No two weddings are alike, which is what keeps the wedding industry so fascinating year after year. From celebratory hashtags and social media announcements to mixed-gender wedding parties and the inclusion of local food, it's no surprise that personalization is the one constant theme. In this year's Newlywed Report, you'll notice a continued shift in the traditional wedding season and how couples are relying on technology from the engagement through their wedding day. Planning is also starting earlier than ever before. Based on the largest survey of its kind, WeddingWire gives you the truest look into modern day engagements, planning, average cost and more.
Engagement
'Tis the season for proposals, as nearly 40% of all engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. While 52% of individuals are surprised by the ring, 1 in 3 show their partner photos of the ring and/or style they like. (Fun Fact: 3 out of 4 Millennials even go beyond the ring and start planning their wedding prior to the proposal!) Given the natural excitement, couples are quick to pick a date with the majority now setting their sights on a Saturday in the fall.
$5000
average cost
Popular Female Ring Styles
-
74% diamond -
53% halo setting -
50% 1-2 carats
Top Engagement Dates
Christmas Day is the most popular day of the year to pop the question, followed by Valentine’s Day and Christmas Eve.
86%
of couples announce their engagement on social media
Where Couples Post the News
-
76% Facebook
-
35% Instagram
-
12% Twitter
Fall is now the most popular season to get married, with roughly 40% of all weddings taking place during these months.
Top 5 Wedding Dates in 2017
- 1 October 7
- 2 October 14
- 3 September 30
- 4 October 21
- 5 November 11
- 1 October 22
- 2 October 15
- 3 October 8
- 4 November 5
- 5 September 24
- 1 October 10
- 2 June 20
- 3 September 19
- 4 September 26
- 5 September 12
2017 Wedding Month Distribution
Planning
Setting budgets, finding vendors and knowing you're on the right track are some of the biggest challenges couples face while planning for their wedding. Fortunately, the majority of today's planning is done online where couples utilize an array of planning tools (think: checklists and budget trackers) to help manage the process.
83%
of planning is done online
The Planning Process
-
42% on mobile/tablet -
41% on desktop
The Role of Technology in Weddings
Couples rely on technology throughout the entire wedding journey, from mobile apps to wedding websites. However, when it comes to the big day, 1 in 4 couples ask guests to 'unplug'.
-
36%
send online save-the-dates
-
52%
use a wedding planning app
-
62%
create a wedding website
-
19%
set up a group chat
-
54%
generate a wedding hashtag
Top Sources for Finding Vendors
Couples largely utilize wedding-related websites for vendor discovery and then rely predominantly on price and availability, followed by recommendations and online reviews when deciding who to book.
- 1 Wedding-related websites
- 2 Online searches
- 3 Pinterest
- 4 Wedding shows/expo
- 5 Facebook
Social Media Used During Planning (Used weekly or more)
While Pinterest and Facebook are the social media sites most frequently used for wedding planning, couples utilize Pinterest 2X more than any other social channel for inspiration.
- Pinterest 69%
- Facebook 60%
- Instagram 44%
- YouTube 42%
- Twitter 29%
- Snapchat 27%
Top Vendors Hired
13
on average hired
-
86% photography -
80% venue -
75% hair + makeup -
74% wedding dress -
71% flowers -
70% wedding cake
Couples
The average age of today's marrying couple is 32. With a new generation redefining cultural and societal norms, we're seeing new behaviors grow in popularity - such as couples meeting online, a 16% increase in interracial marriage and an increase in mixed gender wedding parties.
-
33
average age of grooms
-
31
average age of brides
-
56%
plan to buy a home within next 2 years
-
70%
change name to partner's
-
1 in 4
meet online
-
54%
dated less than 2 years
Interracial Newlyweds
According to PEW Research Center, there has been a 5X increase since the legalization of interracial marriage 50 years ago.1 Today, 19% of all WeddingWire couples identify as having an interracial marriage.
Although no two couples are alike, there are unique nuances to be found amid newlyweds of similar backgrounds. For instance, when compared to all couples, Asian couples tend to invite more guests to their weddings, LGBTQ couples are more likely to live with their partner prior to getting married and Gen X are less likely to spend the night apart before the wedding.
Today's Couples by the Numbers
-
32
35
32
32
31
34
44
29
average age of couple
-
127
132
177
127
131
107
99
134
average number of guests
-
9
10
9
9
8
7
7
10
number of wedding party members
-
79%
68%
70%
78%
69%
85%
80%
73%
lived with partner prior to marriage
-
67%
53%
67%
66%
61%
42%
39%
72%
asked for parents' blessing
-
71%
71%
64%
67%
62%
41%
52%
74%
spent night apart before wedding
Calculations based on partners with equal identifiers (i.e., same reported race).
Gen X: 1961-1981, Millennials: 1982-1996
Wedding Traditions
While certain traditions, like having a first-dance, have been embraced by couples for generations – others like walking down the aisle to non-classical music are on the rise. Regardless of the exact details couples decide on incorporating into their wedding day, couples are focused on finding ways to make their big day a direct reflection of their personal style.
Follow the timeline below to see when couples hire their vendor team and the role each one plays in bringing the couple's personalized wedding day details to life.
CEREMONY/RECEPTION VENUE
77%of wedding receptions are indoors
CATERER
54%have food served buffet-style
68%have an open-bar
PHOTOGRAPHER
42%of couples do a "first-look"
SELECT DRESS/ATTIRE
80%of brides wear white
63%of grooms dress in something more casual than a tuxedo
BAND/DJ
52%of couples say they’ve seen their band/DJ perform in person prior to booking them
FLORIST
50%of couples do a bouquet toss
CAKE
82%have a cake-cutting ceremony
37%weddings include a dessert bar/table
CREATE REGISTRY
(WeddingWire Feature)2 in 3Millennials create a traditional registry
CREATE WEDDING WEBSITE
(WeddingWire Feature)62%of couples create a wedding website
1 in 2add accomodations into their website
ROOM BLOCKS
(WeddingWire Feature)63%of couples book at least one hotel room block for their guests
BEAUTY AND HEALTH
31%started a new exercise routine or diet to prepare for the wedding
1 in 2bridesmaids pay to have their hair done by a professional for the wedding
DISCUSS REHEARSAL DINNER
43%of the groom’s parents pay for the rehearsal dinner
OFFICIANT
39%of couples create their own vows
MOST POPULAR
87% of couples perform a first dance
Gaining Momentum
(% vs. 2 years ago)
63% groom(s) dressing more casual than tuxedo (7%)
61% walking down aisle to non-classical music (7%)
59% wedding party: females wearing different dresses (14%)
54% creating a wedding hashtag (10%)
40% wedding party: including mixed genders (14%)
Cooling Down
(% vs. 2 years ago)
75% order of day: ceremony, cocktail hour, reception (-10%)
74% father-daughter and/or mother-son dances (-9%)
70% changing to partner’s last name (-12%)
45% begin honeymoon 1-2 days after reception (-12%)
Adding a Personal Touch
Now more than ever, couples are steering clear of the cookie cutter wedding and adding unique elements that highlight their relationship and impress guests.
had unique musical choices during ceremony
(ex. bagpipes)
added local elements based on city where couple met or grew up
(ex. food or decor)
included ceremonial customs related to race/religion
(ex. jumping the broom)
hired special entertainment for guests
(ex. fortune teller, caricature)
Average Wedding Cost
On average, couples budget nearly $16K for their wedding ceremony/reception but spend closer to $27K once they begin to understand the true cost of each element. Varying attributes like age, region and marriage number also play a significant role in the fluctuation of spend - as Millennials spend nearly $10K more than Gen X on their wedding and those getting married for the first time spend 2X more than those on their 2nd+ marriage ($30K vs. $15K).
All-in Average Wedding Cost
-
$5,000 Engagement Ring - +
-
$27,000 Ceremony/Reception - +
-
$4,000 Honeymoon - =
=$36,000
Total Wedding Cost
Budget vs. Reality
Couples underestimate how much they'll spend on their wedding by roughly 40%.
Percent Contributed to Total Wedding Cost
On average, millennials (who account for approximately 80% of today's marrying couples) are paying for roughly 40% of their wedding, while their parents and other family members are contributing the remaining 60%. In fact, 20% of millennial couples don't spend a dime of their own money and get their wedding fully paid for. The majority (56%) of parents pull money out of their savings account to help pay for the wedding and nearly 1 in 10 dip into their retirement!
| All | Millennials | Gen X | LGBTQ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couples | 45% | 39% | 66% | 59% |
| Parents | 46% | 51% | 29% | 36% |
| Other | 9% | 10% | 5% | 5% |
Most Expensive Cities to Get Married Including surrounding metro areas
-
1. New York -
2. Boston -
3. San Francisco -
4. Washington, DC -
5. Chicago
Average Wedding Cost by Category
| Ceremony/Reception | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | $9,000 | $9,000 | $8,800 |
| Catering | $6,600 | $6,700 | $6,900 |
| Band | $3,800 | $3,700 | $3,800 |
| Photography | $2,400 | $2,400 | $2,400 |
| Rehearsal dinner + additional meals |
$2,000 | $2,000 | $1,900 |
| Videography | $1,800 | $1,700 | $1,700 |
| Wedding rings | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Event rentals and photobooths | $1,700 | $1,700 | $1,700 |
| Wedding planner | $1,700 | $1,700 | $1,600 |
| Dress | $1,700 | $1,600 | $1,700 |
| Flowers | $1,700 | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Lighting and Décor | $1,300 | $1,300 | $1,300 |
| DJ | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,100 |
| Transportation | $1,000 | $1,000 | $900 |
| Guest accomodations | $800 | $700 | $650 |
| Wedding party attire | $750 | $700 | $700 |
| Ceremony music/musician | $600 | $600 | $500 |
| Wedding party gifts | $600 | $600 | $600 |
| Invitations/stationery | $560 | $606 | $608 |
| Cake/desserts | $550 | $500 | $500 |
| Hair and makeup | $550 | $500 | $500 |
| Beauty and Health | $500 | $500 | $400 |
| Favors and gifts | $450 | $450 | $450 |
| Groom's attire | $350 | $300 | $300 |
| Jewelry | $350 | $350 | $350 |
| Officiant | $300 | $300 | $300 |
| Engagement | |||
| Engagement Rings | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Honeymoon | |||
| Honeymoon | $4,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 |
Average Wedding Cost in 25 Largest Metro Area Markets
| City | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| New York + surrounding metro area, NY |
$45,000 | $48,000 | $47,000 |
| Boston, MA | $37,000 | $36,000 | $37,000 |
| San Francisco - Oakland, CA | $36,000 | $40,000 | $43,000 |
| Washington, DC | $34,000 | $35,000 | $35,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $34,000 | $35,000 | $37,000 |
| Hartford - New Haven, CT | $34,000 | $27,000 | $29,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $33,000 | $33,000 | $34,000 |
| Baltimore, MD | $33,000 | $31,000 | $33,000 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $32,000 | $34,000 | $35,000 |
| Miami - Ft. Lauderdale, FL | $31,000 | $31,000 | $28,000 |
| San Diego, CA | $29,000 | $29,000 | $29,000 |
| Houston, TX | $28,000 | $29,000 | $33,000 |
| Detroit, MI | $26,000 | $26,000 | $28,000 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $26,000 | $23,000 | $21,000 |
| Atlanta, GA | $26,000 | $24,000 | $28,000 |
| Raleigh-Durham, NC | $26,000 | $25,000 | $23,000 |
| Sacramento - Stockton, CA | $25,000 | $23,000 | $27,000 |
| Orlando - Daytona Beach, FL | $25,000 | $22,000 | $19,000 |
| Tampa - St. Petersburg, FL | $25,000 | $24,000 | $26,000 |
| Dallas - Ft. Worth, TX | $25,000 | $24,000 | $25,000 |
| Charlotte, NC | $24,000 | $22,000 | $22,000 |
| Denver, CO | $23,000 | $24,000 | $24,000 |
| Cleveland, OH | $23,000 | $22,000 | $24,000 |
| Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN | $22,000 | $23,000 | $23,000 |
| St. Louis, MO | $21,000 | $23,000 | $24,000 |
Want the Full Report?
View the entire WeddingWire Newlywed Report to get the full scoop on today’s modern couples.
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Methodology
About WeddingWire's 2018 Newlywed Report
The 2018 Newlywed Report is primarily based on WeddingWire's Newlywed Survey - the largest survey of 2017 weddings in the industry (N=17,862). The data is collected from WeddingWire's annual Newlywed Survey, distributed to WeddingWire.com couples married between January 1st and December 31st, 2017. Respondents represent couples from all over the country with various ethnicities, income levels, race, age, sexual orientation and gender identity. To provide the most comprehensive view of research collected, WeddingWire has also included findings from ad hoc studies conducted in 2017, as well as behavioral data analyzed by the company's own team of data scientists. In a typical year, WeddingWire conducts research with more than 150,000 US brides, grooms, guests and wedding professionals.