Venue hire
The single biggest line for most couples. Rural venues and off-season dates sit at the low end; major-metro Saturdays at the top.
$5,000 – $20,000
Browse venue hireWedYesDay
United States
How much does a wedding really cost?
Simpler days start around
$18,000
Most couples land near
$30,000
Premium celebrations reach
$55,000
USD for around 100 guests, before sales tax and the 20-25% service charge caterers add · reviewed 2026-07
Where the money goes
Typical the United States price ranges by vendor category — and the verified vendors behind them.
Catering and bar
Roughly $70-180 a head. A 20-25% service charge plus state sales tax lands on top of this — budget for it from the start.
$7,000 – $18,000
Browse catering and barPhotography
Six to ten hours of coverage. The middle of the range buys an experienced full-day photographer in most markets.
$2,500 – $6,500
Browse photographyFlowers and styling
Personal flowers and simple centrepieces start low; ceremony installations grow it quickly.
$1,800 – $6,000
Browse flowers and stylingOfficiant
Many states let a friend be ordained or deputised to marry you, which is why this line varies more than any other.
$250 – $1,000
Browse officiantTurn the ranges into your budget
Step 1
Set a working budget
Agree the total you're comfortable spending before you fall in love with anything. Wedyesday's budget tracker splits it across categories for you.
Step 2
Pick your top three priorities
Choose the two or three things that matter most — venue, photography, food — and let them take a bigger share. Trim what you won't remember in five years.
Step 3
Get real quotes from verified vendors
Published starting prices beat guesswork. Shortlist verified vendors, request pricing with your date and guest count, and compare like for like.
Step 4
Track deposits and payments as you book
Log every quote, deposit, and due date as it happens so the running total never surprises you.
Your cost questions, answered
How much does the average US wedding cost?
The Knot's 2026 study put the average at about $34,200 across all guest counts, with a median closer to $20,000-$25,000. For a 100-guest wedding, most couples land between $18,000 and $55,000 before tax and service charges.
Why does the same wedding cost double in another city?
Venue and catering are local markets. A 150-guest wedding that costs around $85,000 in San Francisco can be roughly half that in a mid-sized Midwestern city. Where you marry moves the total more than any single vendor choice.
What do US quotes leave out?
Sales tax and service charge. Venue and catering are quoted pre-tax, and catering contracts routinely add 20-25% as a service charge or gratuity. On a $15,000 food and bar bill that is another $3,000-4,000.
Planning somewhere else?
Melbourne · VICSydney · NSWBrisbane · QLDPerth · WAAdelaide · SAYarra Valley · VICByron Bay · NSWGold Coast · QLDHunter Valley · NSWNew York City · NYChicago · ILLos Angeles · CAAtlanta · GALondon · Greater LondonManchester · North West EnglandEdinburgh · Scotlandthe United KingdomAuckland · North IslandWellington · North IslandQueenstown · South IslandNew ZealandMumbai · MaharashtraDelhi NCR · Delhi, Haryana and Uttar PradeshBangalore · KarnatakaIndia
Ranges are directional market figures — your quotes will vary with date, guest count, and season. The surest numbers come from verified vendors with published pricing.