What weddings cost in 2026
The Knot’s 2026 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed couples married in 2025, found an average total cost of $34,200, with an average of 117 guests. That works out to about $292 per guest (The Knot).
average total wedding cost for couples married in 2025
The Knot, 2026average number of guests
The Knot, 2026average cost per guest
The Knot, 2026Averages are pulled up by large, expensive weddings, so many couples spend far less. The most useful number is your own: what you can pay without starting your marriage with debt you’ll resent.
Should you borrow for a wedding?
A personal loan for a wedding is legal and common, but it pays for a single day with money you’ll repay for months or years. A small loan can make sense in a few situations:
- A venue or vendor deposit is due before your savings catch up, and you’ll have the cash within a few months.
- You’re replacing a higher-rate credit card balance you already ran up for wedding costs.
- The monthly payment fits comfortably into your combined budget after the wedding.
Before you apply, write down the exact amount you need, the date it’s due and the date you expect to have the cash. If the gap closes within a few months, a short loan or careful use of a card may be enough.
It’s usually a bad fit if you’d need to borrow most of the cost, if the payment would stop you saving for an emergency fund, or if you’re already carrying other high-interest debt.
Don’t borrow for the whole wedding. Financing $5,000 at 24.99% over 36 months costs $2,155.82 in interest, nearly half of what you borrowed. Keep the loan to a gap you can repay quickly.
Plan the budget before you borrow
The guest list is the biggest lever. At The Knot’s average of $292 per guest, inviting 10 fewer people could trim roughly $2,920 from a typical budget, though your per-guest cost depends on your venue and catering. Other common ways to spend less:
- Choose an off-peak month or a Friday or Sunday date, when venues may charge less.
- Hold the ceremony and reception at the same location to save on travel and rentals.
- Ask what deposits are refundable, and when final payments are due.
- Decide what matters most to you both, and spend less on the rest.
- Track every quote and payment in one shared spreadsheet.
Talk about contributions early. If family members plan to help, agree on amounts and timing before you sign contracts, so you know the real gap you need to cover.
Ways to pay for a wedding, compared
| Option | Typical cost | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings plan | No interest | Most couples with time before the date | Needs a realistic monthly target |
| Smaller budget or guest list | Saves money | Everyone | Agreeing on priorities |
| Family contributions | Free | When offered | Expectations attached to gifts |
| Personal installment loan | 11.90% bank avg (Fed G.19); higher with fair credit | A planned gap repaid in 1–3 years | Origination fees; payments after the wedding |
| Credit card | 22.36% avg on balances charged interest (Fed G.19) | Small amounts paid off quickly, or a 0% intro offer | High rate once a promo ends |
Payment examples
Fixed-rate loans with no origination fee and on-time payments. Try your own numbers in the loan payment calculator.
| Amount · term | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2,000 · 12 mo | 19.99% | $185.26 | $223.11 |
| $3,000 · 24 mo | 19.99% | $152.67 | $664.15 |
| $5,000 · 24 mo | 19.99% | $254.45 | $1,106.91 |
| $5,000 · 36 mo | 15.54% | $174.65 | $1,287.46 |
| $5,000 · 36 mo | 24.99% | $198.77 | $2,155.82 |
A smaller loan over a shorter term keeps the cost down: borrowing $2,000 for a year costs about $223 in interest, while $5,000 over three years at a higher rate costs nearly ten times as much. The 15.54% rate is LendingTree’s average best offer for borrowers with scores of 740–799 (LendingTree).
Wedding loan vs. credit card
Put $5,000 on a card charging the average 22.36% APR and pay $174.65 a month, the same payment as a 15.54% loan over 36 months. The card takes 42 months to pay off and costs $2,089.62 in interest, about $802 more than the loan.
Pay only $150 a month on that card and it takes 53 months, more than four years, and costs $2,821.23 in interest. A card with a 0% intro APR can beat both, but only if you pay the balance off before the promo ends.
How to compare wedding loan offers
Lenders often market “wedding loans,” but they are ordinary unsecured personal loans. Compare them the same way you would any other installment loan:
- Compare APR, not just the interest rate. APR includes the origination fee, so it shows the fuller cost.
- Check whether the fee is taken out of the loan amount. If it is, you may need to borrow a little more to receive the amount you need for a deposit.
- Confirm there’s no prepayment penalty, so you can pay the loan off early with cash gifts.
- Prequalify where you can. Many lenders show estimated rates with a soft credit check that doesn’t affect your score.
- Ask how fast the money arrives, and line it up with your vendor deadlines.
Plan to use gifts wisely. If you expect cash gifts, decide in advance to put part of them toward the loan. Paying it off early cuts the interest you’ll pay.
Could you save instead?
If your date is more than a year away, saving the payment instead of borrowing it often works. Saving the same $254.45 a month you’d pay on a $5,000, 24-month loan at 19.99% would build $5,000 in about 20 months, and you’d keep the $1,106.91 you would have paid in interest.
- Set your budget and guest list
- Open a separate savings account
- Automate a monthly transfer
- Book the venue and key vendors
- Pay deposits from savings where you can
- Check rates only if a gap is appearing
- Make final payments
- Borrow only the remaining gap, if any
- Plan the payoff before the honeymoon
Step by step: paying for a wedding with less debt
- Set a total budget firstAgree on a number with your partner and anyone else contributing.
- Price your guest listGuest count drives many costs, so finalize it early.
- Build a savings planWork out how much you can save each month until the date.
- Borrow only the gapIf a deposit is due before savings catch up, borrow the smallest amount you need.
- Compare offers by APRChoose the shortest term with a payment that fits your budget after the wedding.
Pros and cons of a wedding loan
Pros
- Covers deposits that come due before savings catch up
- Fixed payment and a clear payoff date
- Often cheaper than carrying a credit card balance
- No collateral required
Cons
- You pay interest on a one-day event
- Monthly payments continue after the wedding
- Origination fees can raise the APR
- Borrowing jointly makes both partners responsible
Wedding loan FAQ
Can I use a personal loan to pay for a wedding?
Yes. Personal loans can be used for wedding costs such as the venue deposit, attire, rings or travel. You receive a lump sum and repay it in fixed monthly payments, usually over one to five years.
How much does the average wedding cost?
The Knot’s 2026 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed couples married in 2025, put the average wedding cost at $34,200 for an average of 117 guests, or about $292 per guest.
Is it a good idea to borrow for a wedding?
It can work for a small, planned gap, such as a deposit that’s due before your savings catch up, if the payment fits your budget after the wedding. Borrowing a large share of the cost means starting married life with debt, so saving or trimming the budget is usually the cheaper choice.
Is a wedding loan better than a credit card?
For a balance you’ll repay over two or three years, a lower-rate personal loan often costs less. In our example, $5,000 at 15.54% over 36 months costs $174.65 a month. Paying that same amount on a 22.36% card takes 42 months and $2,089.62 in interest, about $800 more. A card can be cheaper for small amounts you’ll pay off within a few months.
How much should I borrow for a wedding?
Borrow only the gap between your budget and what you’ll have saved by the time payments are due, not the whole cost. Make sure the monthly payment fits your combined budget after the wedding.
Does a wedding loan affect both partners’ credit?
Only the people who sign for the loan are responsible for it, and it appears on their credit reports. If you apply jointly, both partners are equally responsible for repaying the full balance.
- The Knot, Average wedding cost (2026 Real Weddings Study)
- Federal Reserve, G.19 Consumer Credit
- LendingTree, personal loan marketplace data
Payment examples, the savings example and the credit card comparisons are calculated by Riverstone for fixed-rate, fully amortizing loans with on-time payments and no fees. They are illustrations, not offers.