Whether or not love is eternal, the cost of tying the knot could well outlast the marriage itself. Starting off on the right foot financially can not only save a couple their hard-earned cash, but possibly their relationship, according to WalletHub, a personal finance website.
Getting married is a huge financial and personal commitment, what with the average couple spending more than $38,000 for their big day, WalletHub says. Between sending invitations, securing reservations, planning a menu and obsessing over final touches on the cake, it’s no wonder weddings are arranged months, even years in advance. That’s why many couples hire professional event planners to orchestrate their nuptials, further adding to the cost.
While the $78 billion wedding industry generates an economic boom for local businesses, escalating costs leave some couples with few options other than to go into debt to celebrate their special day. To help couples find the cheapest and most convenient wedding destinations, WalletHub compared 182 U.S. cities in all 50 states and across three key dimensions: cost; facilities and services; and activities and attractions. It then ranked those cities on a total score of 0 to 100, with 100 being the best possible score.
Here, in ascending order, are the top 10 best places to get married in 2020.
10. Austin, Texas
From a lovingly restored 1910 church to a storybook Victorian mansion, there’s no shortage of beautiful, affordable places to get hitched in Austin. The city ranks 10th in facilities and services, 20th in activities and attractions, and 69th in costs. Total score: 57.38.
9. Las Cruces, New Mexico
The beautiful Double Eagle offers a one-of-a-kind, luxury wedding experience, but for enchiladas as good as grandma’s, tie the knot at The Frontier Club at White Sands Missile Range. Las Cruces ranks second in costs, 92nd in activities and attractions, but 163rd in facilities and services. Total score: 57.65.
8. Boise, Idaho
Just 100 miles from Boise, The Arlington Center offers spectacular indoor and outdoor wedding venues, with swoon-worthy views of sparkling Lake Cascade and the picturesque West Central Mountains. Boise ranks sixth in costs, 60th in activities and attractions, and 91st in facilities and services. Total score: 57.77.
7. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Take your pick of country wedding venues or elegant ballroom soirees in Oklahoma's second-largest city. Tulsa offers a range of wedding venue options at surprisingly affordable rates. The city ranks third in costs, 49th in activities and attractions, and 96th in facilities and services. Total Score: 59.76.
6. Tampa, Florida
If feeling like a mermaid on your special day is your dream-come-true, say “I do” underwater at Hurley’s, a dive center at Tampa’s Tarpon Springs that offers a range of specially-priced packages. Tampa ranks 12th in activities and attractions, 16th in facilities and services, and 53rd in costs. Total score: 59.76.
5. Miami, Florida
White sand beaches and blue-green ocean waters make Miami an ideal romantic venue for a destination wedding. The city is tied for first with most bridal and flower shops per capita, and ranks third in facilities and services, ninth in activities and attractions, but 98th in costs. Total score: 60.53.
4. Atlanta, Georgia
If you’re on a budget and getting married in Atlanta, you’re in luck because the average cost of an Atlanta wedding ($26,000) is less than the national average, and the city is a popular tourist destination. Atlanta ranks seventh in facilities and services, 13th in activities and attractions, and 54th in costs. Total score: 64.32.
3. El Paso, Texas
From romantic flower gardens to dairy farms where friendly livestock might photobomb your family portraits, wedding venues in El Paso are out of this world at down-to-Earth prices. El Paso ranks first in costs, 55th in activities and attractions, and 118th in facilities and services. Total score: 65.15.
2. Las Vegas, Nevada
You’ll save time as well as money if you elope to Sin City, where a Nevada marriage license costs just $77. Las Vegas ranks ranks second in activities and attractions; fifth in facilities and services, including the most wedding chapels and churches per capita; and 77th in costs. Total score: 67.22.
1. Orlando, Florida
Orlando is home to Walt Disney World, where fairy tale weddings, honeymoons and engagements come true every day. Orlando is tied for first with most event planners per capita, and ranks second in facilities and services, seventh in activities and attractions, and 24th in costs. Total score: 72.15.
