What's the real cost of your wedding?

Average US wedding: $33K. Compounded at 7% real for 30 years that's $250K of forgone wealth. Worth it for some couples; the question worth asking before you spend.

How the math works

Two outputs from the same inputs:

  • Total wedding cost by category: venue + catering + photo/video + attire + flowers + music/DJ + rings + officiant + transport + miscellaneous. Industry average for US weddings (The Knot 2024 data): $33K. Top metros run $50-80K, smaller markets $15-25K.
  • 30-year compounded opportunity cost: if the same money were invested at 7% real return instead. $33K compounds to ~$251K. $50K compounds to ~$381K. The cost-vs-forgone-wealth gap is what makes wedding budgeting consequential.

Where most budgets blow: guest count is the highest-leverage variable. Catering + venue scale roughly linearly with headcount; cutting from 150 to 80 guests typically saves $10-15K. Cocktails, open bar duration, and "small" upgrades (chargers, custom calligraphy, monogram lighting) add up fast.

Math runs locally. Inputs never leave your browser. Wedding decisions are personal — this is a financial frame, not a moral one.

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$35K Wedding vs $10K Wedding: $25K Saved → $190K Forgone Wealth Over 30 Years
Average US wedding hits $33-35K. Compounded at 7% real for 30 years that's ~$250K of wealth. The $10K alternative gets the same legal outcome and similar memories. Where each option makes sense.
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