(Netscape) If you’re the father of the bride, you might want to look for a second job. The average cost of a wedding is $27,021 — and that’s if you’re lucky. Oh, and that doesn’t even count the honeymoon. It could be worse: 20% of brides spend more than $30,000 on their wedding, while 11% spend more than $40,000. That’s the word from the fifth annual survey by TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com of nearly 18,000 U.S. brides who were married in 2011. Check this out:
- Most expensive wedding location: Manhattan, $65,824 average cost
- Least expensive wedding location: West Virginia, $14,203 average cost
- Ceremony site: $1,599
- Reception venue: $12,116
- Reception band: $3,122
- Reception DJ: $929
- Photographer: $2,299
- Videographer: $1,486
- Wedding gown: $1,121
- Florist/decor: $1,894
- Invitations: $331
- Wedding cake: $535
- Ceremony musicians: $536
- Wedding day limousine: $669
- Favors: $217
- Rehearsal dinner: $1,078
- Engagement ring: $5,130
- Average number of guests: 141
- Average amount spent per guest: $196
- Destination weddings: 24%
- Average marrying age of the bride: 29
- Average marrying age of the groom: 30
- Average number of bridesmaids and groomsmen: 4 to 5
- Length of the engagement: 14 months
- Most popular engagement month: December
- Most popular wedding month: September
- Most popular wedding color: blue, although purple is on the rise