MDP_3063mdp-1 I bet that got your attention!  Well, that's actually the national average, according to a recent study released by Business Insider.  The total costs also includes the engagement ring and the honeymoon!

WalletHub also released a report recently which rated the top 182 cities in the United States for getting married.  Now their factors included a number of important considerations besides actual dollar costs: number of quality vendors, venues, nearby activities and attractions.

With all of their factors, their list of 182 cities were listed.  Now first place, Orlando, Florida,  doesn't mean it's the cheapest, it actually rates 24th in costs.  But when all factors are taken into consideration, it's number one.  El Paso, Texas is number 3!

So where does San Antonio rank in the list of 182?  It's 31st!  Not bad!  But again, it's looking at attractions, venues, quality and number of wedding vendors, like florist, caterers, etc.  Oh, and let's not forget photographers.  San Antonio boasts 428 wedding photographers at last count.

Now let's take a look at typical costs of "must have" wedding items:

• Venue - This will be the biggest cost.  Typical in our area:  $3,000 to $11,000.  Just to rent a facility for a few hours on a Saturday.  Hence why many couples are now choosing Fridays and Sundays as alternative days for getting married.  Most venues offer the same services on these "off days" for nearly 50% discount.  WeddingWire's 2019 Newlywed report reflects the average cost for a venue at $9,000.
• Photography - Average cost is $2,400.  The actual budge cost is 10%, so photography should cost around $3000.  Now it's a shame to spend nearly $30,000 on a wedding, of which nothing is left over the next day except for the wedding dress and a few hangovers, lol.  So this should be a more important consideration.  After all, it's only your memories, and there is nothing better than something you can look at whenever, that helps to keep those memories alive!
• Catering - National average is $6,700 but it's all dependent upon a number of things, especially the number of guests.  Best rule of thumb: Consider $30 per guest.  Of course, it also depends upon what you would like to feed them.  Be careful there and choose your caterer carefully. Go to bridal shows to sample the food at their booths.  Ask around with others recently married as to how satisfied were they with the quality of the food and the service.  As a wedding photographer, I can tell you many horror stories.  In one case, we refused to eat when invited because we saw the chicken sitting on the tables at room temperature for hours.  At one wedding we covered, they had pizza delivered!  Best choice!

We could go on and on here, but I think you get the point.  Getting married is expensive, and many couples go into debt for years just to pay for it.  Choose your vendors carefully.  Check their BBB rating, ask for references, etc.  Happy spending!