Posted by: Richie Bernardo

 

Anyone who’s ever organized a wedding knows all too well how demanding and protracted the process can be. It’s the reason couples hire professional event planners to do the heavy lifting — and also why the term “bridezilla” became a permanent entry in the wedding glossary.

Between sending invitations, securing reservations, planning a menu and obsessing over final touches on the cake, it’s no wonder the big day is arranged months, even years, in advance — and deservingly so. Tying the knot is a huge commitment, and the $60 billion wedding industry ain’t one to complain.

At WalletHub, we understand the logistical and financial stresses of that typically long march to “I do.” So in order to assist with the planning process, our data team compared the 150 biggest cities to find the cheapest and most convenient wedding destinations that also promise a memorable occasion. We examined each city across 20 key indicators of nuptial-friendliness, ranging from “average wedding cost” to “venues and event spaces per capita” to “hotel availability.” Read on for the winners, meaningful advice from wedding and marriage experts, and a full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/18721/geochart-married.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2kmik8W;  

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	Effective	Annual	Difference	Annual	Adjusted
1	Las Vegas, NV	74.21	57	5	1
2	Orlando, FL	74.04	88	1	3
3	Atlanta, GA	69.99	64	2	9
4	Tampa, FL	65.43	41	11	5
5	Cincinnati, OH	64.63	27	8	27
6	Scottsdale, AZ	63.03	53	12	8
7	Salt Lake City, UT	62.92	92	3	22
8	Fort Lauderdale, FL	60.83	65	10	16
9	Knoxville, TN	60.59	4	29	42
10	Miami, FL	60.55	99	6	11
11	St. Louis, MO	59.78	82	7	25
12	New Orleans, LA	59.67	58	27	10
13	Springfield, MO	57.81	3	40	45
14	Boise, ID	57.14	9	49	32
15	Tucson, AZ	56.94	28	64	14
16	Birmingham, AL	56.13	19	26	59
17	Richmond, VA	55.95	63	13	36
18	Austin, TX	55.62	91	17	20
19	San Diego, CA	55.04	118	18	4
20	Tempe, AZ	55.03	47	34	23
21	Reno, NV	54.53	77	28	24
22	Albuquerque, NM	54.26	15	96	26
23	Portland, OR	53.36	116	15	13
24	Spokane, WA	52.49	22	50	43
25	Sacramento, CA	52.48	121	14	15
26	El Paso, TX	52.13	1	141	99
27	San Francisco, CA	52.13	150	4	2
28	Chattanooga, TN	51.91	12	43	83
29	Pittsburgh, PA	51.74	102	21	30
30	Denver, CO	51.56	115	19	18
31	Grand Rapids, MI	51.37	32	31	73
32	Seattle, WA	51.24	125	16	12
33	Baton Rouge, LA	50.47	34	48	46
34	Mobile, AL	50.07	8	87	85
35	Minneapolis, MN	49.31	96	32	31
36	Tulsa, OK	49.18	20	98	47
37	Honolulu, HI	48.84	145	9	6
38	St. Petersburg, FL	48.73	44	72	40
39	Los Angeles, CA	48.06	128	35	7
40	Modesto, CA	47.90	93	36	35
41	Kansas City, MO	47.86	50	83	37
42	Louisville, KY	47.47	26	92	66
43	Memphis, TN	47.36	5	127	100
44	Huntsville, AL	46.76	33	85	67
45	Omaha, NE	46.74	40	78	53
46	Houston, TX	46.54	97	46	33
47	Augusta, GA	46.49	10	94	110
48	Brownsville, TX	46.47	2	148	146
49	Tallahassee, FL	46.03	62	47	64
50	Phoenix, AZ	45.98	51	109	38
51	Shreveport, LA	45.79	7	118	113
52	Oklahoma City, OK	45.76	30	116	61
53	Madison, WI	45.53	66	69	48
54	Fayetteville, NC	45.43	16	75	114
55	Dallas, TX	45.24	73	55	55
56	San Antonio, TX	44.84	54	76	60
57	Rochester, NY	44.69	117	23	58
58	Nashville, TN	44.56	69	57	68
59	Colorado Springs, CO	44.54	94	73	39
60	Amarillo, TX	44.46	31	113	91
61	Bakersfield, CA	44.45	84	62	52
62	Raleigh, NC	44.39	74	56	69
63	Lubbock, TX	44.32	18	88	120
64	Anaheim, CA	44.06	126	37	28
65	Columbus, OH	44.06	49	105	57
66	Charlotte, NC	43.94	39	93	88
67	Lexington-Fayette, KY	43.78	35	124	78
68	Columbus, GA	43.67	13	114	119
69	Overland Park, KS	43.53	36	84	104
70	Laredo, TX	43.07	6	147	137
71	Glendale, CA	42.98	122	22	63
72	Mesa, AZ	42.96	47	104	75
73	Buffalo, NY	42.78	107	39	56
74	Montgomery, AL	42.75	11	117	135
75	Cleveland, OH	42.65	100	52	54
76	Durham, NC	42.45	60	81	89
77	Jackson, MS	42.34	21	111	123
78	Little Rock, AR	42.25	29	77	127
79	Washington, DC	41.92	143	30	17
80	Chandler, AZ	41.82	55	108	82
81	Plano, TX	41.62	81	66	95
82	Greensboro, NC	41.54	14	149	101
83	Fresno, CA	41.52	78	91	81
84	Lincoln, NE	41.45	68	82	96
85	Henderson, NV	41.42	61	126	71
86	Norfolk, VA	41.35	59	121	76
87	Sioux Falls, SD	41.32	43	95	107
88	Wichita, KS	41.25	23	120	118
89	Chicago, IL	41.09	131	58	29
90	Corpus Christi, TX	41.02	25	128	115
91	Milwaukee, WI	40.80	95	103	50
92	Santa Rosa, CA	40.67	132	20	74
93	Indianapolis, IN	40.66	46	145	79
94	Vancouver, WA	40.43	112	33	97
95	Akron, OH	39.93	42	97	121
96	Jacksonville, FL	39.84	87	110	77
97	Fort Worth, TX	39.78	79	107	87
98	North Las Vegas, NV	39.74	45	53	126
99	Virginia Beach, VA	39.63	98	90	72
100	Tacoma, WA	39.58	108	42	94
101	Des Moines, IA	39.51	76	79	109
102	Detroit, MI	39.42	67	140	80
103	Toledo, OH	39.42	17	138	138
104	Long Beach, CA	39.10	136	44	34
105	Garden Grove, CA	38.96	105	60	90
106	Winston-Salem, NC	38.95	24	150	103
107	Glendale, AZ	38.76	52	125	98
108	St. Paul, MN	38.73	103	71	93
109	Fort Wayne, IN	38.72	37	89	141
110	Irving, TX	38.37	71	67	128
111	Irvine, CA	38.22	127	38	70
112	Baltimore, MD	37.80	123	65	51
113	Cape Coral, FL	37.23	85	146	65
114	Arlington, TX	37.03	71	122	111
115	Gilbert, AZ	36.79	38	106	130
116	Hialeah, FL	36.48	80	102	122
117	Newport News, VA	36.16	75	131	116
118	Huntington Beach, CA	36.12	138	41	49
119	Philadelphia, PA	35.83	140	112	21
120	Oakland, CA	35.26	146	25	44
121	Stockton, CA	35.23	104	130	92
122	Chesapeake, VA	35.14	56	136	133
123	Peoria, AZ	35.07	86	133	112
124	Oceanside, CA	35.06	120	86	86
125	Pembroke Pines, FL	34.32	89	139	117
126	San Jose, CA	34.28	141	45	62
127	New York, NY	33.52	147	68	19
128	Riverside, CA	33.30	130	59	102
129	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	33.24	114	70	125
130	Santa Ana, CA	33.21	129	61	105
131	San Bernardino, CA	32.72	110	115	108
132	Ontario, CA	32.38	119	63	124
133	Aurora, CO	31.96	101	100	142
134	Garland, TX	31.87	90	135	139
135	Port St. Lucie, FL	31.48	83	142	148
136	Chula Vista, CA	31.40	109	80	144
137	Providence, RI	30.94	133	99	84
138	Grand Prairie, TX	30.75	70	144	140
139	Anchorage, AK	30.53	124	119	106
140	Boston, MA	30.15	149	54	41
141	Fontana, CA	27.78	110	132	147
142	Aurora, IL	25.92	106	137	149
143	Jersey City, NJ	25.91	139	74	132
144	Moreno Valley, CA	25.88	113	143	143
145	Santa Clarita, CA	25.77	134	101	131
146	Fremont, CA	25.70	142	51	136
147	Oxnard, CA	24.15	137	128	129
148	Worcester, MA	22.57	135	134	145
149	Yonkers, NY	21.00	148	24	150
150	Newark, NJ	20.31	144	123	134

Ask the Experts

Marriage is not only a big life decision, but it also can be a hefty financial commitment because money often dictates the extravagance and location of the wedding. But some couples have far fewer resources to dedicate for their special day. For advice on such matters and how to boost the local economy through the wedding business, we turned to a panel of experts in family studies, personal finance and local administration. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:

1. How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding?
2. How should a couple decide where to get married?
3. What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget?
4. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities?

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• Luke Erickson Personal finance Educator at University of Idaho Extension, Madison County
• Diane Margaret Joyal Research Coordinator at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Owner and Lead Designer of Bowerbird Flowers and Apothecary
• Dorris Perryman Assistant Professor of Accounting at Bristol Community College
• Cameron Gordon Associate Professor of Psychology at University of North Carolina, Wilmington
• Carolyn Washburn Family and Consumer Sciences Agent at Utah State University Extension
• Karl Andrew Pillemer Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University
• Karen J. Prager Professor of Psychology and Program Head for Gender Studies in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at University of Texas at Dallas
• Dasha B. Marchetti Executive Director of Continuing Education and Professor of Business Studies at Bucks County Community College

Luke Erickson Personal finance Educator at University of Idaho Extension, Madison County How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? A good philosophy is to find a reasonable balance between creating a memorable, meaningful experience and preparing adequately for the months and years ahead. A dollar figure or even budget percentage is not an appropriate guideline as each couple will have to decide how to find this balance given their own unique circumstances. How should a couple decide where to get married? While and exotic location, or fancy reception hall might be unique and memorable, it won’t be nearly as meaningful without the people who mean the most to you. If your location is hard to get to and prohibits important friends and family members from being able to attend, consider alternatives. What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? A wedding that forces the couple to spend so much that they immediately face piles of debt at the start of the marriage is doomed from the start. What good is a grand wedding if the marriage doesn’t last due stresses aggravated by debt and financial woes? Find a good balance between creating a memorable wedding experience and a marriage that will endure. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? I’ve seen countless wedding pictures on social media. A local community/business can do well to ensure that they create/sponsor photogenic scenes that are unique and recognizable. You want the friends of that bride to post comments and questions on the picture like, “Where is that? It’s so beautiful!” Diane Margaret Joyal Research Coordinator at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Owner and Lead Designer of Bowerbird Flowers and Apothecary How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? Budget is a very sensitive and personal issue! They should only spend what they are completely comfortable with. I have seen couples very stressed out over the budget. Social media, wedding blogs and sites like Pinterest can set unrealistic expectations about what a wedding "should" look like. Since I am a floral designer, I try and guide couples and families towards what is in season, local or an alternative that would be more appropriate for their budget. If they have a favorite flower that they must have and it is expensive, we work from there. Compromise is key! I always reassure them that no matter what their budget is, the flowers will be beautiful and perfect for them! How should a couple decide where to get married? I live in an area that couples return to get married. I never thought of Durham and Chapel Hill as a destination wedding location but it really is now. Couples that met here while in school come back to gather their friends and family together and get married. I think that many couples that choose to get married here have very fond memories of their time here and they remember how beautiful it is. The southeast can be gorgeous in the spring and fall. As far as the physical location of the wedding, my impression of weddings right now is that the setting seems to reflect the personality of the couple. There are some fantastic wedding venues here and several have opened in the past couple of years (with more opening all of the time). They range from very formal old homes to industrial factory buildings that have been rehabbed to an old church that has been newly and beautifully restored to old barns with a little log cabin next door. All of these locations lend themselves to events with a different feel. Brides and grooms are drawn to the setting that reflects their style and the mood that they would like to create for their guests. This is their chance to convey who they are as a couple! What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? Choose a venue that makes you happy and shows who you are and that provides some items that you can use for your event. Most venues provide tables but some might also supply chairs and linens. Remember, if they don't have it, you will have to rent it! That being said, I encourage brides to rent, not buy items for their decor. No one wants 12 lanterns sitting in the garage for the next 5 years! Also, don't fall into the Pinterest trap and think you can or should be doing something crafty, that you end up not using or spending lots of money on, or make your wedding more extravagant then you are financially comfortable able to. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? I think that they can encourage weddings by encouraging small businesses, making sure that there are lots of choices for lodging and dining and promoting tourism in general. We are in an area with several large academic institutions which is great, but even these communities have had more development in the last few years, which has helped bolster the blossoming local wedding industry. Dorris Perryman Assistant Professor of Accounting at Bristol Community College How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? A couple should first assess their discretionary income available to spend for a wedding. This can be done by preparing a budget. Another option is to research and plan their ideal wedding from the smallest detail to the most expensive item (such as the bride’s dress) and then scale the wedding according to the couple’s discretionary funds available. I would recommend to first prepare a budget and see what their budget will allow them to spend on a wedding without taking on debt or depleting their savings. How should a couple decide where to get married? A couple should decide on a place that is special to them and it is within their budget. This is not the time to splurge on an exotic place unless you are well off and can afford the expenses. Also, a couple should consider their invited guests when picking the location. Is it accessible and will my guests be able to attend the wedding without breaking their budget? What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? If the couple is to stay on budget, review all of the options available to them. On large ticket items, make sure you get at least three bids. If one of their large ticket items is special and slightly above your budget, you may have to cut costs somewhere else to achieve your goal of the most expensive item. I would suggest that the couple look at renting the bride’s dress or buying a used dress and purchasing the male’s tuxedo. The bride will only wear this dress one time, whereas the groom will be able to wear his tuxedo on more than one occasion (I am currently wearing my dress on Halloween as the Bride of Dracula). Another tip when planning a wedding is to plan your wedding for the poorest invited guest that you want so very much to be there with you to witness your glorious celebration. If you do, you will keep your costs low. Do not plan “themed weddings” - it is inconsiderate and selfish of you to ask your guests to spend their only three day weekend off with the bride and groom for and adventure, unless the couple is taking care of all of the expenses. The couple should try and coordinate events close together so that the out of town guests who have to travel do not have to seek additional transportation while attending the wedding in another locale. If time is on the couple’s side, then I would suggest that the couple take the researched cost of their proposed wedding and divide it by the number of paychecks that are available up to a month before the wedding. Then the couple should open a separate bank account and deposit the funds into the account and take all of the wedding expenses from this account. The couple doesn’t have to worry or stress about commingling the wedding expenses with their current living expenses. This will give them a picture and let them know quickly if they are exceeding their budget or will require additional funds to offset unexpected expenses. There are many checklists on the internet to help the bride and groom accomplish this task. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? If a community wants to capitalize on the wedding business, venues should be inviting and reasonable, from the smallest wedding to the largest weddings. The grounds should be well maintained, access to a caterer, a photographer, a wedding planner, a florist, transportation, entertainment, etc. And not just one of each - there should be a book with several numbers for the bride and groom to choose, from the least expensive to the most expensive. This should be one-stop shopping. Also, don’t forget items that make your community different from others, such as horse drawn carriages, water cruises, party buses, etc. The key is to make every couple’s wedding magical, however small. These one-stop shopping communities are not mutually exclusive for weddings. These same areas are good for birthday parties, graduations, family reunions, or any other celebration where people want to celebrate. Cameron Gordon Associate Professor of Psychology at University of North Carolina, Wilmington How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? Issues regarding money in relationships can be surprisingly complex. At first glance, questions regarding spending and budgeting often appear to be a fairly straightforward matter of simple math. As such, couples who do not see eye to eye about spending can quickly become frustrated because each individual may consider his or her own point of view to be obviously and simply the “right” answer. The reality for many couples, however, is that money concerns do not represent only a mathematical issue, but also a psychological one. Each individual member of the couple has been developing a complex relationship with money his or her entire life. As such, complicated ideas about what money represents in life (e.g., a means for creating a safety net, expressing freedom, having fun, etc.) often underlie a person’s saving and spending habits. For most couples, each individual’s values related to money are valid, yet there can be great disparity between each person’s perspective that can leave couples bewildered and frustrated with one another. When it comes to planning for a wedding, budgeting decisions can quickly become even more complicated as other family members may contribute financially or with opinions regarding the ceremony which may have budgetary implications. Therefore, couples can help themselves a lot by approaching this question as the complex issue that it is, and prepare themselves for the possibility that they may need to come to the discussion with particular efforts toward patience and understanding for all those involved. Doing so can help the couple thoroughly communicate with one another and all of the relevant parties about their needs and values; both from a psychological and a mathematical standpoint. These discussions should not only involve the question of the wedding budget, but also the inextricably intertwined questions about each individual’s values pertaining to the wedding itself. For example, whether a couple wants a large celebration centered around a widespread community of loved ones or an intimate ceremony that emphasizes their transition into this phase of their relationship, obviously has large implications for budgeting decisions. With weddings that require extensive planning and larger budgets, a financial planner may also be a helpful asset. In short, planning a wedding can be a very enjoyable and also very stressful process. Spending time getting a clear sense of each individual’s needs and the reasons underlying them will help lay a stronger foundation for prioritizing and problem-solving as the couple (and perhaps family) addresses the wedding budget in an effort to reach everyone’s mutual satisfaction. How should a couple decide where to get married? This can also be a deceptively complex question. Similarly to addressing budgetary questions, the couple can benefit a lot from approaching this discussion with an effort to understand the values that a wedding ceremony represents to each individual. For instance, if the couple regards the wedding as primarily a way to celebrate the love shared among a community of supportive family and loved ones, then taking into account everyone’s ability to attend (as it pertains to timing, expense, size of the venue, geographical location, etc.) would be the most important consideration. In contrast, if the couple views the wedding as primarily a celebration of their personalities being joined together then an adventurous couple may wish to plan a destination wedding in an exotic location that represents their passions, even if it means fewer loved ones could attend. Thus, understanding the values that the wedding actually represents to each individual member of the couple can help aid in deciding where to hold the ceremony (whether that question pertains to geographical location or type of venue, etc.). What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? In addition to staying organized and thoughtful about the mathematical and the psychological aspects of money and weddings, I would encourage couples to consider erring on the side of simplifying their expenses. Although wedding budgets have grown tremendously over the past several decades, I have never once had a couple come to my therapy practice years after their wedding lamenting that they wished it had been larger or more complicated. I have seen many couples, though, who struggle with the frustrations and pressures that often come with debt. At the end of the day, it is the couple’s enduring relationship that matters most, and not the wedding ceremony. So whether a couple wishes to have an elaborate and expensive wedding, or a simple and more economical one, everyone can benefit from keeping the perspective that the relationship is more important than the flowers. Carolyn Washburn Family and Consumer Sciences Agent at Utah State University Extension How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? The best thing a couple can discuss before the wedding is their views on money. Each of us have a money style and couples who can understand one another’s money style will have much happier relationships. Discuss what is most important for your future happiness, the honeymoon, and future living styles before deciding how much will be practical for spending on the wedding. Yes, the wedding is built for wonderful memories, but too much spent on the wedding can lead to later despair when finances are hard. Do not go into debt to pay for a wedding. Credit card costs and loans and should be avoided to prevent beginning your future with a negative balance. How should a couple decide where to get married? Many couples choose a wedding location because of the value of the location in their lives. For some couples it will be a religious location, for others it may be the outdoors, a back yard setting, or even a beautiful special event center. What is of value to the couples will make the ceremony more valuable to them. Couples who can discuss values and goals that are important for their future family will have an easier time deciding which wedding location celebrates their views and values the most. This is an excellent time for couples to begin to build a “Family Crest”, or family identity. What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? Communicate about the wedding and the budget. Build a budget together focusing on the needs and wants of each partner. Look at it often and try to stay on target. When one line item must be increased, look at where another may be decreased. Discuss the budget weekly and make sure that each partner is sharing their thoughts and feelings about where the money is being spent. If discussing the wedding budget is difficult, each partner may choose a sucker and one partner put theirs in their mouth while the other partner talks about the finance and then trade turns. This helps each partner to really listen while one partner gets a chance to talk. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? Communities can help celebrate the importance of marriage in many ways. Marriage is important to communities. Marriage encourages healthier families, better economic situations, stronger schools and happier people. Communities can encourage wedding events and expos, an annual marriage celebration to honor long time successful marriages, and even a marriage “Hall of Fame” that encourages strong relationships and sets a standard of role models. Local TV and radio channels can have marriage enrichment topics along with free marriage enrichment classes. Local business could encourage a “Date Night” activity with a reduced price for married couples and local groups could provide babysitting. Communities who value family and marriage can encourage marriages which in turn will build stronger communities. Karl Andrew Pillemer Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? I’ve spent the past five years interviewing long-married couples – often together happily for a half-century or more – about their advice for making love last. In many cases, they pointed to their wedding as a signature event that set the tone for their marriage. One of their key pieces of advice is this: A couple should spend what they can afford on their wedding. It may sound like simple advice, but many young people violate this straightforward rule, going into debt or spending savings (or their parents’ savings) for enhancements that make little difference in the event and how it is remembered. And the money saved can often be better used to start a life together. Why do people spend so much? In part, because they believe everyone else does. They read often-quoted figures like “the average wedding costs $30,000.” Actually, better statistics suggest that the median cost is more like $15,000 – so around half of couples get married (and most enjoy the wedding) for much less than people believe. It’s hard to give a specific amount, but aiming for the realistic median makes sense to me. But the key advice from the long-married is: Stay within a comfortable amount, because you will enjoy the wedding as much in a $500 dress as a $5000 one. The worst mistake? Upping the ante to keep up with (or exceed) friends’ weddings. How should a couple decide where to get married? According to couples who have made it to the finish line of marriage, there are three fundamental rules to choosing a location. First, focus on a place that is significant to you. In many cases, this is where one (or both) of you grew up. Or it may be a beloved location where you vacationed as a child, or where you are living happily now. Less likely to make you happy, in their view, is a mass-produced wedding at a place like a theme park. Second, prioritize making it easy for the people you care about to join you on the occasion. A destination wedding in Fiji may seem wonderfully exotic – but it will be limited to those guests who can afford it. My respondents in their 80s and beyond assure you that what you will remember are the faces and voices of the people who shared this day with you, much more than the resort’s pool and spa. Again, think people first, and make it affordable for them to celebrate with you. Third, if you disagree on where to hold the wedding, do this: Instead of stressing about the difference of opinion, use it as communication practice for the rest of your married life together. Stop to remember: If this is the most stressful experience you have in your married life, you will be very lucky. Learn to use some good conflict resolution techniques recommended by people married a half century or more, including:

• Let the other person have his or her say before interrupting;
• Avoid letting anger lead you to contemptuous remarks, like insults or sarcasm;
• Take at time out if you need it – not everything needs to be discussed until resolved; drop a contentious issue and come back to it.

If you disagree on where your wedding should be, why not take advantage of the golden opportunity to practice good communication early on? What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? The elders worry about young people focusing too much on “stuff” at weddings, and not enough about savoring the people and experiences that come with it. Psychologists make this distinction, finding that greater happiness comes from activities that are rewarding in and of themselves rather than acquiring material possessions. When thinking about a wedding, you can be sure that 50 years from now, you will remember sharing the joy with friends and relatives and taking a great honeymoon trip than you will the cappuccino maker and the steak knives. When budgeting, thing about doing rather than getting. For example, having a wedding in a cheaper venue and lower-cost catering so you can invite more people you care about, in their view, is a good choice. And those gifts? Don’t forget to leave room in the budget for funding a trip that leaves life-long memories. You can more easily stay on budget if you focus on experiences over things – which is what research shows us makes us happy in general, too! Karen J. Prager Professor of Psychology and Program Head for Gender Studies in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at University of Texas at Dallas How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? They should look together and with their parents at their finances and decide together what they can afford. I recommend that no one go into debt to finance a wedding. How should a couple decide where to get married? Tradition says it is in the bride’s locale. Otherwise, it’s wherever will be meaningful to both of them. What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? Start 6-9 months before the wedding contacting venues, florists, photographers, etc. to get the best people for the price. Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? Have lots of really nice places for couples to marry that don’t cost a lot of money to rent. Keep the city/community beautiful. Do things to encourage small businesses that do weddings. Dasha B. Marchetti Executive Director of Continuing Education and Professor of Business Studies at Bucks County Community College How should a couple decide how much they should spend on a wedding? Although there is an ‘older’ culture of having the bride or her family pay for the wedding, that is so yesterday. Before the couple even gets engaged they need to lay their finances, including debt, right on the table and be open about all of it. Yes, it will be tough for most, but will help in the long run. First of all, be reasonable. Look at your current expenses and see how much you can ‘save’ every month for a year towards your wedding. Some costs will be up front and right before a wedding (i.e., catering, flowers, final venue payment) so it’s important to lay out a budget and know that you will need a large lump sum towards the tail end of your wedding planning. How should a couple decide where to get married? Communication and understanding is key, however being brutally realistic is another piece to remember. Depending on your budget, although your dream might be to get married in a castle, your money might only be able to afford a fire hall. Do not go into debt for a wedding, which is only one day of your life. What tips do you have for a couple planning a wedding and hoping to stay on budget? Look at all options and think outside the box. We got married at a church and had the reception at a winery where the tables, chairs, and all the wine you and your guests can drink were included. We were also able to use an outside caterer (got to pick our own food and cost to meet our budget) and bring in our own beer and liquor (anything you don’t use you don’t pay for!). Weddings can often be an economic boost to local businesses. What measures can local authorities undertake in order to stimulate weddings in their respective communities? We are from Bucks County, Pennsylvania and used all local vendors; from the florist, to the caterer, to the church and reception venue. Vendors need to showcase their assets in different markets – I found a lot of mine through going to local bridal open houses as well as recommendations on social media. I followed some on Instagram and Pinterest, which helped me in the end not only get the vendor I needed but also the ideas for my wedding. Hooking up with a local Community College and offering courses in their areas for non-credit can also be a great way to be a part of their community!

Methodology

In order to identify the best and worst cities in which to tie the knot, WalletHub’s analysts compared 150 of the most populated U.S. cities across three key dimensions: 1) Costs, 2) Facilities & Services and 3) Activities & Attractions.

We examined those dimensions using 20 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for weddings.

We then calculated the overall score for each city using its weighted average across all metrics and constructed the final ranking based on the resulting scores.

Costs – Total Points: 40

• Average Wedding Cost: Triple Weight (~24.00 Points)
• Price of a Three-Star Hotel: Full Weight (~8.00 Points)
• Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~8.00 Points)Note: “Restaurant Meal” refers to a three-course meal for two.

Facilities & Services – Total Points: 30

• Wedding Chapels & Churches per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Venues & Event Spaces per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Party-Equipment Rentals per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Event Planners per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Videographers & Photographers per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Musicians & DJs per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Makeup Artists & Hair Salons per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Bridal Shops per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Flower Shops per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)
• Limousine Rentals per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Foodie Cities ranking.
• Hotels per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.
• Restaurants & Bars per Capita: Full Weight (~2.50 Points)Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Most Fun Cities in America ranking.

Activities & Attractions – Total Points: 30

• Number of Attractions: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)
• Popularity as a Travel Destination: Full Weight(~6.00 Points)
• Foodie-Friendliness: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)
• Weather: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)
• Amusement & Entertainment: Full Weight (~6.00 Points)

 

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Wedding Report, Kayak.com, Numbeo, Tripadvisor, Travbuddy.com, Yelp and WalletHub research.

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