For those that think there are no difference in markets. I wish there was a Canadian one of these
What weddings cost across the USA
- Thread starter Jeff Romard
- Start date
These numbers blow my mind. I live in Pa and the Avg. is 33k. THE AVERAGE. My wife and I spent right at 8K for ours, and that included everything... Technically, to get that average, someone else is spending 58k on their wedding. I just can't imagine. I guess we do get wiser with age. My advice to young couples is spend 1k at the courthouse, and put the rest towards a house. LOL.
Most of my Philly weddings are 100-200k events. Had a wedding in the fall in Philly that spent $75k on florals with 30k for a band plus $5k for me and $15k on the photog. The food/venue portion was around $100k, plus A planner that was 20k… and who knows what else I’m missing.
Just did one outside of lancaster that was closer to $75k.
Point is everyone has different priorities and some have the means to go all out and don’t cut corners. There are some who go beyond their means but they dream of this day. And some prefer a simple more intimate affair. Social media does influence couples as they are exposed to more inspiration than ever before.
Our wedding in 2009 cost 9K. The main reason it was under 15K total at the time is because we chose to have it at an American Legion. Our hall rental was $550 and the open bar was like $950. Open Bar was only $10 per person which was cheap. We even had liquors like Jack Daniels, Bacardi for example included at that price. Only beers available was Coors Banquet or Coors Lite draft so beer selection was poor, but we didn't care. We had great food. Had a local Italian restaurant cater it. Everything included on the catering was like $4,800. Can't get that level quality of food today for only $4,800. Most caterers today have a 10K to 11K minimum. The cheaper options today for smaller weddings are having it at a restaurant, OR a hotel catered wedding. Wedding Venues are generally over $5,000 here in Maryland for the venue alone. The other option to do it on the cheap is to rent a Fire Hall and have the food dropped off, and not pay for full catering service and set up a help yourself buffet and charge some family members or friends with helping out and cleaning up.
No surprise at all I have a 100,000 wedding this year and one that has to be less than 10k only thing consistent is my price, they picked different enhancements but the base price is the same
So what I got from your post is that the couple getting married spending 10k for their wedding didn't get a price break because they are only spending 10k and the couple spending 100k you didn't gouge the price because they were spending more.
My price is my price your economic status has no effect on that
These numbers are meaningless because the total cost includes so many things that are irrelevant to your business. Over-all the numbers are comparable across all states save for those with obvious elite skews - such as California where Hollywood, Government, and Jet sets skew the results with ridiculous expenditures and guest counts that approach or exceed 1,000.
NY, NJ, MA are all skewed by wealthy elites, and costly destinations like Martha's Vineyard, etc. Michelle Obama's birthday party alone took weeks to stage and equip; and cost millions. The same NY jet set also hits up destinations in VT, CT, & RI skewing those numbers as well.
There's also lots of low land and plains that lack the facilities for these destination weddings, and lower population density which makes them appear lower than might actually be the case when properly adjusted for variable costs of living.
NY, NJ, MA are all skewed by wealthy elites, and costly destinations like Martha's Vineyard, etc. Michelle Obama's birthday party alone took weeks to stage and equip; and cost millions. The same NY jet set also hits up destinations in VT, CT, & RI skewing those numbers as well.
There's also lots of low land and plains that lack the facilities for these destination weddings, and lower population density which makes them appear lower than might actually be the case when properly adjusted for variable costs of living.
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When Bill Gates daughter got married the cost was 2 Million dollars. Your focus on the wealthy is only one side of it. How many couples do you know that can have a guest count of 1,000 people or come close to that. The ones you mentioned are the exception, not the rule.
FYI, I typically spend $1.5k-$2k for food to be catered in ($15/pp).
Population and affluence. You're in one of the premium areas of the country. Add to that, you are an expert marketer who has succeeded at identifying a high-end clientele, then executed your packaging to fit that market. In my area, and the clients I've attracted, $10k is about what I'm fetching (gross). I net about a 40% profit margin, which I'm pleased with.
Same around here generally salad plated dinner and dessert or buffet
A sandwich meal at McDonalds is already $15 or more.
I don't think I could find a decent wedding venue here with a plate charge under $45, and that would most certainly be for chicken.
A lot of events have plate charges of $125 or more.
Bob you keep mentioning these high end venues costing a good amount of money. What happened to a average venue. I feel that's where we need to start and go from there.
There are venues that make their money to stay in bed from charging per person and not just renting out the venue itself. There are also venues that you pay to rent the venue and that's it. It's left up to the client to provide the food and other things.
Many years ago we did a wedding in a Knights Of Columbus hall in Linden, NJ. They had people cooking food and the people were in line to get the food.
A venue charging $125 is a venue that will have a staff to serve the food to the people at the wedding. The other thing is the food has to be top of the line for people wanting to book that venue.
Taso is used to having clients who will spend crazy money to have their wedding and book him. That's his normal. He gets these high end weddings because he has a proven track record that says why he's worth the price he charges.
Not every couple can afford to spend crazy money for their wedding. Those who can good for them. Those who can't do the best you can. My take will never change. No sense of crazy money for a wedding and the next day don't know how you're going to pay the rent/mortgage.
I don’t think you’re aware of what’s happening right now in the event industry in NJ. You use $125 as what a good venue is… but You can’t find a legit venue for a wedding in NJ under $200 per person (taxes and gratuity included). Maybe if you do a winter or Sunday wedding you can get to $150 or so. Our avg venues are around $250 per person with a 125 or 150 person guarantee. This is just food/alcohol/space. High end we’re approaching $600 per person with one venue now offering a $750 per person for high demand dates and a 150 person minimum.
Your not even in the same ballpark as Taso yet you mention him all the time and use Taso as examples like you have an idea of what is going on in New Jersey.
Taso is at the top of the game but there are many DJ's closer to the middle or to the top than a freebee DJ .
I bet you wet your pants every time Tasco posts on the forum?
Taso gets these gigs because he understands the level of detail and impression that is desired. You cannot equate an American Legion Hall event to one at a Newport Mansion on the basis of "how good the DJ" or how much dancing people do. The issue is one of suitability, applicable presentation skills, service, and high level competency.
No one is hiring DJ _X_ over DJ _Y_ because Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift sound so much better when played by DJ _X_.
I hear you about a minimum amount of people to have an event in certain venues. There are those who would consider $125 per person a high end venue. Then there are those who would consider a venue like that as a cheap venue. It all depends on perception. I have never heard of a venue charging $750 per person.
Can you name a venue charging that much and what do you get for that price?
mix why do you care you will never have an event at that type of venue, you always try to find out what you get for “that” price,
The answer is top level service a beautiful high end venue in a beautiful setting, what food you get is secondary, it will be well prepared top quality food, but in the end you are paying for top level service attention to details and a stellar reputation