Alright, so I have never been married before but I have had family and friends in El Paso who have had weddings so I have seen what it takes to put together a dream wedding and one thing it takes (aside from love and all that other cute stuff) is…MONEY!

I Recently came across an article online that broke down the average wedding cost in 2024 for different parts of the country and the numbers might surprise me. They sure surprised me!

According to Zola.com, the national average wedding cost in 2024 is a whopping $33,000! But wait, there’s states that cost way more than that! *Gasps in Spanish* It all depends on how high or low you want to go with each wedding expense.

Gorgeous bride and stylish groom dancing under golden confetti at wedding reception. Happy wedding couple performing first dance in restaurant. Romantic moments
Bogdan Kurylo
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How much does a wedding cost, expense by expense?

  • Wedding venue: $6,500-$12,000
  • Catering: $6,500-$10,000 
  • Band or DJ: $2,000-$7000
  • Wedding planner: $1,500–$4,750
  • Photographer: $3,500–$6,500
  • Videographer: $3,000–$6,000
  • Flowers: $2,500–$6,000
  • Transportation: $700–$1,200
  • Cake: $600–$900
  • Ceremony music: $500–$800
  • Hair and makeup: $550–$850

These are just rough numbers because all these expenses depend on how many wedding guests you want to invite to your wedding. (Maybe that long distant aunt and uncle you’ve only met once doesnt need an invite.)

Now, all these numbers can stress out a person, but there’s a few tips for people when it comes to budgeting for your dream wedding, some tips you may not like, but it will sure save you a lot of money!

  • Decide what’s most important

Maybe you can pass on that ice sculpture you dreamt about when you were young. Maybe you can shorten your 300 people guest list to 150! Write a list of your wedding wishes and see what is really important to you and what doesn’t really need to be on the list!

  • Send digital save-the-dates

Because let’s be honest. Everyone is on their phones these days and it’s so much easier to access wedding details from a persons phone rather than waiting to get home to see the paper invite!

  • Thrift wedding attire

Look, it’s not ideal when it’s your first wedding because well, you want everything to be new and perfect, but sometimes you’ll be surprised at how beautiful some thrift dresses can be! After all, doesn’t everyone need to find their perfect something borrowed? And for men, renting or borrowing a tux could save you a lot of money too!

  • Add a Cash Fund To Your Gift Registry

Sure it’s nice to get those home appliances you know you can’t afford, but it’s also nice to have cold hard cash to use for your honeymoon or to put into savings for that dream house of yours!

Now here is a look at the state-by-state analysis of exactly how much a wedding costs in each state. Brace yourselves love birds!

Courtesy: Zola.com
Courtesy: Zola.com
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Courtesy: Zola.com
Courtesy: Zola.com
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Courtesy: Zola.com
Courtesy: Zola.com
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LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today

These money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It’s never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]

Gallery Credit: Bethany Adams