Wedding statistics 2026.
The numbers behind US weddings this year: what they cost, what the vendor market looks like across 3,061 listed businesses, and when couples actually book. Our directory data plus named industry sources. Every stat is free to cite with a link.
Cost statistics
- $35,000 is the average US wedding cost in 2026, per The Knot's Real Weddings Study.
- $76,944 to $99,452 is what a typical mid-size wedding costs in New York, the most expensive major US market we track.
- $24,000 to $31,000 is the same wedding in Phoenix, AZ, the most affordable major metro in our index.
- 3x gap between the priciest and most affordable major US wedding markets at identical guest counts.
- 18 of 23 major metros in our index run above the national average. Big-city weddings cost more than the headline number couples usually hear.
Full city-by-city ranking: most expensive US wedding cities. Per-metro directory data: US Wedding Cost Index.
Vendor market statistics
Computed from the All Wedding directory dataset: 3,061 wedding businesses across 50+ US metros, 784,752 aggregated verified reviews. Updated with each dataset refresh.
- 4.8 / 5 is the average rating of a listed US wedding vendor. This market runs high; mediocre vendors exit fast.
- 64% of listed vendors hold a 4.8 rating or better. A 4.6 in weddings is a below-average signal, not a good one.
- 784,752 verified reviews aggregated across the directory, averaging about 256 per business.
By category
| Category | Listed businesses | Avg rating | Total reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding venues | 797 | 4.7 | 275,999 |
| Wedding photographers | 849 | 4.9 | 94,113 |
| Wedding planners | 677 | 4.9 | 48,773 |
| Wedding bakeries | 738 | 4.6 | 365,867 |
Most-reviewed wedding markets
- #1 New York, NY 154,083 aggregated reviews across 159 listed vendors, averaging 4.7 stars.
- #2 Boston, MA 29,678 aggregated reviews across 59 listed vendors, averaging 4.8 stars.
- #3 Denver, CO 26,938 aggregated reviews across 64 listed vendors, averaging 4.8 stars.
- #4 Charlotte, NC 24,860 aggregated reviews across 70 listed vendors, averaging 4.9 stars.
- #5 Pittsburgh, PA 22,874 aggregated reviews across 63 listed vendors, averaging 4.8 stars.
Booking and timing statistics
- 14 months is the average US engagement length. Optimal planning windows vary from 4 months (micro weddings) to 20 months (200+ guests).
- 16-18% of US weddings happen in October, the single most-booked month. Peak October Saturdays price 20-35% above baseline.
- 14-24 months ahead is when top venues book for peak-season Saturdays in major metros.
- 15-25% is the typical discount for January-March dates at the same venues, per our winter logistics research.
- 20-35% savings from moving a peak-season Saturday to a Friday or Sunday, before touching any vendor budget.
Deeper dives: October peak season, weekday wedding math, when to book each vendor.
Using these statistics
Every number on this page is free to cite with a link to allwedding.us. Directory-derived stats update with each dataset refresh; cost figures come from our city cost guides with sources named in each. For custom cuts of the data (specific metros, categories, or trends), email hello@allwedding.us.