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Weddings remain one of life's biggest one-off expenses, with couples often setting a budget months or even years before the big day arrives, only to find real costs can change once vendors, guest lists, and last-minute additions come into play. As of 2026, the U.S. wedding industry has an estimated market size of $63.95 billion and is expected to reach $85.36 billion by 2031. [1] Mordor Intelligence, “United States Wedding Services Market” https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-states-wedding-services-market
To better understand how couples actually budget for and pay for their weddings, a survey of 1,122 adults on behalf of Self examined initial budgets, final costs, funding methods, and any debt taken on along the way.
Before we dive into the survey results in full, let’s take a look at some wedding cost statistics from across the U.S.
According to data from The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in 2025 was $34,200. The location of the wedding can significantly impact this average, with hometown weddings averaging $32,600, domestic destination weddings averaging $41,700, and international destination weddings averaging $43,700. [2] The Knot, “The Average Wedding Cost” https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost
New Jersey tops the list as the most expensive place to get married, with an average wedding cost of $57,000, well above the national average of $34,200.
Rhode Island follows in second place at $51,000, with New York close behind at $49,000. Rounding out the top five, Vermont comes in at $47,000 and Massachusetts at $45,000.
Notably, all five of the most expensive states are concentrated in the Northeast, suggesting couples in this region face significantly higher wedding costs than the national average, potentially due to higher venue and vendor costs, cost of living, or demand in the area.
| Rank | State | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $57,000 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $51,000 |
| 3 | New York | $49,000 |
| 4 | Vermont | $47,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $45,000 |
Source [2] The Knot, “The Average Wedding Cost” https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost
At the other end of the spectrum, some states offer couples a significantly lighter price tag for their big day. Wyoming ranks as the most affordable state for a wedding, with an average cost of $17,000, less than a third of what couples pay in New Jersey, the most expensive state.
Idaho and Utah tie for second place at $18,000 each, while Oklahoma and West Virginia complete the top five, both averaging $19,000.
| Rank | State | Average Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $17,000 |
| =2 | Idaho | $18,000 |
| =2 | Utah | $18,000 |
| =4 | Oklahoma | $19,000 |
| =4 | West Virginia | $19,000 |
Source [2] The Knot, “The Average Wedding Cost” https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost
The reception venue is by far the single biggest wedding expense, costing couples an average of $12,900, nearly three times the next highest category. However, catering is counted as an average price per person ($80) rather than total cost. A reception live band comes in second at $4,500, followed by wedding rings and photography, which are tied at $3,000 each.
Flowers and alcohol also rank among the bigger-ticket items, both averaging $2,800, while videography ($2,300), the wedding dress ($2,100), and hiring a wedding or event planner ($2,100) round out the mid-range costs. Event rentals ($2,000), lighting and decor ($1,900), and a reception DJ ($1,800) also represent significant outlays.
| Wedding expense | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Reception venue | $12,900 |
| Reception live band | $4,500 |
| Wedding rings | $3,000 |
| Photographer | $3,000 |
| Flowers | $2,800 |
| Alcohol | $2,800 |
| Videographer | $2,300 |
| Wedding dress | $2,100 |
| Wedding/event planner | $2,100 |
| Event rentals | $2,000 |
| Lighting and decor | $1,900 |
| Reception DJ | $1,800 |
| Additional non-musical entertainment | $1,500 |
| Transportation | $1,100 |
| Wedding cake | $540 |
| Invitations & stationery | $510 |
| Favors | $480 |
| Additional jewelry | $390 |
| Officiant | $260 |
| Makeup artist (price for one to-be-wed) | $150 |
| Hairstylist (price for one to-be-wed) | $150 |
| Catering (per person) | $80 |
Source [2] The Knot, “The Average Wedding Cost” https://www.theknot.com/content/average-wedding-cost
In addition to the average dollar amounts spent on different wedding costs, The Knot’s data also breaks down the average percentage of an overall budget that each cost makes up.
Venue and rentals claim the largest share of a typical wedding budget, accounting for 29% of overall spend, making it by far the single biggest cost category. Catering, cake, and drinks come in second, taking up nearly a quarter (24%) of the budget.
Photography and videography make up a further 10% of the budget, while floral design and decor account for 9%. Music and attire/beauty are tied at 6% each, and wedding rings and a wedding planner each take up 5% of spend.
| Wedding expense | Average percentage of budget |
|---|---|
| Venue and rentals | 29% |
| Catering, cake and drinks | 24% |
| Photographer and videographer | 10% |
| Floral design and decor | 9% |
| Music | 6% |
| Attire and beauty | 6% |
| Wedding rings | 5% |
| Wedding planner | 5% |
| Guest entertainment | 3% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Stationery | 1% |
| Officiant | 1% |
Source [3] The Knot, “Wedding Budget Breakdown: Ways to Save Money” https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-budget-ways-to-save-money
Among survey respondents who had planned a wedding at any time in their life, the average budget they set was $26,900, though some budgeted much more or much less.
The largest share, 24.1%, set a budget between $30,001 and $50,000, while 21.1% budgeted $5,001 - $10,000 and 13.3% budgeted $2,001 - $5,000.
At the more modest end, 2.6% planned to spend $2,000 or less, and at the upper end, 3.2% budgeted more than $75,000. A small share, 0.4%, didn't set a budget at all.
| How much couples initially budgeted for their wedding | |
|---|---|
| Initial wedding budget | % of respondents |
| $2,000 or less | 2.6% |
| $2,001-$5,000 | 13.3% |
| $5,001-$10,000 | 21.2% |
| $10,001-$20,000 | 11.4% |
| $20,001-$30,000 | 11.4% |
| $30,001-$50,000 | 24.1% |
| $50,001-$75,000 | 12.5% |
| More than $75,000 | 3.2% |
| Didn't have a budget | 0.4% |
Data note: These figures are based on couples who have got married at any time, not just the last year.
In contrast to the initial budget they set, we also asked respondents how much they actually spent on their wedding, and the figure was slightly lower at $24,650, compared to the average budget of $26,900.
The most common amount people spent was between $30,001 and $50,000 at 22.3%, followed by the $5,001 - $10,000 bracket at 17% and the $2,001 - $5,000 bracket at 16.8%.
| How much couples spent on their wedding in total | |
|---|---|
| Actual wedding spend | % of respondents |
| $2,000 or less | 4.3% |
| $2,001-$5,000 | 16.8% |
| $5,001-$10,000 | 17.0% |
| $10,001-$20,000 | 13.9% |
| $20,001-$30,000 | 13.4% |
| $30,001-$50,000 | 22.3% |
| $50,001-$75,000 | 9.3% |
| More than $75,000 | 3.0% |
Data note: These figures are based on couples who have got married at any time, not just the last year.
Though most couples set a budget before planning their big day, sometimes unexpected costs arise, and you can end up spending more than you planned. Of those surveyed, 76.8% of couples went over budget on at least one part of their wedding.
Photography and videography are the most common areas where couples exceed their budget, with just over half (50.7%) of respondents reporting they spent more than planned in this category. Food and drinks follow closely behind at 49.2%, with decor (48.4%) and flowers (47.1%) also among the most frequent overspend categories.
Only 23.2% of respondents said they didn’t go over budget on any part of their wedding.
| Most common wedding expenses couples went over budget on | |
|---|---|
| Wedding expense | % of couples who went over budget |
| Photography and videography | 50.7% |
| Food and drinks | 49.2% |
| Decor | 48.4% |
| Flowers | 47.1% |
| Venue hire | 39.0% |
| Hair and makeup | 31.2% |
| Attire (dresses, suits, etc.) | 30.6% |
| Favors and gifts | 28.6% |
| Stationery | 26.7% |
| Entertainment | 26.5% |
| Didn’t go over budget | 23.2% |
Data note: Respondents could choose more than one answer.
Just over half (52.9%) of couples say they regret how much they spent on at least one part of their wedding.
Photography and videography top the list of wedding expenses couples regret spending money on, with 38.3% saying they wish they'd spent less in this category. Flowers follow closely at 37.8%, with food and drinks (36.3%) also among the most commonly regretted costs. Despite this, 47.1% said they don’t regret any of the money they spent on their wedding.
| Most common wedding expenses couples regret how much they spent on | |
|---|---|
| Wedding expense | % of couples who regret how much they spent |
| Photography and videography | 38.3% |
| Flowers | 37.8% |
| Food and drinks | 36.3% |
| Venue hire | 32.3% |
| Decor | 30.2% |
| Hair and makeup | 24.0% |
| Favors and gifts | 24.7% |
| Entertainment | 23.9% |
| Stationery | 22.8% |
| Attire (dresses, suits, etc.) | 20.8% |
| Don’t regret spending on anything | 47.1% |
Data note: Respondents could choose more than one answer.
When it comes to how people pay for weddings, most couples use a few different funding methods to cover the costs. Personal savings are the most common way to pay, with 73.1% of respondents saying they and their partner covered costs from their own savings. Family support also plays a major role, with nearly half (49.1%) of respondents receiving contributions from parents or other relatives.
Debt-based financing features prominently too: 41.7% of respondents put wedding costs on credit cards, while 18.9% took out personal loans to help cover expenses. A smaller share, 10.3%, used vendor payment plans, and 6.7% cited other funding methods.
| How couples paid for their wedding | |
|---|---|
| Method | % of respondents |
| You and your partner’s own savings | 73.1% |
| Parents/family contributions | 49.1% |
| Credit cards | 41.7% |
| Personal loans | 18.9% |
| Vendor payment plans | 10.3% |
| Other | 6.7% |
Data note: Respondents could select more than one answer.
A 2024 study by U.S. News found that 56% of newlyweds had taken on some kind of debt to pay for their wedding. [4] U.S. News, “56% of Newlyweds Went Into Debt to Pay for Their Wedding” https://money.usnews.com/loans/personal-loans/articles/2024-wedding-debt-survey
Of those surveyed on behalf of Self, just under half (49.7%) of people who had ever planned a wedding said they went into debt for it. As we mentioned earlier, 41.7% of people said they used credit cards to pay for part of their wedding, and 18.9% used personal loans.
Among respondents who had gone into debt for their wedding, the average amount of debt they took on was approximately $8,750. The most common amount of debt was between $1,001 and $5,000 (29.9%), followed by $5,001 - $10,000 (28%). A small percentage (1.1%) said they went into over $20,000 of debt to cover the cost of their wedding.
| How much debt people took on to pay for their wedding | |
|---|---|
| Amount of debt taken on | % of respondents |
| $1,000 or less | 2.7% |
| $1,001-$5,000 | 29.9% |
| $5,001-$10,000 | 28.0% |
| $10,001-$15,000 | 24.5% |
| $15,001-$20,000 | 13.7% |
| Over $20,000 | 1.1% |
The majority of people with wedding debt (82.2%) said it took them between one and three years to pay off the debt, while 8.6% said it took them under a year, and 1.3% said it took them five years or more.
If given the option to have their wedding again, 93.5% of people who went into debt for their wedding said they would choose a smaller wedding to reduce costs and avoid going into debt.
Like with many things in life, a couple’s financial situation can impact how much they’re able to spend on a wedding, but how do external factors affect what someone might spend?
Of all respondents, including those who had planned a wedding and those who hadn’t, 55.5% think there is pressure from either society, family, or friends to have an expensive wedding. A similar amount (56.9%) think that social media influences people to spend more money on a wedding than they would have otherwise.
Around a third (35.7%) of respondents say they sometimes feel pressure to attend weddings they cannot afford, and 53.3% say they think young people are being put off getting married because of the cost of weddings.
| When attending a wedding as a guest, do you ever think about how much the couple spent on the wedding? | |
|---|---|
| How often wedding guests think about how much a couple spent on their wedding | % of respondents |
| Always | 25.0% |
| Sometimes | 51.8% |
| Never | 23.3% |
In addition to people who had planned a wedding, the survey also asked questions to people who had not yet been married or planned a wedding.
Among these respondents, the average amount they said they would budget for a future wedding was $24,140, very close to the average of $24,650 that was spent by people who have had a wedding.
Just over a quarter (28.7%) of people in this situation said they had already started saving for a future wedding, and 33.5% said that finances would impact the type of wedding they would have in the future. Only 12.5% said the cost of a wedding would put them off wanting to get married, and 87% said they would not feel comfortable going into any amount of debt for a wedding.
A survey was carried out on behalf of Self in July 2026, asking 1,122 adults questions about weddings and the costs associated with them.
Respondents self-identified as follows:
Gender:
Age range:
Of those who had planned a wedding, the breakdown of when their wedding took place was as follows:
Written on October 23, 2026
Self is a venture-backed startup that helps people build credit and savings.
Self does not provide financial advice. The content on this page provides general consumer information and is not intended for legal, financial, or regulatory guidance. The content presented does not reflect the view of Self's issuing partner banks. Although this information may include references to third-party resources or content, Self does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of this third-party information. Any Self product links are advertisements for Self products. Please consider the date of publishing for Self’s original content and any affiliated content to best understand their contexts. All trademarks and brand names belong to their respective owners and do not represent endorsements of any kind.
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