Sure, weddings are romantic and beautiful, but they can also suck the life out of you. The average American wedding now costs over $26,000 by one estimate and an increasing number of couples will go into debt trying to pay for it.
Enter WalletHub.com. In addition to traditional cost considerations like the dress, the shoes, and the flowers, the personal finance website reminds us that there is one very important factor to consider before planning your wedding: location, location, location.
Just ahead of Valentine’s Day, the site racked up a list of the best and worst cities for tying the knot. The rankings were based on factors like overall wedding cost, wedding facilities, services and activities, and attractions for the bride, groom and guests.
Orlando, FL takes the cake with a total score of 75.78 out of 100, followed by Las Vegas, NV and Atlanta, GA. (We’re guessing the researchers are all male and did not consider the effect of heat or humidity on a bride’s hair.)
Despite much of the state’s pristine weather conditions, California is all over WalletHub’s “worst” list. Moreno Valley, CA comes in at #159 with a dismal score of 26.11. Fontana, Oxnard, Fremont and Santa Clarita also fared rather poorly.
According to WalletHub, San Jose is the most expensive city for nuptials in the country. You can also expect to spend a pretty penny if you exchange your vows in Oxnard, San Francisco, Oakland or Fremont.
Read more about the best and worst cities to get married and see the full list here.
Image Credit: Flickr User trentenkelleyphotography, https://flic.kr/p/xtdrpX via (CC BY-ND 2.0)