7 cities where you can actually afford to get married, according to WalletHub
With the cost of weddings soaring, WalletHub found cities where you can still get married without going broke
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It’s no secret that getting married isn’t cheap — the average U.S. wedding costs $35,000. But not having tens of thousands of dollars to drop shouldn’t prevent you from celebrating.
WalletHub set out to find the most affordable and convenient big cities for weddings. It compared 26 key indicators for wedding friendliness, including average wedding costs, the price of hotel rooms, food costs, and the prevalence of affordable wedding logistics. WalletHub also looked at how many wedding-friendly venues and event spaces a city has, the weather, and entertainment options in the city.
“When weddings can cost tens of thousands of dollars and prices have only become even more outrageously inflated in recent years, it pays to hold your wedding in a city that’s affordable, both for those paying for the wedding and for guests who will need to make accommodations,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.
Lupo noted that “certain cities also make wedding planning easier with an abundance of options for wedding essentials, from florists to videographers to venues.”
Continue reading to see which were ranked the seven best.
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#7: Houston, Texas
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Houston ranks 18th for facilities and services and eighth for activities and attractions. The city is also tied for the highest number of flower shops per capita in the country.
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#6: Austin, Texas
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Austin is the sixth best place for a wedding and holds the 10th spot for facilities and services. It also ranks 14th for activities and 43rd for overall wedding costs.
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#5: Tampa, Florida
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Tampa ranks seventh for facilities and services but 57th for wedding costs. The city also holds the 13th position for activities and attractions.
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#4: Atlanta, Georgia
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Atlanta is the fourth best wedding destination and ranks fourth for facilities and services. It's tied for the most flower shops per capita but ranks 69th for wedding costs.
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#3: Miami, Florida
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Miami ranks first in the nation for facilities and services and fifth for total attractions. The city is also tied for the most flower shops per capita and ranks seventh for activities and attractions.
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#2: Orlando, Florida
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Orlando ranks 1st for venues, DJs, and videographers per capita and offers 3-star hotel stays starting at $52. It is the second best city overall and ranks fifth for activities and attractions.
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#1: Las Vegas, Nevada
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No surprise here. Las Vegas is the top-ranked wedding city. It ties for first in total attractions and ranks first for wedding chapels, musicians, and photo booth rentals per capita.