Real Couples Say This is Their Biggest Wedding Expense

It’s safe to say there’s a lot that goes into a wedding. Even the simplest of ceremonies typically consist of a bride in a dress and a groom in a tux, flowers, a post-celebration, and so on. But where does the majority of a couple’s money go? The Knot broke down average expenses in their 2018 Real Weddings Study.

For starters, last year, the national average cost of a wedding was $33,931. That price ultimately depends where a couple lives (New York City’s average was a whopping $96,910 while Idaho’s was $16,366), but for the 14,000+ couples surveyed, the 30K-ish figure rings true.

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The majority of this figure goes to — you guessed it — the reception venue. Couples spent around $15,000, which makes this expense the biggest of them all.

What follows actually comes way before the wedding: the engagement ring at an average cost of $5,680.

Other top expenses go back to the reception, like a band or DJ, florist, photographer, and catering. But another significant portion of a couple’s budget is dedicated entirely to the bride. The average one spent $1,631 on their dress last year, along with $123 for hair and $102 for makeup. The groom’s wedding day look is definitely more affordable, with the average cost of attire coming in at $283.

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Here’s the total breakdown per The Knot: