Alaska: Where the weddings are cheap and casual

No one looks forward to the hefty price tag on a wedding. But people who get married in Alaska pay less to do so, on average, than those in other states.

A study from wedding planning website The Knot found that Alaska is the least expensive place to get married in the U.S. In 2015, the study said, the average cost of an Alaska wedding was $17,361.

Nationally, couples spent an average of $32,641 to get hitched last year. That cost has grown more than $5,000 in the past five years.

Just above Alaska was South Dakota, where an average wedding runs just under $19,000.

The study surveyed nearly 18,000 people who got married in the U.S. in 2015. It took into account the ceremonies, receptions, and other factors.

Unsurprisingly, Manhattan topped the list as the most expensive place to have a wedding. There, you'll be out an average of $82,299 to join in matrimony. Next up was Chicago, at $61,265.

Also somewhat predictably, weddings in Alaska and Montana were likely to be much more casual than those elsewhere in the country, the study found.

Annie Zak

Annie Zak was a business reporter for the ADN between 2015 and 2019.

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