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The 10 most expensive places to get married in the U.S.

Love is in the air this spring and summer, and so is the excitement among an entire industry of folks wanting to sell goods and services to this year's lucky group of engaged couples.

Love is in the air this spring and summer, and so is the excitement among an entire industry of folks wanting to sell goods and services to this year’s lucky group of engaged couples.

Make no mistake, the wedding in industry is booming: a survey of over 13,000 couples showed that the average wedding cost a staggering $35,329 in 2016.

In some parts of the country, it gets even worse. Using data on city-wide wedding expenses from TheKnot.com, we took a look at where couples are spending the most across the U.S.

If you’re planning an affordable wedding, it might be well worth your time to avoid these areas. If you do choose to get married in these places, make sure you plan for it in your budget.

Photo: Thinkstock

10. Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is full of bustling, bright, and interesting places, but it also comes at a premium: to get married here costs an average of $44,062.

The average wedded couple in Los Angeles spent about as much on wedding services as couples in other areas of the country, with the exception of one big thing: couples spent nearly $4,000 more on a venue than the average couple in other parts of the country.

9. Santa Barbara/Ventura, California

Just up the road from the sprawling Los Angeles, coast-hugging Santa Barbara and Ventura weddings come in slightly more expensive at an average of $45,957.

Here, a couple could expect to spend about $5,000 more than average for a venue, and nearly $500 more for a photographer.

Photo: Thinkstock

8. South New Jersey

Atlantic City isn’t the only attraction that south New Jersey has going for it. It’s full of beautiful beaches, historic buildings, and rustic locations that all appeal to couples getting married.

Much like California couples, south New Jersey couples could expect to pay about as much for most wedding services in 2015 except for the priciest part: the venue. While the average couple paid about $15,000 for their venue in 2015, south New Jersey couples shelled out $22,000, on average. 

7. Philadelphia/Delaware

Getting married in the City of Brotherly Love or anywhere in nearby Delaware will set you back $48,093, on average. Residents of Philadelphia and Delaware spend nearly 50% more on venues and 10%-20% more on engagement rings, respectively, than couples nationwide.

Philly and Delaware are far enough away from some of the pricier East Coast wedding centers to benefit from somewhat lower prices, but the average wedding here is still about 35% more expensive than the nation as a whole.

6. South Florida

South Florida is a relatively easy place to plan a wedding thanks to the tourist industry, especially if you’re bringing in a bunch of out-of-towners. But its ease comes with a price: the average couple spent $48,596 on their wedding last year.

Surprisingly (or maybe not), aside from the venue, one of the biggest expenses is just  flowers and decorations—$3,111 worth, to be precise.

5. Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be one of the smallest states in the nation, but it has some of the highest wedding prices. There are a plethora of high-price options to choose from given its long history as an American colony and as the well-known stomping grounds of many a rich folk.

Last year the average couple spent $52,328 on their wedding. Everything seems to be pricier: the average couple spent 30% more on the engagement ring, 60% more on a venue, and 35% more on a photographer than couples nationwide.

4. Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Cape Cod was seemingly built for romance. Everywhere you go is an amazing ocean view, historic landmarks, and all kinds of hidden gems and fun. It’s no wonder it’s such a popular place to get married, but it’ll cost you $58,608, on average.

Cape Cod couples generally spend $9,205 on an engagement ring alone, and nearly $3,000 on flowers and décor. About 8 in 10 couples opted for a black-tie event over a more low-key (and low-price) wedding, which was probably responsible for part of the high cost.

3. Chicago, Illinois

If you’re swept up with love in the Windy City, you can expect to be set back about $60,035. Nearly everything costs more for Chicago weddings: the average venue cost $28,319, the average floral/décor package cost $3,933, and the wedding cake cost a whopping $675, for example.

But, if you’re willing to travel into the Chicago suburbs vs. Chicago proper, you can shave nearly $11,000 off your final bill—and use it on the honeymoon instead, perhaps?

2. North/Central New Jersey

North/central New Jersey offers a lot of attractions to couples getting married: it’s right next door to NYC proper for easy commuting yet doesn’t come with quite the high price tag, yet it still has plenty of rural touches for those seeking a less urban wedding.

Still, couples can expect to spend $62,606 on average, evenly split among a range of different wedding services and products. The average couple spent about 50% more on an engagement ring, 85% more on a venue, and about 50% more on a photographer, for example.

1. New York, New York

New York really does take the cake when it comes to the most expensive place to get married (literally), especially for some of the more affluent boroughs.

Couples in Manhattan are the oldest in the country, on average, with the average bride and groom aged 32 and 34, respectively. Nationwide, brides and grooms are three years younger than that.

Maybe those extra years give the lucky couples time to accumulate more wealth. They’ll certainly need it: the average wedding in Manhattan costs a jaw-dropping $78,464.

And if you think living in a different borough makes you immune, think again: the average wedding costs in Long Island ($67,831), Westchester/Hudson Valley ($54,428), and the outer boroughs ($59,027) are nothing to sneeze at either. 

Magnify Money is a price comparison and financial education website, founded by former bankers who use their knowledge of how the system works to help you save money.

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