation and your partners’ to make the best wedding decisions and choices.
Easy Ways to Lower the Average Price of a Wedding
If you don’t have $33,000 in your pocket, don’t despair. You can still have your dream wedding with just a few minor changes to your plans.
There are a few ways to lower the wedding cost average.
- Decrease your overall guest count(do you really have 200 close friends and family members?)
- Choose an off-peak date when vendor and venue prices are lower
- Choose an off-peak day of the week, like a Friday or Sunday, when vendor and venue prices are cheaper
- Pick a venue that doesn’t require you to use their in-house vendors
- Don’t rent two venues; host the ceremony and wedding reception in the same place
- Pick a unique venue rather than the high-priced hotel ballroom
Additionally, remember that the whole wedding industry exists to encourage you to spend more money. You likely don’t need everything that a wedding publication says you need. Prioritize your wants and needs to invest for your wedding budget properly.
Average Cost of Wedding FAQs
How much do weddings cost?
The average wedding cost for 2024 was $33,000.
What is the average venue cost for weddings?
In 2024, the average couple spent $12,200 on their wedding venue.
Where do you spend the majority of your total budget for a wedding?
Most couples spend more than half their budget on a venue rental and catering.
What’s the easiest way to decrease your wedding budget?
The easiest way to lower your wedding budget is by decreasing the size of your guest list. You might even consider opting for a micro wedding.
How much should you save up for your wedding?
You should save up however much you expect to spend. Don’t expect to receive financial help for the wedding from family members unless that has been discussed recently in an explicit conversation.
Avoid Costly Wedding Mishaps with Wedding Insurance
You’ve planned your dream wedding and successfully paid for it! However, mishaps can still arise. Maybe one of your crucial vendors cancels, or a guest accidentally damages your venue. You could be out thousands due to these unforeseen and unfortunate events.
Wedding insurance, though, can give you peace of mind and complete coverage leading up to, during, and after the big day. Check out BriteCo’s wedding insurance options — it’ll be one of your most affordable wedding-related purchases and one of the most worthwhile.
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