Wedding Facts and Trends

Wedding Industry

• Weddings are a $50 billion per year industry
• There are approximately 2.3 million weddings each year; 1.7 million are first-time weddings
• There are 6,400 weddings per day and 42,300 weddings every weekend
• This year, 1 out of every 64 Americans will get married
• One-third of weddings are remarriages
• The average cost of a wedding is $22,000
• 11% of all weddings are Destination Weddings
• Approximately 50% of adults in the US are married
• Nine out of ten Americans will be married at some point in their lives
• The majority of weddings occur in the South Atlantic states

Wedding Guests

• On average, 155 guests attend a wedding
• Approximately 287 million people attend a wedding every year

Wedding Couples

• On average, brides are 27-years-old
• The average age of a remarrying bride is 32
• On average, grooms are 29-years-old
• The average age of a remarrying groom is 37
• Over 71% of brides-to-be live with their fiancé
• Four out of five brides are employed

Wedding Budget

• 66% of couples worry about exceeding their wedding budget
• The average cost of a wedding dress is $800
• Most couples are willing to spend more than planned on their wedding photography, with an average cost of $2,600
• The average cost of music or other entertainment is $1,250
• The average cost of the rehearsal dinner is $1,200
• The average cost of the floral arrangements, including bouquets and flowers for the reception hall, is $1,100
• The average cost of the wedding reception is over $7,000

Wedding Trends

• Hosting wedding ceremonies in unique settings, such as museums and gardens
• Opting for black-and-white wedding photographs
• Hiring wedding consultants to manage the event
• Selecting platinum engagement and wedding rings
• Having couples showers instead of bridal showers
• Playing professionally-produced videos of the couple during the reception
• Selecting a honeymoon registry over more traditional store registries
• Extending the honeymoon time

Wedding Rings

• The average engagement ring costs $2,000
• 75% of first-time brides receive an engagement ring
• 67% of repeat-brides receive an engagement ring
• One-third of men’s wedding bands have diamonds
• The average size of an engagement ring is .75 karat

Wedding Party

• The average number in the wedding party is 12
• There are approximately 17 million bridesmaids and groomsmen per year

Wedding Day

• The most popular months to be married are August, June, September, October and May
• 85% of all weddings are held in a church or synagogue
• Over 50% of weddings take place in the afternoon
• The most common wedding day concerns are: (1) forgetting a crucial detail, (2) not having a fun party and (3) guests not showing up
• 15% of weddings include ethnic customs
• The majority of receptions are held in churches, followed by hotels, country clubs, fraternal halls and private homes

Wedding Gifts

• The most desired wedding gift is money
• More couples are selecting honeymoon registries over traditional store registries
• $19 billion is spent buying wedding gifts from registries per year

The Wedded Couple

• The average household income for newlyweds is $76,000
• 60% of brides change their surname
• On average, married couples have two kids

‘Til Death Do Us Part…Or Not?

• One-half of marriages end in divorce
• Almost 60% of brides over the age of 18 are separated or divorced within 15 years
• More than 4 million unmarried couples live together
• The median duration of first marriages that end in divorce is eight years
• The median duration of second marriages that end in divorce is seven years