Weddings are a big thing for Americans.
A Gallup poll found that 54 percent of Americans are married, with 21 percent of the population interested in marrying in the future. Just about 5 percent, though, don’t have any interest at all in tying the knot.
Millennials, for instance, aren’t overly enthusiastic about marriage. The number of millennials getting married before they’re 40 is lower than in any generation, the Urban Institute found in a recent study. Some have even begun embracing and championing the idea of a beta marriage, where couples test the relationship for two years before making it official.
So, yeah, it’s a big topic for most Americans.
And apparently an expensive one. Theknot.com released a survey earlier this year that looked at the average cost of a wedding — $29,858, excluding the honeymoon. The survey also highlighted the cities where it costs the most to get married.
Here are the top 15:
1. New York City (Manhattan)
The average cost of a wedding in the Big Apple is at a whopping $86,916. For a city where people average $2,448 in weekly pay, the hefty price tag isn’t too surprising.
2. Long Island
The average cost of a wedding on Long Island rests at $57,343. The average salary for someone living there is about $56,000, so people are spending about a year’s salary on their wedding.
3. North/Central New Jersey
To have a wedding in north or central New Jersey, you’ll be dishing out about $51,287. The northern part of the state is home to Bergen County, where blue laws prevent people from shopping on Sundays. Maybe they’re saving money for their weddings.
4. Chicago
The windy city offers a comparatively more affordable wedding cost at $48,449. Illinois’ economy isn’t doing too well, though, so you’re probably less likely to see people laying out hefty stacks of cash for a lavish wedding these days.
5. NYC Outer Boroughs
OK, you live in New York City’s outer boroughs, and you don’t want to spend the big price tag that a Manhattan wedding requires. No problem, although the costs are still high. Prices for weddings in the outer boroughs are averaging $47,121.
6. Santa Barbara/Ventura, California
The sun, surf and beautiful mountains are all too good to be true, making the $44,214 average wedding cost something to consider.
7. Rhode Island
It may be the smallest state in the nation (1,214 square miles), but it’s got one large average wedding price at $42,469. But given its proximity to the beach — and with Boston, a major U.S. city, to the north — Rhode Island offers a wide range of experiences for your wedding tastes.
8. Westchester/Hudson Valley, New York
New York’s urban hub isn’t the only area raking in the dough for its weddings. The suburban areas surrounding the city, which had a booming housing market until recently, have an average wedding cost of $42,444.
9. Connecticut
Couples in Connecticut don’t skimp out when it comes to weddings. With an average price of $41,745, the state with the 13th best school system is home to pretty pricey weddings.
10. Philadelphia
Anyone getting married in the city of brotherly love is going to pay an average of $40,350 on their wedding. Wonder if the brothers are paying?
11. Los Angeles
The City of Angels is also the city of expensive weddings (and life overall, for that matter). Weddings in the California metropolitan area cost an average of $38,735.
12. South New Jersey
So we’ve covered New York City, the areas surrounding it, and northern New Jersey. Well, southern New Jersey’s got a top-level price tag, too, with an average wedding costing $38,620.
13. Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia/suburban Maryland
Politicians aren’t budgeting too much on their weddings, comparatively. The average citizen living in the greater Washington, D.C., area — some of which are the most powerful politicians in the nation — is paying $37,487 for a wedding.
14. Southern Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas)
Nice beaches, a mix of culture and all the sun you could soak up. Weddings on the southern tip of Florida cost $37,210 on average.
15. Boston
Want to see the Sox? The green monstahh? The historic sites? All of that’s available with a wedding in Boston. You just may have to pay an average of $35,512 for a wedding.
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