LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If you'll be spending your weekend as a wedding guest, you aren't alone. According to wedding website 'The Knot,' September 21 is the most popular wedding date of 2024.
This date can come with a high price tag.
The website reports the average cost of a wedding rose $5,000 from 2022 to 2023. Tying the knot went from $30,000 to $35,000, in part thanks to rising prices and inflation.
Louisville wedding planner Courtney Samuel has seen it hit her own clients' events.
"The cost of everything has grown. As venues get more popular and floral get more expensive to outsources, all of those things impact your wedding day,” she said.
Samuel said for couples at the start of planning, venue choice is crucial because it impacts every other part of the budget.
"Some venues require you to use any in house catering team, that may be more expensive than another venue where you might be able to bring in whatever caterer you want,” she said.
Alex Hunnicutt, who co-owns the Refinery in Jeffersonville, said it’s becoming more common for couples to save by picking an un-traditional day.
"We have seen weddings on weekdays, which offer even greater savings. I've seen weddings save 30, 40% on their entire wedding budget by having maybe a Thursday wedding,” he said.
Hunnicutt encourages booking early, noting many venues fill up 14 to 18 months out. He said it's especially true for peak months. In Louisville, those are September and October, followed by the late spring.
"May is always a little tricky in this area because of Derby and Thunder,” Hunnicutt said.
The city or state in which couples choose to get married can also inform budgets.
According to ‘The Knot,’ the average price of a Kentucky wedding in 2023 was $20,000. In neighboring Indiana, the average wedding was $26,000. Tennessee hit $28,000 and Ohio $30,000 for their nuptial costs.
Samuel said as costs rise, couples are choosing to prioritize personal touches and fun additions, like late night snacks.
"I think the more non-traditional aspects are what are becoming more popular and I think it’s cool because it makes it a little bit more unique to the couple,” she said.
After deciding what you value most, Samuel said making small cuts can add up to major savings.
"To manage your budget you have to manage your expectations," she said. "Maybe you need eight hours of photography instead of ten, and that helps with that budget. Maybe you want to do some floating candles for centerpiece and not a huge floral centerpiece on every one so it helps that floral budget. It's just making those small tweaks in each category that ends up making a big impact."