How much does a wedding cost in California? (2026 data)

Updated July 2026

Median (typical couple)

$20,313

Average

$46,300

The median couple in California spends $20,313, about 44% of the widely cited $46,300 average.

Averages get pulled up by a small number of very expensive weddings; the median is what the typical California couple actually spends.

Avg guests

142

Cost per guest

$326

Rank

most expensive of 51 markets analyzed

vs national avg

+35%

Estimate your California wedding budget by guest count

Guest count142 guests

20350

Estimated California wedding budget

$46,292

142 guests × $326 per guest

Build your real California budget in Eydn →

California wedding costs by category

Category	Estimated	Share
Venue	$14,600	32%
Catering & bar	$10,600	23%
Photography	$3,400	7%
Videography	$2,600	6%
Florals	$3,200	7%
Music & entertainment	$2,000	4%
Attire & accessories^†	$2,400	5%
Hair & beauty	$300	1%
Invitations & stationery	$600	1%
Cake & desserts	$600	1%
Rentals & decor	$2,300	5%
Planner/coordinator	$2,400	5%
Transportation	$1,200	3%

Estimated from California's average total using national budget-allocation shares (The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study). These are planning estimates, not surveyed state figures. †Dress only.

Wedding costs in California metros

Los Angeles$45,000 average wedding cost
The Knot
San Francisco$51,000 average wedding cost
The Knot city comparison table

California wedding cost FAQ

How much does a wedding cost in California?

The average California wedding costs $46,300, and the median is $20,313 (The Wedding Report, 2025 state tables).

What does the typical couple in California actually spend?

The median California couple spends $20,313 — the average ($46,300) runs higher because a small number of very expensive weddings pull it up. The median is the better picture of a typical budget.

How much should I budget per guest in California?

About $326 per guest, all-in. At 100 guests that's roughly $32,600.

What's the most expensive part of a California wedding?

Venue, at an estimated $14,600. That figure applies national budget-allocation shares to California's average total — a planning estimate, not a surveyed state figure.

Methodology & sources

Statewide cost figures come from The Wedding Report 2025 state tables; national budget-allocation shares come from The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study. Category-level state figures are estimated by applying those national shares to each state's average total — planning estimates, not surveyed state numbers. Different organizations publish materially different estimates for the same market because they collect data differently — survey-based studies (like The Knot's Real Weddings Study) and market-model estimates (like The Wedding Report's) can diverge widely. Where they conflict, we show each figure with its source rather than picking a winner silently.

Some category-level national inputs come from earlier research passes whose source pages are no longer directly linkable; those figures are retained but flagged internally for re-verification.

Compare nearby states: Oregon · Nevada · Arizona · Washington · Hawaii

All states: wedding costs by state. Food and drink is the biggest controllable line — see the full catering cost breakdown or get your number with the catering cost calculator. Then put the whole picture together with the wedding budget calculator.

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