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Wedding season is already fast upon us. And as brides and grooms prepare to say “I do,” their spending habits shed light on the state of wedding spending on the whole, and how changing sentiment impacts everything from who is celebrating to how they choose to do so. Consumer-reported data from CivicScience dives into all things wedding spending, offering insight into the oft-admired but seldom-understood world of tying the knot.
Recent CivicScience data show that 27% of U.S. adults say they are planning, have already had, or will have upcoming wedding plans, a notable 59% increase from last year’s wedding intent. While wedding plans are up, there’s an increasing effort to keep wedding spending at $20K or less. CivicScience data show the majority of those planning to get married (64%) intend to spend $20K or less overall – up six percentage points from 2022.
Given the increased eye towards cost management, the wedding reception may be the first area affected. In fact, 52% of those with marriage plans this year will either postpone their reception to a later date or forgo having one altogether. Conversely, just under half plan to proceed with the traditional reception immediately following the wedding.
But it’s not just receptions that are changing. Data also show that while nearly half (46%) of respondents plan to have a medium to large-size wedding, 39% say they will have a smaller, scaled-back wedding with 50 guests or less–a percentage that’s risen six percentage points in the last year.
Wedding attire – one of the most essential costs of getting married – can quickly add up. And as an increasing percentage of Americans plan to walk down the aisle this year, where they choose to buy or rent their clothes for the big day is evolving.
Those planning to buy or rent their wedding clothes from a department store or an online retailer have each increased by seven percentage points since 2024. At the same time, the percentage of those planning to purchase or rent from local boutiques, online marketplaces (e.g., Etsy, eBay), or pursue custom-made options has fallen over that same period.
With wedding intent up 59%, but budgets tighter than ever, brands need a deeper playbook to win over today’s couples. Our full wedding season report leverages CivicScience’s consumer-declared data to provide a complete picture of how couples are shifting their planning and event priorities, navigating cutbacks, and using AI. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with these high-intent shoppers.
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