How much does a wedding cost in District of Columbia? (2026 data)

Updated July 2026

Median (typical couple)

$20,381

Average

$49,810

The median couple in the District of Columbia spends $20,381, about 41% of the widely cited $49,810 average.

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

Avg guests

127

Cost per guest

$392

Rank

most expensive of 51 markets analyzed

vs national avg

+46%

Estimate your District of Columbia wedding budget by guest count

Guest count127 guests

20350

Estimated District of Columbia wedding budget

$49,784

127 guests × $392 per guest

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District of Columbia wedding costs by category

Category	Estimated	Share
Venue	$15,700	32%
Catering & bar	$11,400	23%
Photography	$3,700	7%
Videography	$2,800	6%
Florals	$3,400	7%
Music & entertainment	$2,200	4%
Attire & accessories^†	$2,600	5%
Hair & beauty	$400	1%
Invitations & stationery	$600	1%
Cake & desserts	$700	1%
Rentals & decor	$2,400	5%
Planner/coordinator	$2,600	5%
Transportation	$1,300	3%

Estimated from District of Columbia'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 District of Columbia metros

District of Columbia, DC$49,060 average wedding cost
The Wedding Report 2025 District of Columbia DC local-market statistics · weddings in 2025

District of Columbia wedding cost FAQ

How much does a wedding cost in District of Columbia?

The average District of Columbia wedding costs $49,810, and the median is $20,381 (The Wedding Report, 2025 state tables).

What does the typical couple in District of Columbia actually spend?

The median District of Columbia couple spends $20,381 — the average ($49,810) 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 District of Columbia?

About $392 per guest, all-in. At 100 guests that's roughly $39,200.

What's the most expensive part of a District of Columbia wedding?

Venue, at an estimated $15,700. That figure applies national budget-allocation shares to District of Columbia'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: Maryland · Virginia

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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