'Round here, our party trick is being able to recite fascinating wedding statistics. Now you can join us.
XO Group Inc. recently released the results of its annual Real Weddings Study, a comprehensive report that surveyed nearly 13,000 U.S.-based brides and grooms who married in 2013, and here's what they found.
• Average wedding cost: $29,858 (excludes honeymoon)
• Most expensive place to get married: Manhattan, $86,916 (average spent)
• Least expensive place to get married: Idaho, $16,159 (average spent)
• Average spent on a wedding dress: $1,281
• Average marrying age: bride, 29; groom, 31
• Average number of guests: 138
• Average number of bridesmaids: 4 to 5
• Average number of groomsmen: 4 to 5
• Most popular month to get engaged: December (16%)
• Average length of engagement: 14 months
• Most popular month to get married: June and September (15% each)
• Popular wedding colors: blue (35%), purple (26%), pink (25%), metallics (25%)
• Percentage of destination weddings: 24%