Average wedding cost by state
Updated Oct 16, 2026
The average wedding in the US cost $34,000 in 2025, for 117 guests, about $292 a guest (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, more than 10,000 US couples married in 2025). Zola puts it at $36,000 (Zola Wedding Cost Index, March 2026).
$291 a guest
- Venue and rentals$9,044
- Catering and drinks$7,371
- Music and entertainment$2,584
- Flowers and decor$2,584
- Photography$1,938
- Everything else$10,479
Average wedding cost by state
The Merriwell estimate for 100 guests in each state, from public price data. States with a link have their own page, with what couples there spend.
| Prices vs US average | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,400 | 96.7% |
| Alaska | $32,100 | 102.2% |
| Arizona | $32,300 | 102.8% |
| Arkansas | $30,000 | 95.3% |
| California | $32,300 | 102.6% |
| Colorado | $31,300 | 99.6% |
| Connecticut | $32,300 | 102.7% |
| Delaware | $31,800 | 101.2% |
| District of Columbia | $32,400 | 103% |
| Florida | $31,900 | 101.3% |
| Georgia | $30,600 | 97.3% |
| Hawaii | $32,400 | 102.9% |
| Idaho | $31,100 | 99% |
| Illinois | $31,500 | 100.2% |
| Indiana | $31,200 | 99.1% |
| Iowa | $29,200 | 92.9% |
| Kansas | $29,500 | 93.8% |
| Kentucky | $30,600 | 97.3% |
| Louisiana | $30,100 | 95.7% |
| Maine | $32,500 | 103.2% |
| Maryland | $32,000 | 101.6% |
| Massachusetts | $32,300 | 102.9% |
| Michigan | $31,700 | 100.9% |
| Minnesota | $31,500 | 100.2% |
| Mississippi | $30,200 | 96.1% |
| Missouri | $29,900 | 95.2% |
| Montana | $31,000 | 98.7% |
| Nebraska | $29,200 | 93% |
| Nevada | $31,100 | 98.7% |
| New Hampshire | $32,700 | 103.9% |
| New Jersey | $32,600 | 103.5% |
| New Mexico | $31,000 | 98.5% |
| New York | $32,700 | 104.1% |
| North Carolina | $30,900 | 98.2% |
| North Dakota | $28,700 | 91.2% |
| Ohio | $31,100 | 98.9% |
| Oklahoma | $30,000 | 95.5% |
| Oregon | $31,500 | 100.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $31,400 | 99.8% |
| Rhode Island | $32,300 | 102.8% |
| South Carolina | $30,900 | 98.3% |
| South Dakota | $28,900 | 91.9% |
| Tennessee | $29,900 | 95.1% |
| Texas | $30,500 | 97.1% |
| Utah | $31,100 | 99% |
| Vermont | $31,900 | 101.6% |
| Virginia | $31,500 | 100.2% |
| Washington | $32,700 | 103.9% |
| West Virginia | $31,400 | 99.9% |
| Wisconsin | $31,300 | 99.5% |
| Wyoming | $31,600 | 100.4% |
How we work it out
A fixed part ($16,450) plus $150 a guest, the low end of Zola's guest-dependent costs, set so 117 guests nationally comes to The Knot's $34,000. Then we multiply by the state's price level for services (US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024). That's the "Merriwell estimate": honest, but flat. Real spending varies far more between states than prices do, so it answers "what would our wedding cost here?", not "what do couples here spend?".
What couples spend on each vendor
Among couples who booked each, the average was $8,573 for the venue, $6,927 for catering, $4,400 for photography (Zola Wedding Cost Index, March 2026).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average wedding cost in the US?
- $34,000 for couples married in 2025, with 117 guests (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study). Zola puts it at $36,000 (Zola Wedding Cost Index, March 2026).
- How much does a wedding cost per guest?
- About $292 a guest on average (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study). Catering and drinks are the biggest per-guest costs.
- Which states cost the most for a wedding?
- Prices for services run highest in New York (104% of the US average), New Hampshire (104% of the US average), Washington (104% of the US average), and lowest in North Dakota (91%), South Dakota (92%), Iowa (93%) (US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024 figures). Real spending varies more than prices do, so each state page also shows Zola's figure.
- How is the Merriwell estimate worked out?
- A fixed part plus $150 a guest (the low end of Zola's guest-dependent costs), set so 117 guests comes to The Knot's $34,000, then multiplied by the state's price level for services (US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024). We show 20% either side, because prices vary from venue to venue.
- Why do your state figures differ from other sites?
- Published state averages come from each site's own couples. Ours uses public price data, which spreads the states less than real spending does. That's why every state page shows Zola's figure beside ours, and why your own budget matters more than any average.
Sources
- The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, The Knot Worldwide, Feb 18, 2026. More than 10,000 US couples married in 2025. Checked Oct 16, 2026.
- Zola Wedding Cost Index, Zola, Mar 6, 2026. Zola's own planning data and a survey of 720 couples. Checked Oct 16, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (Services: other), US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Feb 19, 2026. Prices in each state against the US average (100), 2024. Checked Oct 16, 2026.
- How Much To Tip Wedding Vendors, Zola, Jun 1, 2026. Zola's 2026 Wedding Spend Survey of 720 couples. Checked Oct 16, 2026.