Behind the Budget: Navigating the Economy as a Wedding Pro
Untangling how couples’ budgets relate to your business and helping you understand the ever-evolving economics of your wedding business.
One thing is true in any economy: money makes the world go ‘round. It’s no different when it comes to the world’s wedding businesses.
We talked to nearly 20,000 couples across multiple surveys to untangle this money mess so you can run a profitable wedding business. From the impacts of inflation to couples’ budgets, this report is filled with insights and actionable tips to help you better understand the wedding market right now—and how couples are navigating it.
But if you take nothing else away from this report, know this:
There are weddings for every couple, every pro and every price point
Want to learn more about tomorrow’s couples? Download the Marketing to Gen Z Report.
Wedding costs in your area—because we know you’re curious
Two POVs, one common complication: the economy
We can’t talk about pricing and wedding budgets in 2025 without talking about the elephant in the room. After a period of pretty intense inflation, the impact is absolutely still being felt by those in the wedding industry.
On the vendor side:
The rising cost of, well, everything!
No one has to tell you it’s gotten more expensive to run a wedding business. From the price of materials and labor going up to the impact of tariffs, it just costs more money to run a business today. For vendors relying on imported goods, the pressure is even more acute with new and looming tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, Canada and beyond—raising the costs of everything from florals and fabrics to alcohol and rentals.
While only 15% of couples cited tariffs as a top concern, many vendors are feeling the pinch behind the scenes. If you’re sourcing international goods—or working with wholesalers who do—now’s the time to revisit your contracts, explore domestic alternatives and be transparent about pricing variables with couples. You can do this by adding your pricing directly to your Storefronts and ensuring package prices are visible on your website. And when you send contracts to couples before their big day, be sure to include the total amount they’ll owe for your services.
While vendors are feeling pressure from inflation and tariffs, most couples are not yet experiencing the full effect on their planning. In fact, 53% of couples said tariffs haven’t impacted them (yet)—though a growing number are watching for future effects.
On the couple side:
The rising cost of, well, everything too!
If you take your wedding pro hat off for a moment, we don’t have to tell you that just about everything you pay for in life has gotten more expensive. From rent to grocery bills, and everything in between, it’s just pricier to be a human right now.
And couples aren’t just paying for a wedding—they’re also juggling multiple financial goals and obligations, such as saving for their honeymoon (75%), saving for a house (62%), saving for retirement (62%) and paying off student loans (51%).
In general, couples say the hardest part of budget management is balancing wedding needs with future savings—and knowing fair prices for vendors.
“With the way times are right now and inflation, it’s just kind of a lot. And I wish that we had maybe a bigger budget or things were not costing so much. Just savings in general sometimes can be hard when you have to spend money on everyday things or just things that come up.”
– The Knot couple
For wedding vendors like you, the balance is between pricing for profit and the costs of running your business. For couples, it’s between paying for their wedding and saving for the future. The solution is understanding that you (and couples!) are both navigating costs. By better understanding the couple’s mindset when it comes to paying for a wedding, you can educate and guide them on why things cost what they do.
How are couples setting a wedding budget?
It’s worth repeating that 90% of couples set a budget before they research or reach out to vendors, which leads many to revise that budget later. And nearly 2 out of 3 couples say their wedding budget increased after setting it—with 69% admitting their initial budget was lower than reality. #HindsightIsTwentyTwenty
Since they’re often budgeting before talking to vendors, couples tend to rely on word of mouth and Google to estimate pricing. That can lead to unrealistic expectations—especially when 91% of planning happens online. If your pricing isn’t easy to find, couples may base their estimates on outdated or regionally specific information.
“For setting a budget I used recommendations from friends and family and good old Googling.”
– The Knot couple
At the same time, couples and vendors alike are turning to AI for support. In our report, How Wedding Pros Use AI: From Inspo to Action, we found that vendors are using AI to streamline tasks like budgeting and planning. Couples are also experimenting with AI tools to help organize their weddings and estimate costs more efficiently.
By combining personal recommendations, transparent vendor pricing and smart tech tools, today’s couples are getting closer to building budgets that reflect the true cost of their wedding.
When it comes to actually paying for the wedding…
Couples aren’t doing it alone—76% report receiving financial help to pay for their weddings, typically with a set dollar amount regardless of total cost.
While 83% of couples told us they were thankful for their parents’ financial support, it also brought up some other feelings for couples:
- 1 in 3 felt an obligation to listen to their parents’ input about the wedding
- Nearly 1 in 5 felt stressed having others help pay for the wedding
In addition to getting help from parents, couples are using existing credit cards to pay for wedding expenses more than before—going from 30% in 2021 to 39% in 2024. And opening a new credit card account rose from 6% in 2021 to 15% in 2024.
So, as we start digging into some pricing nitty gritties, it helps to remember who exactly is paying for the wedding and the emotions that come with it. Because 1) it’s not always the couple footing the bill, and 2) couples may be in a heightened emotional state around wedding costs.
“The thing that really makes it difficult is just knowing that eventually things are going to be set in stone and that can be a little nerve wracking.”
– The Knot couple
First comes love
Then comes what it’s actually going to cost
Since the majority of couples have a wedding budget set before they start reaching out to pros, their research is focused on maintaining that budget. That’s why pricing is the number one most important factor for couples when researching and reaching out to vendors!
70%
of couples say that vendor pricing transparency is very influential when it comes to booking a vendor
1 in 2
couples contacted more vendors than expected to stay within budget
50%
of couples stopped communicating with vendors once they realized the price was out of budget
“There are so many businesses that are not transparent about their costs. You have to inquire and set up a date and all of that. That was frustrating and hard.”
– The Knot couple
How are couples cutting down on costs?
Transparent pricing is crucial. It saves time and frustration for couples who are looking for their dream vendors. And to save some money, couples are taking matters into their own hands. When they are getting close to their budget, they have been cutting some costs by:
Booking their wedding during off-peak seasons
Limiting guest lists
Working with vendors to identify cost-effective alternatives
DIY-ing some aspects of the wedding
But we get it
There are reasons you’re hesitant to put your pricing out there
Each of them is personal. Each of them is valid. Around 60% of vendors show pricing today, and of those who don’t, the majority (67%) tell us it’s because they would rather talk directly to couples to explain their pricing (this jumps to 80% among planners).
Despite hesitations, there’s a hard truth here for many pros: couples inquire more often when pricing is transparent. And we both know education helps couples see why your prices are worth it.
So, how do we connect the dots and change the narrative?
To get wedding budgets closer to actual costs
It’ll take a mix of education and transparency—we’ve got to give couples a little of what they want to get what we want! So, as you think about the ways you can help the industry as a whole, here are our suggestions and action items for a stronger pricing strategy:
Give couples what they want
Pricing is the first thing couples look for (80%), so share your pricing upfront. Use the Pricing section on your WeddingPro Storefront to share transparent pricing on your packages. If your pricing is customizable, include ranges, packages and examples.
Start with ranges to set expectations
Couples prefer ranges to confirm ballpark estimates, but it’s not useful when ranges are too broad. Specify ranges by season, low-end, average spend, etc., to help couples understand where they fit in.
Explain what goes into your pricing text
Couples are open to learning about vendor costs and after conversations about labor, materials, etc. they are more likely to change their perspective on vendor pricing.
Keep your online presence updated and consistent
Ensure all online presences—including social media, website and advertising platforms (like The Knot and WeddingWire)—are updated with your current pricing.
Use social media to your advantage
Since couples often click on your social media links from your Storefronts or website as part of their planning process, we recommend using social platforms to share education on your prices and what goes into them. Think about creating a highlight reel so couples can see this content no matter when they click through. But don’t forget to update it to keep your content fresh!
Show inspiration photos and the associated costs
Couples often don’t know what things cost, so their inspiration might be wildly out of budget. Educate them on the costs associated with wedding inspiration to help them understand the price tag behind what they want.
Know that budgets are flexible
As you now know, couples are reaching out about price because they’re trying to understand if you fit within their budget, but what they don’t understand is that their budget often doesn’t match their expectations. As a result, nearly 2 out of 3 couples report that their budget increased, with the majority admitting they set their initial budget lower than reality allows (69%). Use that knowledge to educate couples—it could lead to a bigger budget.
Keep upsell opportunities in mind
About 25% of couples go over budget after adding personalized elements. So even if their budget is a bit lower than your prices, know that you may have the opportunity to upsell them on things that are important to them. Remember to listen and draw out what matters most to them in conversation.
Give couples multiple payment options
Couples will be working with various vendors and businesses, which means a lot of money will be dished out at once. Consider allowing couples to pay in installments so they can pay off smaller amounts of money over time, rather than a large lump sum at once.
You’re not alone in this
At WeddingPro, we care about your business and take pride in helping bridge the gap between the couple and vendor experience. To better shape the narrative around wedding costs, we’re also working to:
Increase couple education on wedding costs through content on The Knot and WeddingWire
Boost transparency by making it easier to share your pricing with the WeddingPro Pricing tool
Help you navigate pricing considerations and conversations through educational resources like this report and webinars!
On a final note
The truth is, couples need YOU to navigate their wedding planning journey. Not just with tablescape plans and moodboards, but with realistic education, especially when it comes to pricing. It doesn’t need to be a complicated conversation, but it is an important one. Remember, keeping the couple planning process and headspace in mind can lead to better connections—and more bookings, too!
To take action on this report’s findings, update your Storefront with the information couples are craving.
Don’t have a WeddingPro Storefront? Fill out the form below to get started.
Photos: Getty Images; Kir2Ben; Afrik Armando; Renee Hollingshead Photography
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