Once the excitement settles after an engagement, the realization can set in that a wedding and planning an event so large with so many moving parts can be overwhelming. One of the first things discussed, typically, is a budget. How much are you willing to spend on your big day?
Budget can dictate many things, like number of people you can invite, venue options, what type of extras or add-ons you can bring in and so much more.
Recently, The Knot surveyed over 10,000 newly married couples to see just how much they spent on their weddings and broke it down to find the average amount per state. What they found was, across the country, couples spend about $34,000 on their weddings – while noting that it obviously depends on the their financial standing and personal preferences.
When it comes to Louisiana, it seems that we follow the national average as a state – with the state skewing a little more expensive than other states in the South.
As a wedding magazine, we wanted to know more regarding what they considered in our town and it’s average, but The Knot (surprisingly) did not have New Orleans listed among the major cities that they highlighted within the 50 states.
In our own research, we found that a typical, 125-person wedding costs about $36,000, with the venue sitting at around $12,000. But both nationally and locally, many factors go into the cost, especially in New Orleans.
Where in the city you get married can impact cost, which extras you add (could be a second line or local band) and even the time of year you decide to say, “I do,” will affect the total price when all is said and done.
What we always tell people is to make a lsit of your must-haves – venue, photographer, bands; whatever you can’t imagine your wedding without – and start there. At the end of the day, it’s your wedding, your celebration and your budget should reflect what makes you happy.
