PRESIDENT TRUMP PUSHES FOR LOWER INTEREST RATES. 538 IS YOUR TIME. WEDDING SEASON IS HERE, AND SO IS THE STICKER SHOCK. FROM VENUES TO FLOWERS TO CATERING, COUPLES ARE FINDING OUT THIS THING I DO NOW COMES WITH A SERIOUSLY EXPENSIVE PRICE TAG. WVTM 13. CALEB DAVIS IS THE STUDIO WITH US THIS MORNING. AND CALEB, HOW CAN EVERYONE SAVE ON THE BIG DAY? SARAH, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THE COSTS ADD UP QUICKLY AND EXPERTS SAY EVEN MAKING THE SMALLEST CHANGES CAN HELP COUPLES AND THEIR WEDDING GUESTS. LAST AMERICAN COUPLE SPENT ON AVERAGE MORE THAN $34,000 AND RANKED EVEN HIGHER FOR DESTINATION WEDDINGS. AND BETWEEN TRAVEL, HOTEL COSTS AND OUTFIT AND A GIFT. GUESTS ARE SPENDING ON AVERAGE AROUND $600 ON CHILD CARE, AND THAT COST SKYROCKETS EVEN MORE SO FOR GUESTS. RENT AN OUTFIT. YOU CAN ALSO CASH IN WITH FRIENDS GOING TO THE WEDDING TO GET ONE BIG GIFT TO PUT SOME EASE ON YOUR POCKETBOOK. AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT, ESTHER LEE WITH THE NON-EDITORIAL SAYS SPLITTING A HOTEL ROOM OR AIRBNB WITH OTHER GUESTS CAN SAVE YOU A COUPLE HUNDRED AS WELL. BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE IF GOING IS THE BEST DECISION FOR YOU. THERE CAN BE A FIVE STAR HOTEL, THERE CAN BE A THREE STAR OPTION, THERE CAN BE LOCAL AIRBNBS. YOU REALLY HAVE TO MEASURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUPLE. WELL, IF YOU ARE INVITED TO BACK TO BACK WEDDINGS THIS SEASON, FOR SOME THAT CAN ADD REAL STRAIN TO AN ALREADY TIGHT BUDGET IN A PINCH. LEE SAYS YOU CAN SKIP THE
The average wedding costs $36,000. They cost the most in these 10 US cities
Updated: 2:32 PM PDT Jun 1, 2026
The average cost of a wedding in 2026 is $36,000, according to Zola.Zola, a popular wedding planning website, released its 2026 data in March. The report cautioned that cost variation depends on several factors, like location and guest count. What a couple prioritizes in wedding planning can also affect costs.The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed the average cost of a 150-guest wedding across 60 U.S. cities and found the most expensive place to wed was New York City at an average of $99,000. Use the interactive map below to see how average wedding cost varies by city.10 most expensive wedding cities The data team’s analysis wasn’t inclusive of every U.S. city, but here are the top 10 out of the 60 that were analyzed.New York, NY: $99,000San Francisco, CA: $85,000San Jose, CA: $82,000Chicago, IL: $81,000Cheyenne, WY: $71,000Boston, MA: $68,000Los Angeles, CA: $67,000San Diego, CA: $65,000Washington, D.C.: $63,000Las Vegas, NV: $62,000PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
WASHINGTON —
The average cost of a wedding in 2026 is $36,000, according to Zola.
Zola, a popular wedding planning website, released its 2026 data in March. The report cautioned that cost variation depends on several factors, like location and guest count. What a couple prioritizes in wedding planning can also affect costs.
The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed the average cost of a 150-guest wedding across 60 U.S. cities and found the most expensive place to wed was New York City at an average of $99,000.
Use the interactive map below to see how average wedding cost varies by city.
10 most expensive wedding cities
The data team’s analysis wasn’t inclusive of every U.S. city, but here are the top 10 out of the 60 that were analyzed.
New York, NY: $99,000San Francisco, CA: $85,000San Jose, CA: $82,000Chicago, IL: $81,000Cheyenne, WY: $71,000Boston, MA: $68,000Los Angeles, CA: $67,000San Diego, CA: $65,000Washington, D.C.: $63,000Las Vegas, NV: $62,000