The average cost of a wedding, with everything in.
Aisle estimates a typical wedding in the United States costs $78,000–$109,000 for 80 guests, about $93,000 with everything in.
That is about $1,160 a guest for the whole wedding, modelled across 1,742 US venues on Aisle: the venue, food and drink on the day, a welcome dinner and the suppliers.
Is this the real average cost of a wedding?
No. These are modelled estimates, not an average of booked weddings, not survey results and not quotes. Each figure is typical for a venue in the middle of those listed on Aisle, with good, established suppliers. The range is where the middle half of weddings land. Flights, attire, rings and a honeymoon are not counted.
How much does each part of a wedding cost?
Food and drink on the day is the largest line, at about $20,800 or 22% of the total. These are the 10 lines a couple gets quotes for, for 80 guests at the mid-range level, largest first. They add up to $93,400. Leave out a line you will not have, such as a planner or a welcome dinner, and the rest still holds.
| Category | Estimate | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Food and drink on the day | $20,800 | 22% |
| Planner | $12,500 | 13% |
| Flowers and styling | $12,500 | 13% |
| Photography and video | $12,000 | 13% |
| Music | $8,500 | 9% |
| Welcome dinner | $7,600 | 8% |
| Venue hire and fees | $6,500 | 7% |
| Hair, makeup and stationery | $6,000 | 6% |
| Guest transport | $4,000 | 4% |
| Bedrooms to commit to | $3,000 | 3% |
| Whole wedding | $93,400 | 100% |
How much does a wedding cost by guest count?
Aisle estimates $74,100 for 40 guests and $122,400 for 140 at the mid-range level. Food, drink, the welcome dinner and guest transport move with the guest count. The venue hire, the planner and the photographer do not, so a small wedding costs more a guest. Mid-range is the typical figure; simple and higher spend sit half way to each end of the range.
| Guests | Simple | Mid-range | Higher spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | $65,800 | $74,100 | $82,800 |
| 60 | $74,200 | $83,700 | $93,600 |
| 80 | $82,900 | $93,400 | $104,300 |
| 100 | $91,500 | $103,100 | $115,200 |
| 140 | $108,500 | $122,400 | $136,800 |
For your own guest count and quotes, use the Aisle budget calculator. To split the total between the couple and their families, see who pays for the wedding.
How much does a wedding cost by destination?
Aisle estimates a whole wedding for 80 guests at $74,000 in Algarve and $116,000 in Mykonos, the two ends of the destinations the cost index prices. Every destination and country is below, most expensive first. Each links to its row in the destination wedding cost index, with the venue, catering, rooms and suppliers shown apart. The same countries, cheapest first, are in the cheapest destination wedding countries.
| Destination | Whole wedding, 80 guests |
|---|---|
| Mykonos | $116,000 |
| Amalfi Coast | $111,000 |
| Paris | $105,000 |
| Capri | $104,000 |
| Lake Como | $102,000 |
| Provence | $98,000 |
| Ravello | $98,000 |
| Cinque Terre | $98,000 |
| Sorrento | $96,000 |
| Tuscany | $95,000 |
| Santorini | $93,000 |
| Algarve | $74,000 |
| Country | Whole wedding, 80 guests |
|---|---|
| Maldives | $283,000 |
| Mexico | $124,000 |
| Dominican Republic | $95,000 |
| Costa Rica | $94,000 |
| Italy | $88,000 |
| France | $86,000 |
| United Kingdom | $83,000 |
| Greece | $80,000 |
| Japan | $80,000 |
| Morocco | $77,000 |
| Portugal | $77,000 |
| Spain | $68,000 |
| Australia | $66,000 |
| Indonesia | $65,000 |
| India | $61,000 |
| Thailand | $61,000 |
| Brazil | $55,000 |
| South Africa | $37,000 |
How does Aisle estimate the cost of a wedding?
Aisle estimates each of the 9,357 published venues on Aisle separately, for 80 guests on a Saturday in peak season, from the facts held on the venue and the most similar venues whose price is known. The United States figure is the median across 1,742 US venues. The welcome dinner and the suppliers are estimated once per country, anchored on budgets couples keep on Aisle.
Important: these are estimates made with an AI model, not prices from booked weddings and not a survey. Always confirm with the venue and each supplier. Figures last updated October 8, 2026. The full method is in the destination wedding cost index.