If you're planning on getting married soon, you're probably aware of how expensive weddings can be. Nationwide, couples spend an average of $26,720 on their weddings, but this changes dramatically depending on the state you plan to exchange vows in.
So, how much are the couples in your area actually spending? 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the average cost of a wedding in every state.
Whether the couple spends the money or their parents do, expensive weddings often mean someone can afford to do so. This is why the cost of a wedding often reflects area incomes. Couples joining in matrimony that spend more than the national average often live in states where incomes are relatively high.
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While the price of each wedding, and what couples spend on each of the details such as entertainment or catering, varies between states, the share of each component out of the entire wedding cost tends to be relatively consistent nationwide. For example, venue, catering, and rental costs which include transportation and hotel bookings, are by far the most expensive part of weddings in every state, accounting for some 45% of all wedding budgets nationwide.
Jewelry is the second most expensive item of a wedding, with engagement rings costing $3,400 on average nationwide. Photography -- including photographers, albums, and prints -- account for about 10% of the total wedding cost, the third largest component of spending on weddings in the United States.
50. Mississippi
> Cost of a typical wedding: $17,610
> Number of weddings in 2016: 18,269 (17th lowest)
> Average household income: $55,495 (the lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $2,922 (the lowest)
49. West Virginia
> Cost of a typical wedding: $19,367
> Number of weddings in 2016: 13,989 (14th lowest)
> Average household income: $56,568 (2nd lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,117 (7th lowest)
48. Arkansas
> Cost of a typical wedding: $20,041
> Number of weddings in 2016: 30,194 (23rd lowest)
> Average household income: $59,275 (3rd lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,160 (10th lowest)
47. Kentucky
> Cost of a typical wedding: $20,090
> Number of weddings in 2016: 32,768 (24th highest)
> Average household income: $62,596 (5th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,032 (2nd lowest)
46. Alabama
> Cost of a typical wedding: $20,355
> Number of weddings in 2016: 38,446 (20th highest)
> Average household income: $62,307 (4th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,041 (3rd lowest)
45. Tennessee
> Cost of a typical wedding: $21,173
> Number of weddings in 2016: 55,605 (13th highest)
> Average household income: $66,009 (10th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,058 (4th lowest)
44. Montana
> Cost of a typical wedding: $22,098
> Number of weddings in 2016: 8,112 (8th lowest)
> Average household income: $66,110 (11th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,151 (9th lowest)
43. Oklahoma
> Cost of a typical wedding: $22,105
> Number of weddings in 2016: 26,534 (21st lowest)
> Average household income: $66,260 (12th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,220 (14th lowest)
42. New Mexico
> Cost of a typical wedding: $22,139
> Number of weddings in 2016: 9,993 (11th lowest)
> Average household income: $62,747 (6th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,117 (7th lowest)
41. Louisiana
> Cost of a typical wedding: $22,701
> Number of weddings in 2016: 32,754 (25th highest)
> Average household income: $64,895 (9th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,271 (24th lowest)
40. Idaho
> Cost of a typical wedding: $22,905
> Number of weddings in 2016: 13,130 (13th lowest)
> Average household income: $63,921 (7th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,100 (5th lowest)
39. South Dakota
> Cost of a typical wedding: $23,047
> Number of weddings in 2016: 5,937 (6th lowest)
> Average household income: $68,723 (17th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,271 (24th lowest)
38. North Dakota
> Cost of a typical wedding: $23,107
> Number of weddings in 2016: 4,726 (2nd lowest)
> Average household income: $81,460 (15th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,245 (20th lowest)
37. Missouri
> Cost of a typical wedding: $23,158
> Number of weddings in 2016: 39,775 (17th highest)
> Average household income: $68,065 (16th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,194 (13th lowest)
36. South Carolina
> Cost of a typical wedding: $23,471
> Number of weddings in 2016: 39,539 (19th highest)
> Average household income: $64,352 (8th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,262 (22nd lowest)
35. Indiana
> Cost of a typical wedding: $23,912
> Number of weddings in 2016: 46,433 (14th highest)
> Average household income: $67,065 (13th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,151 (9th lowest)
34. North Carolina
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,005
> Number of weddings in 2016: 70,192 (7th highest)
> Average household income: $67,516 (15th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,237 (19th lowest)
33. Iowa
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,182
> Number of weddings in 2016: 19,646 (18th lowest)
> Average household income: $70,036 (20th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,228 (17th lowest)
32. Ohio
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,236
> Number of weddings in 2016: 67,759 (9th highest)
> Average household income: $68,880 (18th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,194 (13th lowest)
31. Nebraska
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,415
> Number of weddings in 2016: 12,218 (12th lowest)
> Average household income: $72,308 (25th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,228 (17th lowest)
30. Michigan
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,799
> Number of weddings in 2016: 58,612 (10th highest)
> Average household income: $69,492 (19th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,177 (11th lowest)
29. Kansas
> Cost of a typical wedding: $24,849
> Number of weddings in 2016: 17,441 (16th lowest)
> Average household income: $73,069 (24th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,237 (19th lowest)
28. Florida
> Cost of a typical wedding: $25,937
> Number of weddings in 2016: 147,138 (3rd highest)
> Average household income: $70,462 (21st lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,322 (23rd highest)
27. Arizona
> Cost of a typical wedding: $26,313
> Number of weddings in 2016: 36,123 (23rd highest)
> Average household income: $70,638 (23rd lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,254 (21st lowest)
26. Texas
> Cost of a typical wedding: $26,442
> Number of weddings in 2016: 178,537 (2nd highest)
> Average household income: $78,862 (18th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,356 (21st highest)
25. Wisconsin
> Cost of a typical wedding: $26,462
> Number of weddings in 2016: 30,458 (24th lowest)
> Average household income: $72,099 (25th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,288 (24th highest)
24. Georgia
> Cost of a typical wedding: $26,483
> Number of weddings in 2016: 57,430 (11th highest)
> Average household income: $71,555 (24th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,288 (24th highest)
23. Wyoming
> Cost of a typical wedding: $26,679
> Number of weddings in 2016: 4,464 (the lowest)
> Average household income: $76,934 (20th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,228 (17th lowest)
22. Utah
> Cost of a typical wedding: $27,885
> Number of weddings in 2016: 25,397 (20th lowest)
> Average household income: $79,860 (17th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,288 (24th highest)
21. Oregon
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,247
> Number of weddings in 2016: 26,705 (22nd lowest)
> Average household income: $73,144 (23rd highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,628 (15th highest)
20. Maine
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,392
> Number of weddings in 2016: 9,732 (10th lowest)
> Average household income: $67,135 (14th lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,790 (13th highest)
19. Illinois
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,413
> Number of weddings in 2016: 68,717 (8th highest)
> Average household income: $82,699 (14th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,356 (21st highest)
18. Nevada
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,672
> Number of weddings in 2016: 115,141 (5th highest)
> Average household income: $70,576 (22nd lowest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,381 (20th highest)
17. Minnesota
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,778
> Number of weddings in 2016: 31,825 (25th lowest)
> Average household income: $83,488 (13th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,458 (18th highest)
16. Colorado
> Cost of a typical wedding: $28,952
> Number of weddings in 2016: 37,931 (21st highest)
> Average household income: $85,915 (11th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,390 (19th highest)
15. Delaware
> Cost of a typical wedding: $30,200
> Number of weddings in 2016: 4,770 (3rd lowest)
> Average household income: $81,120 (16th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,509 (17th highest)
14. Washington
> Cost of a typical wedding: $31,086
> Number of weddings in 2016: 45,317 (15th highest)
> Average household income: $85,653 (12th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,688 (14th highest)
13. Virginia
> Cost of a typical wedding: $31,283
> Number of weddings in 2016: 56,875 (12th highest)
> Average household income: $90,556 (8th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,560 (16th highest)
12. Pennsylvania
> Cost of a typical wedding: $31,634
> Number of weddings in 2016: 71,468 (6th highest)
> Average household income: $75,981 (21st highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,858 (12th highest)
11. Vermont
> Cost of a typical wedding: $32,120
> Number of weddings in 2016: 5,048 (4th lowest)
> Average household income: $74,502 (22nd highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,952 (10th highest)
10. Rhode Island
> Cost of a typical wedding: $34,349
> Number of weddings in 2016: 6,766 (7th lowest)
> Average household income: $78,295 (19th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,029 (7th highest)
9. California
> Cost of a typical wedding: $34,543
> Number of weddings in 2016: 222,569 (the highest)
> Average household income: $91,757 (7th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,003 (9th highest)
8. Maryland
> Cost of a typical wedding: $35,069
> Number of weddings in 2016: 39,668 (18th highest)
> Average household income: $99,957 (3rd highest)
> Average engagement ring: $3,910 (11th highest)
7. Alaska
> Cost of a typical wedding: $35,128
> Number of weddings in 2016: 5,380 (5th lowest)
> Average household income: $92,876 (5th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,029 (7th highest)
6. New Hampshire
> Cost of a typical wedding: $36,302
> Number of weddings in 2016: 9,092 (9th lowest)
> Average household income: $89,735 (10th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,122 (6th highest)
5. New York
> Cost of a typical wedding: $36,978
> Number of weddings in 2016: 139,337 (4th highest)
> Average household income: $89,908 (9th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,242 (5th highest)
4. Hawaii
> Cost of a typical wedding: $37,755
> Number of weddings in 2016: 24,035 (19th lowest)
> Average household income: $92,496 (6th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,327 (2nd highest)
3. Massachusetts
> Cost of a typical wedding: $38,191
> Number of weddings in 2016: 37,915 (22nd highest)
> Average household income: $97,586 (4th highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,301 (4th highest)
2. Connecticut
> Cost of a typical wedding: $38,583
> Number of weddings in 2016: 16,528 (15th lowest)
> Average household income: $101,347 (the highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,318 (3rd highest)
1. New Jersey
> Cost of a typical wedding: $39,602
> Number of weddings in 2016: 43,980 (16th highest)
> Average household income: $101,061 (2nd highest)
> Average engagement ring: $4,344 (the highest)
Detailed Findings & Methodology
Typically, more is spent on weddings in Northeastern states and destinations like Hawaii. By contrast, those tying the knot in Southern states tend to spend less on weddings.
The cost of saying “I Do” is highest in New Jersey, where couples spend $39,602 on their weddings. In Mississippi, by contrast, couples spend $17,610 on the special day, the state with the lowest average wedding cost.
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Couples in states spending the most on weddings generally get married a year or two later than in states where less is spent on weddings. Because of the generally high overall cost of marriage, some level of financial stability is a requirement for most couples considering marriage. Even just a few extra years to settle into the workforce during a couple’s late 20s can mean they’ll be in a vastly different financial situation when paying for a wedding.
The typical age to get married in the 10 states where couples spend the most on weddings hovers between 29 and 30. In the 10 states spending the least, couples are generally between 27 and 28 years old when they get married.
To identify the cost of a wedding in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2016 average cost of a wedding in every state from wedding industry research company, The Wedding Report, Inc. The estimated number of 2016 weddings in each state as well as the cost of engagement rings and other items purchased getting married also came from The Wedding Report, Inc. Median age when first married and average household income figures came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2015 American Consumer Survey.
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