What Is the Average Cost of a U.S. Wedding in 2025?

As you navigate wedding planning—and all of the costs associated with your nuptials, you may  struggle with the concept of spending so much money on a single day. But it isn’t just any day—it’s your wedding day and a celebration of the life you and your partner plan to build together. “The cost of a wedding can vary greatly, shaped by guest count, aesthetic, venue, time of year, and the vendors you select,” says Roxanne Bellamy, a wedding planner based in Washington, D.C.. “The beauty of this is that each couple’s vision is unique, and your celebration should reflect exactly that.” 

However, while every duo’s price tag will be slightly different, there’s one thing every couple planning a 2025 or 2026 celebration will face: higher prices. “Like in many industries, we’ve seen some changes,” Bellamy says. “Vendors are navigating shifts, such as higher living wages, increased product costs, and fluctuating economic factors that have impacted everyone. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact percentage of increase, but the overall rise is in line with the world we’re living in today.” 

Yet even with these higher costs, experts say there are still ways to ensure your affair isn’t too pricey. “I recommend coming up with a budget for the big day and prioritizing the top three items in order of importance,” says Kim M. Potvin, a wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch. “Is it [the] venue, number of attendees, or the band, for example? Or do you prefer a destination wedding, even if it means fewer attendees? Determining your budget across all of your resources and prioritizing where you want to focus your spending will help to simplify the decisions and hopefully reduce stress leading up to the special event.” Ultimately, most couples believe such a day is worth the spend. A study conducted by Empower, a financial services company, found that 58 percent of Americans believe a wedding is priceless and worth the splurge. 

Below, the experts break down the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. and explain what to consider when planning your big day on a budget. 

What Does the Average Wedding in the U.S. Cost? 

According to a 2024 study done by Empower, couples spend or plan to spend an average of $31,281 on their weddings; for 2025, Zola predicts an average of $36,000. However, more than 50 percent of couples are expected to go over budget. Millennials in particular have a higher average spend, shelling out $51,130 for their big day, according to Empower. 

These numbers have been steadily rising for the past five years. “In comparing a 2019 wedding budget with one from 2024 at a similar venue and guest count, we observed an approximately 30 percent increase in costs,” says Brooke Avishay, the owner of Orange Blossom Special Events. “This surge is largely due to inflation and the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic. When weddings were put on hold in 2020, the industry suffered, and many small, specialized businesses experienced staffing shortages. Once events resumed in 2021, the sudden, overwhelming demand—combined with limited vendor capacity—naturally drove up prices, a trend that has held steady into 2025.”

Social media can also skew your perception of what the “typical” wedding costs. “The average wedding cost in Southern California is a minimum of $1,000 per person and often a lot more,” says Cathy O’Connell, the cofounder of COJ Events, a luxury wedding planning firm in Southern California. “It’s difficult to go to any hotel in Southern California and spend less than that on everything needed to create a beautiful wedding. Weddings will always happen [on a smaller scale] for $30,000, but these are not the weddings that are all over Instagram!”

7 Key Factors That Dictate the Cost of a U.S. Wedding 

Ultimately, there are dozens of factors that come together to determine the total cost of a wedding. Here, we outline seven of the biggest ones—and offer some insight into how to ensure they don’t dictate too much of your budget.

Location 

The national average is a hard-to-read number because it accounts for the highest highs and the lowest lows, which vary widely across the country. A wedding in Iowa, for example, will cost roughly a third of the cost of a wedding in New York, according to Zola’s state-by-state numbers. Bigger cities and metropolises like New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Miami will generally be more expansive, but they’ll also offer more choice in vendors, thus allowing for more price comparison.

“Across the country, the average cost can vary greatly,” says Felicia Wong, the founder of Aventurine Planning, a tax services firm. “Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New York might set you back nearly $50,000, while Alaska, Nevada, and Utah average around or under $20,000. Big cities like New York or San Francisco can easily top $40,000, while smaller towns in the Midwest or South might stay closer to $20,000. Location plays a big part—not only in what your options might be but in how they are priced, too.”

Venue & Catering 

Venue and catering are typically some of your most costly expenses; they’re often grouped together at hotel and banquet hall venues. “Feeding your guests is the single biggest part of a wedding budget, often accounting for up to 50 percent or more of the total budget,” O’Connell says. Opting for a more extravagant venue or decadent food will result in a much higher price tag. 

Guest Count

Your guest list plays a direct role in the cost of your big day. While you may want to invite 300 of your family members and friends to your celebration, such a decision will make the affair that much more expensive. Your final guest count will affect the cost of everything—from food and cocktails to transportation and rentals. 

Vendors & Planning

After your venue and catering are locked in, you’ll start building out your vendor list, and the longer it gets, the more expensive the price tag. Almost every wedding will have a photographer, florist, and band or DJ; many will also have a planner. “Food and beverage costs have increased dramatically, keeping pace with the overall increase of food nationally,” O’Connell says. “Other vendors have also raised their prices accordingly or are considering doing so. Photography and videography are now more expensive than pre-COVID, as are wedding-planning fees. Many bands and DJs have also raised their pricing.”

To save a bit of money on vendor fees, Wong suggests getting multiple quotes. “And with inflation still lurking, lock in vendor prices ASAP; those rates might not wait for your save-the-date,” she adds. However, there’s one vendor who might actually save you money. “Wedding planners’ knowledge and connections are huge on saving you time—think of how much your time is worth—and they can save on costs,” Wong adds. Avishay agrees: “A reliable wedding planner will help keep you on track by providing clear estimates and honest advice.” 

Season 

“The time of year also plays a role in cost,” Bellamy says. “Certain seasons and holidays are in higher demand, especially in [big] cities.” Most areas of the country have a “wedding season” and an “off-season.” Since off-season dates are considered less desirable, they’re less competitive for vendor bookings and may even be discounted. This includes tying the knot during the week or in the winter.

Décor

“Elaborate florals can add thousands to a wedding budget,” O’Connell says. You’ll likely hire a florist no matter what, but how much you spend on this vendor largely depends on your aesthetic vision for the wedding. Do you want your guests to be fully immersed in a lush garden? You may need some time to save up. Do you lean toward modern minimalism with bud vases and heavy candlelight? This may be easier on your wallet. Consider different versions of your vision and inquire after quotes from various vendors to see how they might bring that to life. 

Inflation

There’s one key factor that’s out of both your and your vendors’ control: inflation. “The wedding industry is not immune to inflation,” Wong says. “Rental prices go up, labor costs, food; all of those are affected by inflation, and so weddings are as well. It just means that when you are planning your wedding, you have to get crystal clear about what your priorities are and what exactly you want to spend your money on.”