2018 Average Cost of Wedding in the U.S. Drops by 4% to $24,723
Spending for weddings in 2018 was down 4% from $25,764 in 2017 to $24,723 in 2018. The good news is that the wedding market is still worth $54 billion per year. The bad news is that couples are not spending more despite a relatively good economy. The reasons for which I have posted about previously and still see lifestyle creep and general life expenses changing the priority of how couples spend and what they plan to purchase for their wedding.
While spending is generally flat with some decrease in service categories, it's the demand for traditional wedding expenditures that is driving the lower overall spending. Almost every item is seeing lower demand with the exception of a few items. Event location, food, and decorations all saw higher demand. To me this points to couples looking for an experience, not a traditional wedding. And if there is one opportunity area, look at certain planning services; such as, day of, getting started, and month of direction.
The latest average wedding cost is based on 6,792 survey samples collected from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Includes couples that were married and spent money on their upcoming wedding. The average number of guests was 125 and the average travel distance from home to get married was 48 miles. The average number of bridesmaids was 4 and the average number of groomsmen was 4.
All markets have been updated with the latest information including number of weddings, spending, guests, travel distance and 2023 estimates. Updates to additional market data will be coming soon.
2017 to 2018 Wedding Cost Changes
| Market Totals | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Market Summary | $25,764 | $24,723 | -4.0% |
| Attire & Accessories | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Dress Accessories | $224 | $223 | -0.4% |
| Tuxedo/suit/other Accessories | $104 | $104 | 0.0% |
| Tuxedo/suit/other Rent/purchase | $209 | $210 | 0.5% |
| Wedding Dress/es | $1,220 | $1,217 | -0.2% |
| Beauty & Spa | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Hair Service | $67 | $68 | 1.5% |
| Makeup Service | $54 | $55 | 1.9% |
| Manicure & Pedicure | $45 | $45 | 0.0% |
| Entertainment | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| DJ | $736 | $737 | 0.1% |
| Entertainment lighting | $337 | $334 | -0.9% |
| Live Band | $1,700 | $1,693 | -0.4% |
| Musician/s, Soloist, or Ensemble | $618 | $612 | -1.0% |
| Flowers & Decorations | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Boutonnieres, Corsages | $148 | $150 | 1.4% |
| Bouquets | $339 | $338 | -0.3% |
| Event Decorations | $445 | $444 | -0.2% |
| Event Flowers & Arrangements | $613 | $604 | -1.5% |
| Event Table Centerpieces | $326 | $326 | 0.0% |
| Gifts & Favors | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Gift/s for Attendants | $103 | $102 | -1.0% |
| Gift/s for Parents | $122 | $122 | 0.0% |
| Tips (for all services) | $384 | $385 | 0.3% |
| Wedding Favors | $239 | $240 | 0.4% |
| Invitations | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Ceremony Programs | $128 | $128 | 0.0% |
| Engagement Announcements | $109 | $110 | 0.9% |
| Guest Book | $61 | $61 | 0.0% |
| Invitations & Reply Cards | $225 | $223 | -0.9% |
| Postage | $105 | $105 | 0.0% |
| Reception Menus | $125 | $125 | 0.0% |
| Save the Date Cards | $112 | $112 | 0.0% |
| Table Name and Escort/place Cards | $85 | $85 | 0.0% |
| Thank You Cards | $90 | $90 | 0.0% |
| Jewelry | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Bracelet | $174 | $174 | 0.0% |
| Earrings | $151 | $151 | 0.0% |
| Engagement Ring | $3,402 | $3,388 | -0.4% |
| Necklace | $199 | $199 | 0.0% |
| Wedding ring/band for HER | $782 | $775 | -0.9% |
| Wedding ring/band for HIM | $455 | $454 | -0.2% |
| Photography & Video | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Digital or Photo cd/dvd | $291 | $285 | -2.1% |
| Engagement Session | $395 | $390 | -1.3% |
| Photo Booth | $379 | $377 | -0.5% |
| Prints and/or Enlargements | $237 | $236 | -0.4% |
| Wedding album/s or photo book/s | $417 | $410 | -1.7% |
| Wedding Photographer | $1,606 | $1,597 | -0.6% |
| Wedding Videographer | $1,072 | $1,066 | -0.6% |
| Planner/Consultant | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| A La Carte Services | $941 | $942 | 0.1% |
| Day of Coordinator | $809 | $808 | -0.1% |
| For Getting Started | $873 | $869 | -0.5% |
| Full Service | $2,754 | $2,722 | -1.2% |
| Month of Direction | $1,058 | $1,036 | -2.1% |
| Venue, Catering & Rentals | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Ceremony Officiator | $214 | $213 | -0.5% |
| Event Accessories | $326 | $325 | -0.3% |
| Event Bar Service | $2,374 | $2,368 | -0.3% |
| Event Food Service | $4,667 | $4,632 | -0.7% |
| Event Location | $3,611 | $3,618 | 0.2% |
| Event Rentals | $1,736 | $1,737 | 0.1% |
| Hotel Room for After Reception | $315 | $314 | -0.3% |
| Limo Rental | $483 | $485 | 0.4% |
| Other Transportation | $517 | $518 | 0.2% |
| Rehearsal Dinner | $570 | $566 | -0.7% |
| Wedding Cake/dessert | $418 | $416 | -0.5% |
2017 to 2018 Wedding Demand Changes
Demand is the percent of total couples getting married that purchase the product or service
| Attire & Accessories | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Dress Accessories | 89% | 90% | 1.1% |
| Tuxedo/suit/other Accessories | 84% | 77% | -8.3% |
| Tuxedo/suit/other Rent/purchase | 87% | 87% | 0.0% |
| Wedding Dress/es | 95% | 94% | -1.1% |
| Beauty & Spa | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Hair Service | 84% | 78% | -7.1% |
| Makeup Service | 70% | 64% | -8.6% |
| Manicure & Pedicure | 79% | 73% | -7.6% |
| Entertainment | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| DJ | 76% | 70% | -7.9% |
| Entertainment lighting | 60% | 59% | -1.7% |
| Live Band | 30% | 19% | -36.7% |
| Musician/s, Soloist, or Ensemble | 43% | 31% | -27.9% |
| Flowers & Decorations | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Boutonnieres, Corsages | 87% | 82% | -5.7% |
| Bouquets | 95% | 93% | -2.1% |
| Event Decorations | 84% | 86% | 2.4% |
| Event Flowers & Arrangements | 82% | 79% | -3.7% |
| Event Table Centerpieces | 85% | 84% | -1.2% |
| Gifts & Favors | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Gift/s for Attendants | 77% | 64% | -16.9% |
| Gift/s for Parents | 68% | 60% | -11.8% |
| Tips (for all services) | 87% | 81% | -6.9% |
| Wedding Favors | 82% | 75% | -8.5% |
| Invitations | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Ceremony Programs | 72% | 59% | -18.1% |
| Engagement Announcements | 47% | 39% | -17.0% |
| Guest Book | 85% | 79% | -7.1% |
| Invitations & Reply Cards | 95% | 92% | -3.2% |
| Postage | 94% | 88% | -6.4% |
| Reception Menus | 51% | 38% | -25.5% |
| Save the Date Cards | 70% | 64% | -8.6% |
| Table Name and Escort/place Cards | 65% | 55% | -15.4% |
| Thank You Cards | 89% | 83% | -6.7% |
| Jewelry | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Bracelet | 27% | 24% | -11.1% |
| Earrings | 44% | 39% | -11.4% |
| Engagement Ring | 88% | 87% | -1.1% |
| Necklace | 33% | 30% | -9.1% |
| Wedding ring/band for HER | 88% | 86% | -2.3% |
| Wedding ring/band for HIM | 93% | 92% | -1.1% |
| Photography & Video | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Digital or Photo cd/dvd | 61% | 48% | -21.3% |
| Engagement Session | 59% | 56% | -5.1% |
| Photo Booth | 26% | 26% | 0.0% |
| Prints and/or Enlargements | 60% | 54% | -10.0% |
| Wedding album/s or photo book/s | 50% | 46% | -8.0% |
| Wedding Photographer | 92% | 90% | -2.2% |
| Wedding Videographer | 49% | 39% | -20.4% |
| Planner/Consultant | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| A La Carte Services | 7% | 7% | 0.0% |
| Day of Coordinator | 17% | 18% | 5.9% |
| For Getting Started | 4% | 7% | 75.0% |
| Full Service | 18% | 17% | -5.6% |
| Month of Direction | 6% | 7% | 16.7% |
| Venue, Catering & Rentals | 2017 | 2018 | Chg % |
| Ceremony Officiator | 85% | 79% | -7.1% |
| Event Accessories | 86% | 84% | -2.3% |
| Event Bar Service | 71% | 67% | -5.6% |
| Event Food Service | 83% | 87% | 4.8% |
| Event Location | 85% | 86% | 1.2% |
| Event Rentals | 76% | 74% | -2.6% |
| Hotel Room for After Reception | 76% | 66% | -13.2% |
| Limo Rental | 44% | 30% | -31.8% |
| Other Transportation | 36% | 25% | -30.6% |
| Rehearsal Dinner | 78% | 67% | -14.1% |
| Wedding Cake/dessert | 92% | 92% | 0.0% |
