The Average Wedding Cost By State, Ranked and Mapped

A wedding can be an amazing celebration of two people joining together—and an amazing drain on your bank account.

The average cost for a wedding in the United States is more than $34,000, according to a survey done by wedding website The Knot. Expenses can cover a variety of needs, starting with the ceremony itself, flowers, and an officiant. Wardrobe is another major factor, with the dress, veil, and tuxedo adding to the tally. And then there’s the reception, where couples spend heavily on a venue, catering, music, cake, and an open bar.

But where you live can also affect how much you end up spending, with some states costing more than others when it comes to a wedding. Here are the states where you're going to spend the most and the least amount of money on an average wedding, according to The Knot.

Northeast Weddings Cost the Most

Expenses in Northeast states can add up quickly when planning a wedding, so be aware of the high price tag before you send out the invitations.

New Jersey topped the list with an average wedding costing $57,000, with factors like its proximity to New York City and high cost of living affecting the final bill. Rhode Island took second place with an average wedding cost of $51,000, thanks to high demand for unique venues along the water.

New York came in third place with the average wedding costing $49,000. The survey was done before Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got married in July 2026, which made the list of the most expensive weddings of all time. Their nuptials were estimated to cost between $20 million and $50 million.

One factor driving up East Coast prices is proximity to expensive metropolitan areas. New York City, for example, is the most expensive major city in the U.S. to tie the knot. Venues can be costly if you’re looking for iconic views, and because space is limited compared to less dense cities, hosting a larger celebration comes at a premium.

Other top-five expensive wedding cities include Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles. All of them are located in states that landed on the priciest top-10 list.

The top 10 states for the most expensive weddings are:

1. New Jersey: $57,000
2. Rhode Island: $51,000
3. New York: $49,000
4. Vermont: $47,000
5. Massachusetts: $45,000
6. Connecticut: $42,000
7. California (tie): $39,000
8. Delaware (tie): $39,000
9. Illinois (tie): $38,000
10. Maryland (tie): $38,000

Western Cities Are Cheaper for Weddings

Several of the most affordable states sit farther west. Wyoming leads the list of least expensive states for a wedding, costing an average of $17,000. Second place is a tie between Idaho and Utah, where celebrations average just $1,000 more.

Four states tied for fourth place: Alaska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. Expect to pay around $19,000 on average for a wedding there.

States with a lower cost of living benefit from overall cheaper wedding expenses, reducing prices for venues, catering, flowers, and more. For example, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and West Virginia are the three states with the lowest cost of living in the U.S. and also made the list for the 10 least expensive states to have a wedding.

The least expensive states for the average cost of a wedding include:

1. Wyoming: $17,000
2. Idaho (tie): $18,000
3. Utah (tie): $18,000
4. Alaska (tie): $19,000
5. Arkansas (tie): $19,000
6. Oklahoma (tie): $19,000
7. West Virginia (tie): $19,000
8. Kansas: $20,000
9. Iowa (tie): $21,000
10. Mississippi (tie): $21,000
11. Montana (tie): $21,000
12. Nevada (tie): $21,000
13. South Dakota (tie): $21,000

More State-By-State Data: