For the past 11 years, The Knot Real Weddings Study has surveyed thousands of engaged and married couples to get a sense of how they plan their weddings, helping catering and event planning companies keep a pulse on the trends and wishes of their clients. The latest numbers are in from The Knot Real Weddings Study 2017, and while we learned a lot about what couples are doing to celebrate their big day, one of the biggest surprises was that couples are spending more than ever on their guests in order to give them a memorable day, too. With an average of $268, brides and grooms are spending about $23 more per guest than 2016, and $74 more per guest since 2009 – which shows us that it’s a great time be invited to a wedding! Some of the other findings only validate what a cherished event a Wedding day is:

Average national wedding spend: $33,391

Average guest list size: 136 (that’s down 5 guests per wedding year over year)

Most Expensive Place to Marry in the US: New York City ($76,944)

Least Expensive Place to Marry in the US: New Mexico ($17,584)

Average Age of a Woman Getting Married: 29

Average Age of a Man Getting Married: 31

Average Number of Bridesmaids Per Wedding: 5

Average Number of Groomsmen Per Wedding: 5

Most Popular Month to Marry: December (16% of couples)

Average Length of Engagement: 14 months

Most Popular Months to Marry: September (16%), June (15%), October (14%)

Most Popular Wedding Colors: Ivory/Champagne (37%), Dark Blue (32%), Gold (30%)

2017 was certainly a great year for the wedding industry, and a year to remember for Mangia Catering, too. And as we look at the coming months of 2018, we are as passionate as ever about helping you put together you dream day. Be sure to check out some of the hottest Wedding Trends of 2018, then contact us today to get started.