What is the average wedding cost nationally?

Weddings can certainly be an expense. Not only do you have to pay for a dress and venue, but there are often many additional charges, such as the chairs. That's right! Chairs are not necessarily included in the venue pricing. (Crazy, right?)

I, like many, grew up watching TLC shows such as Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings. This has probably contributed to my interest in wedding culture. After all, who doesn't love a big party and a pretty dress? Personally, I think people should get to have weddings even if they don't have a partner! I mean, some people do "marry" themselves.

Anyway, tangent aside, weddings are fun! But I have no real concept of how much weddings actually cost. While no wedding is the same, and some people chose to elope rather than throw a whole party, I wanted to take a look at the average cost of weddings in certain states. Where can you expect to spend more on a wedding? Where is it the cheapest place to get married?

The Knot completes a study each year, which we will be referencing. It was found that on average in 2021, the cost of a wedding was $28,000—not including the engagement ring! This number is actually the same as what it was in 2019. In 2020, however, wedding prices dropped due to the pandemic. The average cost then was $19,000. Read on to learn more about wedding costs in specific states:

Most and Least Expensive States for Weddings

While some studies vary and data may not be as comprehensive in recent years, we can still get a good idea of which states are generally ranked as the most expensive states to get married in. The Knot did have a breakdown of what each state's weddings cost on average. 

Data has found that New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island are often on the high end of wedding costs per state. New Jersey was at the top of this study, with the average cost in 2019 at $47,000.

So you know which states are the most expensive. What about the other end of the spectrum?

According to The Knot's study, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho are among the least expensive states to get married in. The data shows that in 2019, the average cost of a wedding in Wyoming was $15,800. Like I say, "West is best."

It's pretty crazy comparing the average costs of the most expensive and least expensive states to marry in. The difference between the New Jersey and Wyoming data is over $30,000! Read that again: $30,000.

Marriage in Colorado

Somewhere in the middle lies our favorite state, Colorado. While it may not be the least expensive, it's certainly not the priciest—and that's gotta count for something, right? It is, however, a very "easy" state to get married in. Unlike other places, in Colorado, you are able to get married without an officiant present. The marriage license can take as quickly as 20 minutes to obtain, and some counties even offer an online application. Colorado is also one of the most beautiful states to get married in ... fact or bias, you decide!

Where you live can certainly have some bearing on how expensive your wedding could be. These are averages, however, and we recognize that at an individual level, there is room for variation. It is still interesting to examine how wedding prices can be dependent to a certain degree on which state they're in.

Do you have a dream state to hold your wedding in? Let us know in the comments below!