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Jayla
Champion October 2025

Over or Under: 27k Wedding Budget?

Jayla, on September 11, 2018 at 11:05 AM

Posted in Planning 187

This one is definitely a frequently asked question! When you exclude the engagement ring and the honeymoon, the average cost of a wedding is $27,000. Unfortunately, most couples budget an average of $16,000 for their wedding and 40% of couples go over their budget! Based on the total ceremony and...

This one is definitely a frequently asked question! When you exclude the engagement ring and the honeymoon, the average cost of a wedding is $27,000. Unfortunately, most couples budget an average of $16,000 for their wedding and 40% of couples go over their budget! Based on the total ceremony and reception costs, couples end up spending an average of $216 per guest.

Is your wedding budget in the same ballpark? Are you over or under $27,000? *you don't have to share exact numbers!!


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Next question - Over or Under: 4.5 hour reception?

187 Comments

  • LB
    Champion November 2016
    LB ·
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    Over, by almost double. We had a DW and hosted all our 80 guests the whole weekend though: everyone invited to the RD, top tier service and food at the wedding, and a morning after brunch.

    Ps, to those who say you would never spend that amount on a wedding but "no judgement". Its not really no judgement if you're saying its "insane" Js. I'm sure there are a lot of brides who wouldn't choose a smaller, less formal, wedding, but you wouldn't see them saying it crazy to do so...
    • Reply
  • S
    Savvy August 2019
    Sarah ·
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    Wayyyyyyy under!! FH and I will be recent graduates so we don't have a ton of money to spend. We also want our wedding to feel laid-back and aren't doing a traditional sit-down meal so our budget is $5000! So far so good!

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  • Lo
    Savvy December 2018
    Lo ·
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    Word. Especially in SF!!!!!
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  • Nicole
    Expert November 2018
    Nicole ·
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    LOL, I'm over. I feel like that can be somewhat impossible in central FL (depending on venue type)

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  • R
    Just Said Yes July 2019
    Raquel ·
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    Under 10,000

    • Reply
  • S
    Just Said Yes September 2019
    suzanne ·
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    Umm WAYYYY over.... sadly

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  • M
    Dedicated August 2019
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    So so so far under. Down payment on a house? One day? We couldn't justify it.
    • Reply
  • Lori
    Beginner September 2018
    Lori ·
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    Under. We are at approx $1000 excluding rings and honeymoon.

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  • Vanessasaurus
    VIP June 2019
    Vanessasaurus ·
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    We will somehow be under in expensive NY with honeymoon included!
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  • R
    Just Said Yes May 2019
    Rashonda ·
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    Under...about $10k including honeymoon

    • Reply
  • A
    Beginner April 2020
    Abigail ·
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    Our budget is 15k and we haven’t even hit that even with the venue, catering, photographer and DJ
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  • Morgan
    Devoted July 2019
    Morgan ·
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    Wayyy under! Shooting for 10k and we're on track so far!

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  • Heather
    Savvy September 2019
    Heather ·
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    I had no idea how much things could be for a wedding. Slowly booking vendors and looking at other costs has kind of surprised me, I can see how the average is 27K now! hopefully we come in a lot under that

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  • Beth
    Just Said Yes December 2018
    Beth ·
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    Way over unfortunately
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  • V
    Beginner March 2019
    Victoria ·
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    Goodness! Way under! We’re spending about $3,000. I’m amazed that the average is $27k, how on earth do people afford it? That’s about half a year’s salary for me!
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  • Tracey & Dr. Julian
    Devoted August 2019
    Tracey & Dr. Julian ·
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    Wedding is double the cost New York weddings are expensive.
    • Reply
  • firstoneat56
    Master August 2017
    firstoneat56 ·
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    My NYC wedding came in at $23K for 73 people. This includes everything (even our OOT guest dinner) except honeymoon and rings. I originally set the budget at $20K but knew in my heart that we would likely go to $25k and was happy we only went over by $3k.
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  • firstoneat56
    Master August 2017
    firstoneat56 ·
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    I’m actually surprised the average is that low. Most of the weddings I’ve been to recently ran anywhere from $60 - $80k. I live in NY where costs are generally high. When I told people my budget was $20k (I ended up spending $23k) for a full catered dinner with cocktail hour and open premium bar in Brooklyn, they didn’t think I could do it. They estimated I’d need to spend at least $30k if not more.

    If Ihsd chosen my “dream” place, Brooklyn Winery, my wedding would easily have cost double what we spent. While we could have afforded it, I just didn’t want to spend it. I’d rather re-do my bathroom. LOL!
    • Reply
  • J
    Just Said Yes October 2018
    Joanne ·
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    Under 27k for our wedding.
    • Reply
  • M
    Just Said Yes September 2019
    Michelle ·
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    Ours will be under

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