The 2022 wedding boom may be over after a plethora of weddings after years of pandemic-related slowdown, but the cost of getting married continues to climb as the typical ceremony now costs couples $29,000!
In 2019, before the sudden influx of couples tying the knot, the average cost was about $24,700. In fact, the ,000 cost is a ,000 jump from the 2022 average.
The average cost of hosting a wedding was also higher in northeastern locations, including Washington, DC (,400), New Jersey (,200), and Massachusetts (,000).
Weddings in the south of the country appear to cost half as much as weddings in Mississippi ($25,000), Kentucky ($24,500), and Alabama ($20,000). The cheapest place in the country to hitchhike is Alaska with an average price of about $12,000.
But regardless of location, the rise in wedding spending can largely be attributed to the escalating costs that sellers face due to inflation.
Rise in 2022 weddings, driven by a backlog of ceremonies delayed by the pandemic, has eased, but the cost of getting married continues to rise
The average price of a wedding is now $29,000 for couples, compared to $28,000 last year, while in 2019 the average cost was about $24,700
One of the most significant price increases is that of entertainment, with DJs now charging 25 percent more between 2019 and 2022
One of the most significant price increases is that of entertainment, with DJs now charging 25 percent more between 2019 and 2022.
Others who have lost massive amounts of work during the pandemic have also seen their rates rise, such as makeup artists and hair stylists up 20 percent and 18 percent, respectively.
Even items to decorate venues have increased with flowers by 20 percent over the three-year period.
Wedding dresses are also up 19 percent over the same period. All of the above categories have increased more than cumulative inflation, which is 14 percent.
Other wedding essentials that have risen, but by less than inflation, include photographers — with rates up 8 percent.
Others who lost work during the pandemic have also increased their rates, such as makeup artists and hair stylists by 20 percent and 18 percent respectively
Even items to decorate venues have increased with flowers by 20 percent over the three-year period
The cost to feed guests has risen, with the average per capita catering cost rising by 7 percent, while the cost to rent a venue has risen by the same amount.
Wedding cakes have also risen – and not just in the oven. They are now priced 2 percent higher than in 2019.
The only item that seems to have dropped in value is groom’s clothing, which has dropped by 3 percent.
In a study conducted by Zolaabout 300 wedding vendors reported that 83 percent of their business costs are expected to increase by 2023.
In addition, 26 percent of suppliers said an increase in the cost of goods was to blame for the overall price escalation on the last tab.
About 17 percent of sellers surveyed said couples had a smaller budget for services, and 77 percent of sellers have now increased their rates.
Wedding dresses are also up 19 percent in the three years between 2019-2022
Renting venues along with the cost of feeding your hungry guests is up 7 percent
Emma Dykstra, who runs Deborah’s Specialty Cakes, a family-run bakery in Athens, Georgia, explained how supplier costs have increased significantly, leading her to raise prices twice in the past year.
The bakery has increased rates by about a third or more, meaning some customers will turn elsewhere once it’s out of their price range.
“We’ve had to adapt to that, and we also want to make sure we pay our employees as well, so we’ve had to raise their hourly rates,” Dykstra said. ‘That translates into slightly higher costs for the customer.’
Due to rising costs, the bakery is now targeting customers with higher incomes.
“We haven’t raised our price in ages and we hate having to do that because we really want to be as accessible to people as possible.”
The number of weddings is expected to decrease from last year’s peak – when more than 2.6 million weddings took place in the US.
Wedding cake prices have also increased – now priced 2 percent higher than in 2019
The only item that seems to have dropped in value is groom’s clothing, which has dropped by 3 percent
“They’re really very open about what the cost of a wedding is and what decisions they have to make that suit their personal style and fit the day they might have been thinking about for a long time,” Emily Forrest, Zola’s director of communications said.
To cope with rising spending, some couples explore the second-hand market, or choose to party during the week or in the morning to keep costs down.
“Flowers or installations or anything else that’s really decor-heavy and requires additional on-site labor, those costs add up dramatically,” says Paige Thom, co-founder of Weddings by Leigh, a Las Vegas-based wedding planning service.
“Everyone is kind of feeling the pain – rent, groceries and gas – so if you’re trying to keep a team, like us, you’re giving a raise. The idea of cheap labor is not really a thing anymore.’