Weddings are the most anticipated milestone of one’s life and many people want to make it a grand celebration. Couples wish to make it an unforgettable experience not only for themselves but also for their friends and family. And for that, more resources, including both time and money, are required.
You start planning for the big day right after you get engaged, and the most crucial part is budgeting. Making a proper budget plan by identifying all the expenses and estimating the costs will make your D-day much smoother.
And when you think about the wedding expenses, the first thing that comes to mind is the wedding venue.
In general, couples spend around 40-50% of their entire wedding budget on the venue and catering only, as per the Brides.
The average cost of an entire wedding is around $30,000. So, its 40% would be around $12,000. This means the venues are an expensive deal.
For a more clear perception, let’s find out more details on what factors determine the price of a wedding venue and how much it will actually cost you.
Factors Determining Wedding Venue Cost
There are many factors the cost of a wedding venue depends on. Some of them are:
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Guest capacity
The number of guests you invite to your wedding is undoubtedly a huge factor in determining how much it will cost you. Not only does their food plate count but a larger area is also required to fit them all and dance around.
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Location
Location plays a vital role in your wedding cost expenses. Getting married in larger cities like New York, Boston, and San Francisco is a lot more expensive than getting married in rural parts of the country.
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Outdoor or Indoor Venue
Outdoor wedding venues are generally less costly than indoor ones as you can use the natural environment for more creative control. You can also use your own backyard or terrace if it is spacious enough.
But it can be costly if you choose a scenic location and places near water bodies. Similarly, indoor venues can add all the inclusive costs of furniture, lighting, decorations, and more.
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Peak or Off Peak season
Another important factor that determines the cost of your wedding is the wedding season. Most weddings fall between May to October. Peak months include May, June, September, and October.
The weather is warm and beautiful in this season and people can have both outdoor and indoor weddings easily. So, the venues are already booked, and you may find it hard to get your desired venues at a lower price during the market competition.
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Food and Drink requirements
The different items you keep on the menu, the chef specialties, the number of courses on your menu, and the varieties of food served play a much bigger role in determining the cost of a venue.
Venues having good food and catering services obviously have a high price. Similarly, the drink’s choices and availability also affect the cost.
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Decorations
How much decoration you require determines the cost of a venue. If you need more flowers, bouquets, lighting, art pieces, etc all over the venue, then the cost becomes really high.
Flowers are getting very on-demand and expensive every year. Many people hire a particular florist to decorate the venues.
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Reception or Ceremony
Whether you are using the wedding venues for a reception or wedding ceremony also determines the cost.
Generally, there are fewer people including only direct family members and close friends in wedding ceremonies. While at the reception lots of other guests are invited.
Ceremonies are often held at a nearby church also, and not always in a dedicated lavish venue. So the prices vary for these two wedding venues.
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Week Day or Weekend Nights Wedding
Getting a venue during peak times of the day and week is difficult because of high demand. Many people want their weddings on a Saturday or Sunday night rather than weekday mornings or afternoons. So, it will be less costly during weekdays.
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Inclusivity of all miscellaneous costs
Some wedding venues include all the miscellaneous costs like tables and chairs, lighting, catering, decorations, and services in one, which may seem like a higher price.
While some may be non-inclusive, and when you see the price, it may seem cheaper, but many hidden costs would be added that can shock you.
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Shuttle Services
Many destination wedding venues, resorts, hotels, and restaurants provide shuttle service for the bridegroom and guests. Such services charge can also be counted as the cost of the wedding venue.
Whether it’s included in the venue price as a complimentary or you pay separately, this cost also determines your overall cost of the venue.
Wedding Venue Cost By Venue Type
Average wedding venue cost around $12,000 in the US according to Brides. But the higher end can go up to $20,000 also.
As already discussed, there are many factors that determine the cost of a wedding venue. So lets first discuss the price effect based on the wedding venue types having space capacity for around 50 guests:
1. Outdoor Wedding Venue Cost – $10,000 on Average
If your special day is planned for the perfect June wedding or during the beautiful fall in October, you may prefer a scenic outdoor wedding with a beautiful view and fresh air.
There are numerous choices for a couple regarding the outdoor destination and venues. The options include, but are not limited to, your backyard, orchards, farms, plots of acreage of your friends and family, gardens, beaches, lakeside resorts, etc.
Obviously, the cost can be as higher or lower as you decide, depending on the options you choose.
In general, you can expect the price to be anywhere between free to $20,000. If you opt for a backyard venue at your own place or your family’s area on discount then it would be a lot cheaper. While the beachside resort locations or extravagant gardens can be towards the higher end.
Even in your own space, you may have to bring chairs, tables, decorations, and services, which may cost you around $5000-$7000, so you can expect to spend an average of $6,000.
| Type of Wedding Venue | Average Cost Range |
| 1. Outdoor Wedding Venue | $0 – $20,000 |
| 2. Indoor Wedding Venue | $2,000 – $15,000 |
| 3. Rustic Barn Wedding Venue | $5,989 – $12,341 |
| 4. Banquet Halls Wedding Venue | $2,378 – $22,576 |
| 5. Private Club Wedding Venue | $2,331 – $17,123 |
| 6. Event Centre Wedding Venue | $2,083 – $23,823 |
| 7. Hotels and Resorts Wedding Venue | $5,021 – $73,014 |
| 8. Park or Garden Wedding Venue | $7,886 – $13,353 |
2. Indoor Wedding Venue Cost – $12,000 on Average
Indoor wedding, on the other hand, are weatherproof. You don’t have to worry about rain, wind, scorching sun, or snow because you will be in a controlled environment. There you can be safe and comfortable without being too cold, too hot, and wet.
Normally, indoor wedding venues are pricier than outdoor places because of the temperature maintaining facilities, area and infrastructure.
They also provide packages that include all the necessities like tables and chairs, disco floor, lighting, DJ, restrooms, and vendors space.
Different banquet halls, restaurants, historic landmarks and buildings, Museums, Aquariums/Zoos, Event center, Breweries/Wineries and many more can be indoor wedding venue options.
Such amenities charge you hourly. The event centers and halls generally charges around $1200 to $3800 per hour as per Peerspace. So, you can expect to spend atleast $6000 for 4-5 hours. On average, it would be around $12,000.
3. Rustic Barn Wedding Venue – $10,000 on Average
According to Valuepenguin, the cost of wedding venue in a Rustic barn or farm can range from $5,989 to $12,341. Which means, on average it is around $9,185. Rounding off with other hidden costs like restrooms, cleaning, lighting and decorating it can easily be over $10,000.
The rustic barn wedding venue gives the vibes of a country-themed wedding and many people dig such setting. Ranches and barn are more popular for such events lately.
4. Hotels or Banquet Hall Wedding Venue – $15,000 on Average
Banquet Halls and hotels are one of the most popular wedding venue choices among couples in the US. They are also among the top expensive venues. The highest cost can be as high as $23,000 or more. But not all fancy hotels and banquet halls are so expensive.
The average cost of holding a wedding reception at a banquet hall is around $12,000. But the price ranges from $200 to $3800 per hour. The highest number of halls have a rate of around $300 and the very lavish ones fall on the higher end of the range.
Considering an average wedding parties are around 4 to 5 hours long, you can set aside around $1500 for the venue cost and more for the hidden charges.
Valuepenguin reports that hotels charge you at least $2,378 for a wedding and it can be up to $22,576 at the expensive ones. Also, keep in mind, your guests may not leave right on time, so they may charge you the overtime cost.
5. Private Club Wedding Venue – $15,000 on Average
Private Clubs are also among the most popular and most expensive wedding venue types in the US. There are private clubs for every styles and budget. They also take personalization to a different level from culinary to fireworks, they have an amazing dedicated team for weddings. You can also host your pre and post wedding events at the club, all in one place.
The average cost of a private club wedding venue ranges from $2000 to $17,000. Couples typically spend around $15,000 at such clubs just like at Banquets and Hotels.
6. Event Centers Wedding Venue -$12,500 on Average
Event centers are the public or private buildings or facilities that can be used for different events like weddings, public performances and sporting events. Such centers include stadiums, libraries, old castles, concert halls, race tracks, arenas, and more.
Depending on the space and area required the price varies. It is also expensive like private clubs and banquet halls. The average cost is somewhere in between $2000 to $23,000. For 50-100 guests you can expect around $12,500 at any event centers in the US.
Wedding Venue Cost By Location
One thing that goes without saying is that location is the major factor that decides how expensive your wedding venue is gonna be.
The cost for a wedding venue in New York, San Francisco, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, and Chicago is way more than that of the wedding venues in Philadelphia, Grand Rapids, Greenwich, Nevada city, Alachua, etc.
The hustling bustling of the city has already high cost of living, less availability of large space, costly food and services and many more. While on the other hand, the cost can be much less in the rural area even for a larger space and decoration because of less competition and cost of living.
Destination Wedding Venues – $36,000 on Average
Destination weddings are the trending ones these days. Venues suitable for destination weddings provide beds and rooms for the guests, foods, drinks, services, decorations, open bar, group activities, and perks like spa treatments. So all these accommodation costs will also be included to the whole venue package and hence it is much more pricier.
On an average, the cost for domestic destination wedding within the US is around $36,400 with around $18,000 for the venue itself. Similarly, for the international wedding destination the cost is around $32,100.
Countryside Wedding Venues – $9,000 on Average
Most of the countryside wedding venues are cheaper than the ones in cities because of the lesser cost of the real estates, transportation, foods, and resources. People can also go for a barn or farm type weddings in countryside which is cheaper than the fancy hotels and resorts.
The average cost of a countryside wedding venue can fall anywhere between $5,989 and $12,341. It is safe to keep aside at least $9,000 for a countryside wedding venue.
City Wedding Venues – $12,000 on Average
As already discussed, cities are more expensive due to higher demand, less free space for large crowd, higher cost of living, and more. However, venues in cities also differ from expensive to cheaper ones depending on the other factors like type of venue, food choices, number of guests and more.
So, the disparity in prices is huge ranging from $5,000 to $73,000. Fancy hotels and resorts in famous cities like New York and Chicago can cost up to $73,00.