The national average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $33,900, according to The Knot 2019 Real Weddings Study. This is about the same as last year’s national average but about $500 more than 2017’s average. Five year ago, in 2014, the average was $29,858. The numbers come from a survey of more than 27,000 couples throughout the country.
So why the increase?
In the last few years, many couples have spent more on personalized wedding details, such as cigar-rolling stations, craft margarita bars and pop culture references, according to the study. These unique details often cost more than traditional alternatives, such as a standard bar setup.
Couples are also more likely to hire a wedding planner than in the past as they need help pulling off these customized nuptials. Nearly one-third of survey respondents hired a wedding planner in 2019, compared to 29% in 2018.
Here are some other details from the 2019 study:
- Average guest count: 131
- Average age: 32
- Average size of wedding party: 10
- Average engagement length: 15 months
- Average engagement ring cost: $5,900
- Most popular wedding color: Dark blue
Guests were an important part of 2019 weddings as 72 percent of those surveyed said their top priority was ensuring their guests were taken care of and had a good time. Alcohol is also a major part of the average wedding as 92 percent of all couples who wed in 2019 served beer, wine or spirits to guests.
Other interesting findings include:
- 25% of couples had engagement parties
- 75% of couples had bachelor/bachelorette parties
- 79% of couples had a rehearsal dinner
- 38% of couples incorporated cultural, ethnic or religious elements into their ceremony
- 90% of couples have a first dance
- 82% of couples have a cake-cutting ceremony
- 76% of couples serve wedding cake
- 80% of couples set up a wedding registry
For more information on The Knot 2019 Real Weddings Study, click here.
You might also enjoy reading our related blogs: The Biggest Wedding Expense Regrets, Average Wedding Costs By State and Average Wedding Cost Remains Stable. And stay tuned for upcoming blogs with more details about the 2019 study!
