Average Wedding Cost by State (2026)
Estimated average wedding cost for all 50 states plus DC, based on the national average adjusted for regional vendor pricing.
Where you marry can move your budget more than almost any other decision. Using the $34,200 national average from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study as a baseline, we estimate the typical wedding cost in every state by applying a regional cost index.
The most and least expensive states
Before the full table, the extremes:
- Most expensive: Hawaii, New York and the District of Columbia sit roughly 25–30% above the national average — dense metros, high labor costs and intense demand for peak Saturdays.
- Least expensive: Mississippi, West Virginia and Arkansas come in roughly 15% below average — lower venue and labor costs across the board.
- The middle: most Midwest and Southern states cluster within 5–10% of the average, which is why the national figure is a decent starting point for the majority of couples.
Average wedding cost in every state
| # | State | Cost index | Typical wedding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | ×1.30 | $44,450 |
| 2 | New York | ×1.30 | $44,450 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | ×1.28 | $43,800 |
| 4 | California | ×1.25 | $42,750 |
| 5 | New Jersey | ×1.25 | $42,750 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | ×1.22 | $41,700 |
| 7 | Connecticut | ×1.20 | $41,050 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | ×1.15 | $39,350 |
| 9 | Illinois | ×1.12 | $38,300 |
| 10 | Maryland | ×1.12 | $38,300 |
| 11 | Alaska | ×1.10 | $37,600 |
| 12 | Washington | ×1.10 | $37,600 |
| 13 | Colorado | ×1.07 | $36,600 |
| 14 | Nevada | ×1.05 | $35,900 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | ×1.05 | $35,900 |
| 16 | Oregon | ×1.05 | $35,900 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | ×1.05 | $35,900 |
| 18 | Virginia | ×1.05 | $35,900 |
| 19 | Vermont | ×1.03 | $35,250 |
| 20 | Delaware | ×1.02 | $34,900 |
| 21 | Florida | ×1.02 | $34,900 |
| 22 | Maine | ×1.00 | $34,200 |
| 23 | Minnesota | ×1.00 | $34,200 |
| 24 | Texas | ×1.00 | $34,200 |
| 25 | Arizona | ×0.98 | $33,500 |
| 26 | Georgia | ×0.97 | $33,150 |
| 27 | North Carolina | ×0.96 | $32,850 |
| 28 | South Carolina | ×0.96 | $32,850 |
| 29 | Montana | ×0.95 | $32,500 |
| 30 | Tennessee | ×0.95 | $32,500 |
| 31 | Louisiana | ×0.93 | $31,800 |
| 32 | Michigan | ×0.93 | $31,800 |
| 33 | Utah | ×0.93 | $31,800 |
| 34 | Idaho | ×0.92 | $31,450 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | ×0.92 | $31,450 |
| 36 | Wyoming | ×0.92 | $31,450 |
| 37 | Indiana | ×0.90 | $30,800 |
| 38 | Missouri | ×0.90 | $30,800 |
| 39 | New Mexico | ×0.90 | $30,800 |
| 40 | Ohio | ×0.90 | $30,800 |
| 41 | Alabama | ×0.88 | $30,100 |
| 42 | Iowa | ×0.88 | $30,100 |
| 43 | Kansas | ×0.88 | $30,100 |
| 44 | Kentucky | ×0.88 | $30,100 |
| 45 | Nebraska | ×0.88 | $30,100 |
| 46 | North Dakota | ×0.87 | $29,750 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | ×0.86 | $29,400 |
| 48 | South Dakota | ×0.86 | $29,400 |
| 49 | Arkansas | ×0.85 | $29,050 |
| 50 | Mississippi | ×0.85 | $29,050 |
| 51 | West Virginia | ×0.84 | $28,750 |
Why weddings cost more in some states
- Venue real estate. Event space in dense metros carries city rents. A ballroom in Manhattan and a barn in upstate New York are barely the same market.
- Labor costs. Catering and service staff are the biggest share of a wedding, and wages vary widely by state and metro.
- Demand. Destination-wedding states like Hawaii, and popular metros, have more couples competing for the same Saturdays — and vendors price accordingly.
- Vendor density. Paradoxically, states with fewer wedding vendors can be cheaper (less premium positioning) or more expensive (no competition) — it cuts both ways, which is why the index is a starting point, not a quote.
How to use this table
- Set expectations early. If you’re in a 1.25× state, mentally add 25% to every national figure you read online — including ours.
- Consider a border hop. Couples near a state line sometimes save thousands by marrying 45 minutes away. Run both states in the calculator and compare.
- Remember the metro effect. Within-state variance often exceeds between-state variance. The table gets you in the right neighborhood; vendor quotes get you the address.
Plan for your state
Pick your state in the wedding budget calculator and every category’s typical range updates to match. To price individual vendors, use the vendor cost estimator.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most expensive weddings?
New York and Hawaii top our index at about 30% above the national average, followed by DC, California and New Jersey.
Which state has the cheapest weddings?
West Virginia, Mississippi and Arkansas come in roughly 15% below the national average.
Sources & method
National figures from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study; category shares and vendor ranges cross-checked against Zola’s published cost data. State estimates apply our cost index (based on MERIC / C2ER cost-of-living data with a wedding-vendor premium). How we check our numbers.