In the U.S., off-season wedding months can vary by region, but usually they are January, February, July, and November. These are usually also the cheapest months to get married in.
Weekday weddings are typically more affordable, with Monday being most affordable and increasing in expense as you get nearer the weekend. Of course, the differential will vary between venues — high-end venues are high-end every day of the week.
June, September, and October are considered the best months for a wedding. June, traditionally, is the most popular month to get married, simply because of the mild weather. With that being said, there's no wrong time to get married to the love of your life (though it does help to have good weather).
If you have your heart set on a summer wedding, then you should probably prepare yourself for an expensive affair. Typically, during peak wedding season of May to October, and especially during the height of summer, wedding services and venues will be at their most expensive.
“Budget” Can Mean Different Things to Different People
For someone who lives in a major metropolitan area such as New York City or Los Angeles, $20,000 might be considered a “budget” wedding because the average for that area is $50,000 or higher.
In Australia, 'wedding season' extends from September to May, the most popular times of the year to be married being, not surprisingly, when the weather is nicest!
November (spring) and March (autumn) are the most popular months to get married, each hosting 12% of Australia's yearly marriages. October is also quite popular, hosting 11% followed by April (10%).
For men, early was defined as marrying before the age of 26 (29 percent), on time was between the ages of 27 and 30 (38 percent), and late if they married after 30 (33 percent). Results showed that people who married on time or late were least likely to report depressive symptoms in midlife.
“The ideal age to get married, with the least likelihood of divorce in the first five years, is 28 to 32,” says Carrie Krawiec, a marriage and family therapist at Birmingham Maple Clinic in Troy, Michigan. “Called the 'Goldilocks theory,' the idea is that people at this age are not too old and not too young.”
The average cost of an Australian wedding is said to be $54,295.
You should shoot for a date at least a year out. If your wedding is going to be local, it's considerate to give your guests (and yourself) 6 to 12 months' notice. That being said, if you're planning a smaller wedding or micro wedding with mostly local guests, it can be planned in less than 6 months.
For family or someone close to you, $75 to $100 and even as high as $150 is perfect. Then if you're going as a couple, it's routine to double the amount or keep it at $200.
If you're keen on keeping to a $5,000 budget for your wedding, it's totally possible. View the real $5k weddings on The Budget Savvy Bride to get inspiration from other couples who've planned a $5,000 wedding.
According to relationship therapist Aimee Hartstein, LCSW, as it turns out, the first year really is the hardest—even if you've already lived together. In fact, it often doesn't matter if you've been together for multiple years, the start of married life is still tricky.
In the US, nearly 40% of engagements happen in the two-and-a-half months between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, according to a survey of 18,000 people. December, in particular, is the peak month for getting engaged – with Christmas Eve a particularly popular date.
While there are countless divorce studies with conflicting statistics, the data points to two periods during a marriage when divorces are most common: years 1 – 2 and years 5 – 8. Of those two high-risk periods, there are two years in particular that stand out as the most common years for divorce — years 7 and 8.
What is the best month to get married in 2022? Well, the most popular month to get married is October, with September and June coming in second and third.
From the mid-1970s until 2018 there was a steady and ongoing increase for men and women in the median age at first marriage. This upward trend has not been apparent in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 statistics. In 2020 the median age of men was 30.6 years, and women 29.2 years.
Traditionally, the bride's family foots the majority of the bill, but that's not stopping modern couples from spending their own savings to have the wedding they want.
Most venues and vendors offer discounts for Sunday weddings, since that's a day that's usually open. Add up the savings from a number of vendors, and there's an opportunity to save thousands of dollars on the overall wedding budget simply by choosing a Sunday wedding date.