Autumn 2008

Vermont’s boom in "destination weddings" is one component in the sprawling U.S. wedding industry.

4 Average number of months between an engagement and the wedding
40 Percentage of engagements that take place between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day
17 Percentage of engagements that occur in December (the most popular month for engagements)
$4,225 Average price of an engagement ring
44,230 Number of U.S. weddings per weekend
$27,882 Average cost of a U.S. wedding
15 Percentage of couples who hire a wedding consultant
$1,756 Average spent on a wedding consultant
3 Number of registries used by a typical U.S. couple
$1,317 Average price of a wedding gown
$156 Average price of a bridesmaid’s dress
10 Average size of a wedding party (includes best man, maid/matron of honor, groomsmen, and bridesmaids)
153 Average number of guests at a U.S. wedding
$68 Average price per head for a catered wedding
$692 Average price of a wedding cake
$2,651 Average cost of a wedding photographer
$1,971 Average cost of a wedding florist
$941 Average spent on a disc jockey for a wedding
$4,105 Average spent for a live band at a wedding
$72 billion Estimated size of the nationwide wedding industry

— Compiled by Stacey Chase

Source: The Knot, a New York–based wedding resource for engaged couples that offers a website, magazines, books and television shows.