Anyone who’s ever organized a wedding knows all too well how difficult and time-consuming the process can be. It’s the reason many couples hire professional event planners to do the heavy lifting. And the cost only adds more stress, with the average couple shelling out around $30,000 for their big day.
Between sending invitations, securing reservations, planning a menu and obsessing over final touches on the cake, it’s no wonder weddings are arranged months, even years, in advance. Tying the knot is a huge commitment, and the wedding industry is currently worth around $60.6 billion, down quite a bit from $78 billion a few years earlier.
At WalletHub, we understand the logistical and financial stresses of that typically long march to “I do.” In order to assist with the planning process, we compared more than 180 U.S. cities to find the cheapest and most convenient wedding destinations that also promise a memorable day. We examined each city across 26 key indicators of wedding-friendliness, ranging from average wedding cost to venues and event spaces per capita to hotel availability.
Cassandra Happe, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best Places to Get Married in the U.S.
Overall Rank | City | Total Score | Costs Rank | Facilities & Services Rank | Activities & Attractions Rank |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Orlando, FL | 75.88 | 47 | 2 | 6 |
2 | Las Vegas, NV | 75.35 | 60 | 4 | 2 |
3 | Miami, FL | 70.65 | 83 | 1 | 9 |
4 | Tulsa, OK | 67.44 | 2 | 93 | 41 |
5 | Atlanta, GA | 67.24 | 89 | 3 | 12 |
6 | Tampa, FL | 67.01 | 54 | 9 | 11 |
7 | New Orleans, LA | 65.94 | 45 | 31 | 10 |
8 | Knoxville, TN | 65.08 | 9 | 63 | 61 |
9 | Chicago, IL | 65.08 | 77 | 23 | 7 |
10 | El Paso, TX | 63.41 | 11 | 105 | 45 |
11 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 62.77 | 74 | 7 | 25 |
12 | Cincinnati, OH | 62.30 | 48 | 27 | 34 |
13 | St. Louis, MO | 62.28 | 58 | 19 | 28 |
14 | Shreveport, LA | 61.94 | 1 | 122 | 146 |
15 | Charlotte, NC | 61.43 | 46 | 34 | 40 |
16 | Oklahoma City, OK | 61.34 | 23 | 92 | 38 |
17 | Columbia, SC | 61.24 | 39 | 33 | 56 |
18 | Birmingham, AL | 61.17 | 17 | 49 | 89 |
19 | Tucson, AZ | 61.02 | 55 | 59 | 20 |
20 | Chattanooga, TN | 60.85 | 13 | 72 | 81 |
21 | Austin, TX | 60.66 | 111 | 8 | 15 |
22 | Springfield, MO | 60.38 | 14 | 99 | 83 |
23 | Houston, TX | 60.15 | 104 | 13 | 18 |
24 | Phoenix, AZ | 59.79 | 100 | 21 | 14 |
25 | Augusta, GA | 59.78 | 6 | 126 | 115 |
26 | San Antonio, TX | 59.46 | 71 | 40 | 26 |
27 | Kansas City, MO | 59.36 | 35 | 67 | 53 |
28 | Richmond, VA | 59.12 | 69 | 25 | 47 |
29 | Amarillo, TX | 58.87 | 12 | 141 | 71 |
30 | San Francisco, CA | 58.65 | 158 | 5 | 3 |
31 | Fort Smith, AR | 58.50 | 5 | 175 | 131 |
32 | Greensboro, NC | 58.10 | 24 | 77 | 90 |
33 | Denver, CO | 58.08 | 119 | 15 | 22 |
34 | Dallas, TX | 57.83 | 98 | 17 | 29 |
35 | Wichita, KS | 57.78 | 16 | 114 | 108 |
36 | Nashville, TN | 57.76 | 80 | 39 | 31 |
37 | Salt Lake City, UT | 57.75 | 103 | 11 | 37 |
38 | Charleston, SC | 57.65 | 110 | 32 | 21 |
39 | St. Petersburg, FL | 57.64 | 50 | 91 | 35 |
40 | Lubbock, TX | 57.64 | 19 | 113 | 104 |
41 | Charleston, WV | 57.49 | 4 | 138 | 171 |
42 | Boise, ID | 57.40 | 36 | 89 | 66 |
43 | Grand Rapids, MI | 57.33 | 38 | 62 | 77 |
44 | Brownsville, TX | 57.28 | 3 | 178 | 153 |
45 | San Diego, CA | 57.23 | 149 | 6 | 5 |
46 | Mobile, AL | 57.13 | 21 | 97 | 107 |
47 | Scottsdale, AZ | 57.10 | 116 | 26 | 23 |
48 | Memphis, TN | 57.07 | 34 | 71 | 75 |
49 | Albuquerque, NM | 57.06 | 52 | 100 | 32 |
50 | Tallahassee, FL | 56.77 | 26 | 101 | 86 |
51 | Fort Wayne, IN | 56.77 | 7 | 133 | 152 |
52 | Las Cruces, NM | 56.60 | 10 | 172 | 109 |
53 | Los Angeles, CA | 56.40 | 160 | 12 | 1 |
54 | Laredo, TX | 56.39 | 8 | 179 | 123 |
55 | Pittsburgh, PA | 56.37 | 95 | 29 | 36 |
56 | Fayetteville, NC | 55.94 | 15 | 131 | 116 |
57 | Portland, OR | 55.80 | 128 | 24 | 17 |
58 | Sacramento, CA | 55.53 | 134 | 10 | 24 |
59 | Reno, NV | 55.51 | 88 | 52 | 33 |
60 | Montgomery, AL | 55.41 | 22 | 116 | 129 |
61 | Fresno, CA | 55.41 | 56 | 64 | 62 |
62 | Corpus Christi, TX | 55.29 | 28 | 136 | 87 |
63 | Jackson, MS | 55.23 | 20 | 135 | 136 |
64 | Columbus, OH | 55.16 | 70 | 68 | 48 |
65 | Louisville, KY | 55.04 | 68 | 70 | 55 |
66 | Rapid City, SD | 54.98 | 25 | 125 | 99 |
67 | Indianapolis, IN | 54.98 | 76 | 55 | 51 |
68 | Jacksonville, FL | 54.95 | 73 | 65 | 46 |
69 | Raleigh, NC | 54.91 | 78 | 47 | 58 |
70 | Omaha, NE | 54.82 | 53 | 94 | 64 |
71 | Toledo, OH | 54.60 | 18 | 150 | 127 |
72 | Fort Worth, TX | 53.96 | 91 | 60 | 42 |
73 | Spokane, WA | 53.42 | 51 | 106 | 82 |
74 | Little Rock, AR | 53.32 | 31 | 108 | 147 |
75 | Columbus, GA | 53.25 | 27 | 143 | 138 |
76 | Cape Coral, FL | 52.99 | 29 | 170 | 100 |
77 | Tempe, AZ | 52.98 | 114 | 41 | 52 |
78 | Overland Park, KS | 52.52 | 49 | 127 | 92 |
79 | Bakersfield, CA | 52.51 | 82 | 90 | 57 |
80 | Baton Rouge, LA | 52.47 | 81 | 51 | 88 |
81 | Winston-Salem, NC | 52.35 | 37 | 139 | 125 |
82 | Minneapolis, MN | 52.34 | 108 | 58 | 43 |
83 | Cleveland, OH | 52.29 | 92 | 54 | 65 |
84 | Akron, OH | 52.11 | 30 | 118 | 149 |
85 | Durham, NC | 51.87 | 61 | 82 | 113 |
86 | Billings, MT | 51.86 | 43 | 154 | 91 |
87 | Des Moines, IA | 51.43 | 32 | 164 | 122 |
88 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 51.38 | 57 | 134 | 95 |
89 | Huntsville, AL | 51.26 | 59 | 124 | 96 |
90 | Sioux Falls, SD | 51.14 | 40 | 160 | 126 |
91 | Milwaukee, WI | 50.99 | 106 | 80 | 50 |
92 | Colorado Springs, CO | 50.95 | 117 | 69 | 39 |
93 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 50.54 | 42 | 152 | 130 |
94 | North Las Vegas, NV | 50.51 | 66 | 43 | 139 |
95 | Washington, DC | 50.48 | 153 | 16 | 16 |
96 | Glendale, AZ | 50.40 | 62 | 144 | 84 |
97 | Virginia Beach, VA | 49.80 | 112 | 76 | 59 |
97 | Newport News, VA | 49.80 | 44 | 159 | 124 |
99 | Detroit, MI | 49.62 | 115 | 61 | 68 |
100 | Plano, TX | 49.56 | 96 | 75 | 85 |
101 | Huntington, WV | 49.41 | 33 | 181 | 157 |
102 | Madison, WI | 49.41 | 86 | 121 | 70 |
103 | New York, NY | 49.25 | 171 | 36 | 4 |
104 | Philadelphia, PA | 48.99 | 143 | 48 | 19 |
105 | Mesa, AZ | 48.98 | 87 | 109 | 78 |
106 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 48.63 | 41 | 149 | 174 |
107 | Arlington, TX | 48.39 | 105 | 96 | 72 |
108 | Buffalo, NY | 48.26 | 113 | 86 | 74 |
109 | Lincoln, NE | 48.23 | 94 | 128 | 76 |
110 | Fargo, ND | 48.17 | 67 | 151 | 142 |
111 | Chandler, AZ | 47.89 | 85 | 123 | 93 |
112 | Henderson, NV | 47.84 | 93 | 158 | 69 |
113 | Chesapeake, VA | 47.68 | 75 | 146 | 120 |
114 | Casper, WY | 47.45 | 72 | 171 | 141 |
115 | Gulfport, MS | 47.44 | 65 | 165 | 135 |
116 | Seattle, WA | 47.41 | 170 | 22 | 13 |
117 | Baltimore, MD | 47.29 | 136 | 53 | 54 |
118 | Missoula, MT | 47.27 | 90 | 120 | 103 |
119 | Gilbert, AZ | 47.06 | 84 | 145 | 118 |
120 | Anaheim, CA | 46.83 | 156 | 28 | 30 |
121 | Irving, TX | 46.65 | 102 | 87 | 132 |
122 | Bismarck, ND | 46.62 | 63 | 174 | 166 |
123 | St. Paul, MN | 46.46 | 109 | 107 | 98 |
124 | Garland, TX | 46.40 | 64 | 153 | 156 |
125 | Honolulu, HI | 46.17 | 179 | 20 | 8 |
126 | Modesto, CA | 46.02 | 123 | 98 | 73 |
127 | Rochester, NY | 45.88 | 131 | 56 | 80 |
128 | Long Beach, CA | 45.44 | 154 | 35 | 44 |
129 | Vancouver, WA | 45.38 | 127 | 57 | 106 |
130 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 45.26 | 97 | 110 | 150 |
131 | Hialeah, FL | 45.07 | 99 | 74 | 163 |
132 | Portland, ME | 44.74 | 132 | 102 | 63 |
133 | Norfolk, VA | 44.68 | 122 | 115 | 102 |
134 | Garden Grove, CA | 44.17 | 133 | 95 | 67 |
135 | Salem, OR | 43.96 | 107 | 157 | 111 |
136 | Riverside, CA | 43.79 | 137 | 44 | 112 |
137 | Cheyenne, WY | 43.75 | 79 | 173 | 170 |
138 | Aurora, CO | 43.49 | 125 | 103 | 128 |
139 | Glendale, CA | 42.98 | 157 | 14 | 114 |
140 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 42.25 | 124 | 81 | 162 |
141 | Boston, MA | 42.20 | 174 | 37 | 27 |
142 | Stockton, CA | 42.20 | 129 | 129 | 105 |
143 | San Bernardino, CA | 41.39 | 126 | 112 | 133 |
144 | San Jose, CA | 41.26 | 173 | 30 | 49 |
145 | Nampa, ID | 40.54 | 120 | 169 | 168 |
146 | Ontario, CA | 40.21 | 138 | 84 | 137 |
147 | Oceanside, CA | 39.97 | 146 | 66 | 121 |
148 | Fontana, CA | 39.53 | 135 | 111 | 158 |
149 | Lewiston, ME | 39.47 | 118 | 182 | 172 |
150 | Irvine, CA | 39.24 | 165 | 42 | 101 |
151 | Dover, DE | 38.64 | 101 | 148 | 181 |
152 | Anchorage, AK | 38.45 | 148 | 130 | 94 |
153 | Oakland, CA | 38.20 | 177 | 38 | 60 |
154 | Wilmington, DE | 38.11 | 159 | 50 | 140 |
155 | Huntington Beach, CA | 38.07 | 168 | 46 | 97 |
156 | West Valley City, UT | 37.94 | 121 | 177 | 167 |
157 | Tacoma, WA | 36.70 | 154 | 83 | 144 |
158 | Grand Prairie, TX | 36.64 | 130 | 161 | 161 |
159 | Providence, RI | 36.45 | 152 | 132 | 110 |
160 | Burlington, VT | 36.43 | 139 | 155 | 160 |
161 | Columbia, MD | 36.30 | 141 | 137 | 151 |
162 | Jersey City, NJ | 36.04 | 163 | 85 | 119 |
163 | Chula Vista, CA | 35.88 | 151 | 79 | 164 |
164 | New Haven, CT | 35.86 | 147 | 163 | 145 |
165 | Peoria, AZ | 35.79 | 142 | 168 | 148 |
166 | Santa Ana, CA | 35.38 | 178 | 45 | 79 |
167 | Aurora, IL | 35.06 | 140 | 140 | 177 |
168 | Fremont, CA | 34.48 | 162 | 78 | 159 |
168 | Manchester, NH | 34.48 | 145 | 166 | 154 |
170 | Santa Rosa, CA | 34.40 | 172 | 73 | 117 |
171 | Newark, NJ | 34.17 | 166 | 104 | 134 |
172 | Yonkers, NY | 33.84 | 175 | 18 | 182 |
173 | Santa Clarita, CA | 33.81 | 164 | 88 | 155 |
174 | Moreno Valley, CA | 33.78 | 150 | 119 | 165 |
175 | Worcester, MA | 33.45 | 144 | 162 | 175 |
176 | Nashua, NH | 30.99 | 161 | 167 | 173 |
177 | South Burlington, VT | 28.72 | 167 | 142 | 179 |
178 | Warwick, RI | 27.78 | 169 | 147 | 178 |
179 | Juneau, AK | 27.38 | 176 | 176 | 169 |
180 | Oxnard, CA | 26.90 | 181 | 117 | 143 |
181 | Bridgeport, CT | 23.15 | 180 | 156 | 180 |
182 | Pearl City, HI | 17.54 | 182 | 180 | 176 |
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.
- Lowest
- 1. Fort Smith, AR
- 2. Brownsville, TX
- 3. Charleston, WV
- 4. Huntington, WV
- 5. Lubbock, TX
- Highest
- T-178. San Francisco, CA
- T-178. Oakland, CA
- T-178. Fremont, CA
- T-181. Pearl City, HI
- T-181. Honolulu, HI
- Most
- T-1. Wilmington, DE
- T-1. Columbia, SC
- 3. Knoxville, TN
- 4. Salt Lake City, UT
- 5. Little Rock, AR
- Fewest
- 178. South Burlington, VT
- 179. Pembroke Pines, FL
- 180. Pearl City, HI
- 181. Henderson, NV
- 182. West Valley City, UT
- Most
- T-1. Washington, DC
- T-1. Salt Lake City, UT
- T-1. West Valley City, UT
- T-1. Denver, CO
- T-1. Aurora, CO
- Fewest
- 172. Laredo, TX
- 173. Bakersfield, CA
- 174. Stockton, CA
- 175. Fayetteville, NC
- 176. Huntington, WV
- Most
- T-1. Los Angeles, CA
- T-1. Miami, FL
- T-1. Houston, TX
- T-1. New York, NY
- 5. Atlanta, GA
- Fewest
- 177. Henderson, NV
- 178. Nampa, ID
- 179. Las Cruces, NM
- 180. Bridgeport, CT
- 181. Grand Prairie, TX
- Most
- T-1. Orlando, FL
- T-1. Honolulu, HI
- 3. St. Louis, MO
- 4. Miami, FL
- 5. Pittsburgh, PA
- Fewest
- 178. Henderson, NV
- 179. Grand Prairie, TX
- 180. Pearl City, HI
- 181. Peoria, AZ
- 182. West Valley City, UT
- Most
- T-1. New York, NY
- T-1. Los Angeles, CA
- T-1. Las Vegas, NV
- T-1. Chicago, IL
- T-1. San Francisco, CA
- Fewest
- 178. Garden Grove, CA
- T-179. Fontana, CA
- T-179. Pearl City, HI
- T-179. West Valley City, UT
- 182. Moreno Valley, CA
- Best
- 1. Glendale, CA
- 2. Riverside, CA
- 3. Bakersfield, CA
- 4. Scottsdale, AZ
- 5. Henderson, NV
- Worst
- T-178. Providence, RI
- T-178. Warwick, RI
- 180. Rochester, NY
- 181. Buffalo, NY
- 182. Juneau, AK
In-Depth Look at the Best Places to Get Married
Orlando, FL
Orlando, FL is the best city to get married in, largely due to the fact that it has a very high availability of the essentials for throwing a good wedding. For example, it ranks at the top of the nation when it comes to the number of venues, party equipment rentals, videographers, DJs and flower shops per capita, among others. Being in a big city like Orlando can make the logistics of getting everything together much smoother - when one vendor is booked for a certain date or doesn’t meet the couple’s tastes, there’s always others to look at.
The second pillar of an ideal wedding is, of course, the guests. Orlando is a good place for out-of-town guests to stay in because it has the second-highest number of hotels per capita in the country and its three-star hotels can be surprisingly cheap for a big city. Plus, guests who want to stay for more than just the wedding can enjoy Orlando’s abundant attractions – it ranks second among the most fun cities and is the best city for foodies.
Las Vegas, NV
You probably know of Las Vegas as the city to get married in if you want an Elvis lookalike to perform the ceremony – but it turns out that it’s also the second-best city for getting married overall. Las Vegas ranks at the top of the country when it comes to the number of wedding chapels, musicians, makeup artists, and cake shops per capita, among other wedding essentials.
Las Vegas also ranks as the number one most fun city in America, which means that your wedding parties and your guests can get up to plenty of fun before and after the ceremony.
Another thing to note is that while Las Vegas definitely isn’t the cheapest city for holding your wedding, it’s also not as expensive as you might think – the wedding cost ranks 58th out of 182 cities.
Miami, FL
Miami, FL is the third-best city for getting married, and it’s especially perfect if you’re planning a beach wedding. Like the other big cities at the top of these rankings, Miami has an abundance of choices for wedding vendors, ranking especially high for things like the number of venues, photo booth rentals, limousine services, cake shops and restaurants per capita.
If you’re looking for some gourmet cuisine to feed your wedding guests, Miami is an especially good spot, since it ranks as the fourth-best city for foodies in America. It’s in third place when it comes to the most fun cities, too.
Tips for Cutting Wedding Costs
- Pick the right city. If you’re having a destination wedding, pick a city that maximizes the choices for vendors while minimizing the costs. Having a wedding closer to home can make things a lot less expensive for both you and your guests, though. Compare cities that are close to both you and your future spouse’s families, or pick a location in between.
- Charge your expenses to a rewards credit card. You should only spend money on your wedding that you already have saved. However, you can charge your wedding expenses to a rewards credit card and then pay the card off with your savings. You could potentially earn hundreds of dollars in rewards, which could help you pay for part of your honeymoon.
- Prioritize a few elements: Identify the aspects of your wedding that are most important to you and your partner. Allocate a larger portion of your budget to these priorities and be more economical with less significant elements. This way, you can focus on what matters most without overspending.
- Consider off-peak times and days: Wedding venues and vendors often have lower rates during off-peak times or on weekdays. Choosing a less popular date for your wedding can significantly reduce costs while still allowing you to celebrate with your loved ones.
- Explore DIY: Get creative and consider do-it-yourself (DIY) projects for decorations, invitations, or even wedding favors. Adding personal touches not only saves money but also makes your wedding unique and memorable. Enlist the help of friends and family to make it a collaborative effort.
Ask the Experts
Marriage is not only a big life decision, but it also can be a hefty financial commitment, because how much money you have usually determines the extravagance and location of the wedding. But some couples have far fewer resources to spend on their special day. For advice on such matters and how to boost the local economy through the wedding business, we turned to a panel of experts in family studies, personal finance and local administration. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- What factors should couples consider when setting a budget for their wedding?
- How should a couple decide where to get married?
- What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on a budget?
- How has inflation impacted the wedding service industry?
- Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
In order to identify the best and worst cities in which to tie the knot, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Costs, 2) Facilities & Services and 3) Activities & Attractions.
We examined those dimensions using 26 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for weddings. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.
We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.
Costs – Total Points: 60
- Average Wedding Cost: Triple Weight (~30.00 Points)
- Price of a Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
- Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Note: “Restaurant Meal” refers to a three-course meal for two. - Prevalence of Affordable Wedding Logistics: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
Note: This metric measures the prevalence of affordable restaurants and wedding venues with ratings of at least 4.5 stars.
Facilities & Services – Total Points: 20
- Wedding Chapels & Churches per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Venues & Event Spaces per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Party-Equipment Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Photo Booth Rentals per Capita*: Half Weight (~0.61 Points)
- Event Planners per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Videographers & Photographers per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Musicians & DJs per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Makeup Artists & Hair Salons per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Bridal Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Flower & Gift Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Limousine Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Hotels per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Restaurants per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Catering Companies per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Bartenders per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Floral Designers per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
- Cake Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
Activities & Attractions – Total Points: 20
- Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
- Popularity as a Travel Destination: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
- Foodie-Friendliness: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Foodie Cities” ranking. - Weather: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking. - Amusement & Entertainment: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” ranking.
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of January 9, 2024 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Wedding Report, Kayak.com, Numbeo, TripAdvisor, Travbuddy.com, Yelp and WalletHub research.
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