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Planning A Wedding – Best & Worst Cities To Get Married

Feb 4, 2016

With couples spending an average of $26,444 on their wedding, which often costs less during the first few months of the year, the personal-finance website WalletHub took an in-depth look at 2016’s Best & Worst Cities to Get Married.

To help couples find the most wedding-friendly destinations, WalletHub’s analysts compared 150 of the biggest cities across 18 key indicators of a cost-effective, convenient and enjoyable occasion. Our data set ranges from average wedding cost to number of venues and event spaces per capita to availability of hotels.

Best Cities to Get Married		Worst Cities to Get Married
1	Orlando, FL	141	Boston, MA
2	Las Vegas, NV	142	Fremont, CA
3	Atlanta, GA	143	Oxnard, CA
4	Tampa, FL	144	Jersey City, NJ
5	Springfield, MO	145	Fontana, CA
6	Cincinnati, OH	146	Anchorage, AK
7	Salt Lake City, UT	147	Worcester, MA
8	Miami, FL	148	Newark, NJ
9	Boise, ID	149	Yonkers, NY
10	Tucson, AZ	150	Moreno Valley, CA

Comparing the Best & Worst

The average wedding cost is highest in San Francisco, Calif., which is two times greater than in Springfield, Mo., the city with the lowest.
The number of venues and event spaces per capita is highest in Orlando, Fla., which is 84 times greater than in Cape Coral, Fla., the city with the lowest.
The number of event planners per capita is highest in Washington, which is 14 times greater than in Stockton, Calif., the city with the lowest.
The number of photographers per capita is highest in San Francisco, which is 39 times greater than in Newark, N.J., the city with the lowest.
The number of musicians per capita is highest in San Francisco, which is 104 times greater than in El Paso, Texas, the city with the lowest.
The number of bridal shops per capita is highest in Salt Lake City, which is 31 times greater than in Detroit, the city with the lowest.
The number of flower shops per capita is highest in Miami, which is 14 times greater than in North Las Vegas, Nev., the city with the lowest.

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, after all, and the $60 billion wedding industryain’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 lubricate the planning process, our number crunchers compared the 150 biggest cities to find the cheapest and most convenient wedding destinations that also promise a memorable occasion. We took into account 18 key indicators of nuptial friendliness, ranging from average wedding cost to number of venues and event spaces per capita to availability of hotels. Scroll down for the winners, meaningful advice from wedding and marriage experts, and our detailed methodology.

Source: WalletHub

Overall Rank	City	Total Score	‘Wedding Cost’ Rank	‘Wedding Facilities & Services’ Rank	‘Activities & Attractions’ Rank
1	Orlando, FL	75.78	47	1	4
2	Las Vegas, NV	70.83	86	2	3
3	Atlanta, GA	68.72	57	3	16
4	Tampa, FL	67.28	32	17	5
5	Springfield, MO	64.08	3	36	50
6	Cincinnati, OH	63.79	43	9	28
7	Salt Lake City, UT	63.09	70	6	44
8	Miami, FL	62.91	95	5	32
9	Boise, ID	62.69	7	46	29
10	Tucson, AZ	61.79	17	56	10
11	Knoxville, TN	61.73	11	27	79
12	Scottsdale, AZ	60.88	85	12	9
13	Tempe, AZ	60.23	30	32	23
14	St. Louis, MO	60.06	69	7	51
15	Reno, NV	59.99	59	21	17
16	Richmond, VA	59.16	48	13	49
17	Birmingham, AL	58.57	25	22	113
18	New Orleans, LA	58.50	55	28	20
19	Fort Lauderdale, FL	58.47	63	15	38
20	Laredo, TX	58.40	2	145	95
21	El Paso, TX	57.93	1	140	54
22	Pittsburgh, PA	56.81	72	18	45
23	Grand Rapids, MI	56.72	28	29	100
24	Chattanooga, TN	56.42	13	39	123
25	Tulsa, OK	55.77	8	96	77
26	Albuquerque, NM	55.77	15	105	47
27	Mobile, AL	55.76	5	75	131
28	Augusta, GA	55.73	9	85	81
29	Brownsville, TX	55.65	14	149	70
30	Amarillo, TX	55.59	23	89	53
31	Austin, TX	55.24	98	14	37
32	Portland, OR	54.54	107	11	24
33	Shreveport, LA	54.33	6	112	129
34	Oklahoma City, OK	54.17	24	74	75
35	Greensboro, NC	53.07	10	104	122
36	Kansas City, MO	52.79	31	72	72
37	Tallahassee, FL	52.60	34	42	101
38	Sacramento, CA	52.22	133	10	7
39	St. Petersburg, FL	52.12	35	82	59
40	Fayetteville, NC	52.04	20	71	132
41	Columbus, GA	51.98	12	121	125
42	Memphis, TN	51.91	4	128	140
43	Omaha, NE	51.84	33	65	99
44	Glendale, CA	51.77	113	26	14
45	Jackson, MS	51.70	18	107	119
46	San Diego, CA	51.30	128	20	8
47	Little Rock, AR	51.14	19	70	139
48	Denver, CO	51.13	110	25	30
49	Baton Rouge, LA	51.10	37	44	126
50	Lubbock, TX	50.80	21	106	127
51	Minneapolis, MN	50.68	93	30	56
52	Winston-Salem, NC	50.61	22	142	89
53	Los Angeles, CA	50.55	118	43	2
54	Louisville, KY	50.48	29	86	116
55	San Antonio, TX	49.96	39	78	97
56	Lexington-Fayette, KY	49.71	36	108	80
57	Nashville, TN	49.64	50	57	93
58	Huntsville, AL	49.64	49	80	88
59	Montgomery, AL	49.63	16	129	138
60	Spokane, WA	49.62	88	61	40
61	Mesa, AZ	49.39	46	99	71
62	Irvine, CA	49.26	108	40	21
63	Buffalo, NY	49.23	92	38	69
64	Lincoln, NE	49.23	53	58	98
65	Vancouver, WA	49.11	105	34	41
66	Santa Rosa, CA	49.02	136	16	15
67	Fresno, CA	48.85	77	93	43
68	Colorado Springs, CO	48.84	73	73	55
69	Phoenix, AZ	48.83	56	124	39
70	Bakersfield, CA	48.81	99	67	27
71	Houston, TX	48.77	79	49	78
72	Overland Park, KS	48.77	44	92	102
73	Corpus Christi, TX	48.74	27	123	112
74	Rochester, NY	48.56	109	24	64
75	Modesto, CA	48.29	100	33	67
76	Anaheim, CA	47.83	121	37	13
77	Norfolk, VA	47.66	52	114	73
78	Sioux Falls, SD	47.48	40	60	143
79	Fort Wayne, IN	47.28	38	88	137
80	Chandler, AZ	47.19	65	122	60
81	Seattle, WA	47.13	137	19	22
82	Honolulu, HI	47.09	146	8	11
83	Glendale, AZ	46.99	51	120	57
84	Long Beach, CA	46.92	119	45	12
85	Dallas, TX	46.91	61	62	128
86	Chesapeake, VA	46.76	60	135	62
87	Henderson, NV	46.49	87	101	58
88	Wichita, KS	46.23	26	116	144
89	Huntington Beach, CA	46.17	121	41	19
90	Charlotte, NC	45.97	62	98	115
91	Raleigh, NC	45.92	83	59	114
92	Newport News, VA	45.90	71	126	74
93	Fort Worth, TX	45.86	68	115	82
94	Jacksonville, FL	45.81	80	109	65
95	Toledo, OH	45.80	41	136	120
96	San Francisco, CA	45.64	150	4	6
97	North Las Vegas, NV	45.62	58	83	104
98	Madison, WI	45.47	106	48	63
99	Cleveland, OH	45.22	102	52	85
100	Columbus, OH	44.98	74	103	106
101	Plano, TX	44.91	91	79	107
102	Durham, NC	44.89	90	81	109
103	Indianapolis, IN	44.81	76	91	124
104	Cape Coral, FL	44.66	66	150	42
105	Gilbert, AZ	44.58	42	111	134
106	Akron, OH	44.55	45	100	145
107	Arlington, TX	44.12	84	117	94
108	Hialeah, FL	44.00	89	113	96
109	Garden Grove, CA	43.84	115	66	33
110	Virginia Beach, VA	43.69	97	95	87
111	Irving, TX	43.53	64	90	141
112	Detroit, MI	43.40	54	148	108
113	Santa Ana, CA	43.36	120	64	31
114	St. Paul, MN	43.10	103	51	130
115	Des Moines, IA	43.03	82	102	133
116	Aurora, CO	42.59	96	119	92
117	Pembroke Pines, FL	42.51	67	143	121
118	Milwaukee, WI	42.31	101	97	103
119	Tacoma, WA	41.82	117	47	76
120	Garland, TX	41.38	81	137	135
121	Stockton, CA	41.10	111	125	48
122	Peoria, AZ	40.98	94	134	110
123	Philadelphia, PA	40.80	116	118	35
124	Oakland, CA	40.67	147	23	26
125	Grand Prairie, TX	40.15	78	144	117
126	Riverside, CA	40.08	126	63	61
127	Oceanside, CA	39.94	131	87	36
128	New York, NY	39.54	148	84	1
129	Chicago, IL	39.44	127	69	52
130	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	39.35	114	55	118
131	San Jose, CA	39.14	142	50	18
132	Washington, DC	39.08	141	31	46
133	Ontario, CA	38.80	124	68	91
134	San Bernardino, CA	38.77	112	127	68
135	Port St. Lucie, FL	38.74	75	147	149
136	Chula Vista, CA	37.51	130	76	84
137	Baltimore, MD	37.46	123	77	111
138	Providence, RI	35.75	134	94	83
139	Aurora, IL	35.23	104	139	146
140	Santa Clarita, CA	34.76	129	130	90
141	Boston, MA	34.60	143	53	66
142	Fremont, CA	33.45	149	54	25
143	Oxnard, CA	33.32	144	132	34
144	Jersey City, NJ	32.18	138	133	86
145	Fontana, CA	30.50	125	131	150
146	Anchorage, AK	29.84	139	110	136
147	Worcester, MA	29.52	132	138	142
148	Newark, NJ	29.16	140	141	105
149	Yonkers, NY	28.97	145	35	148
150	Moreno Valley, CA	26.11	135	146	147