By Zoya Gervis

Americans’ ideal wedding costs over $42K, according to new research. A poll of 2,000 Americans (aged 18–55) who plan on getting married found the perfect wedding would cost $42,310.48 total. For their ideal wedding, Americans desire an open bar. Sixty-one percent would have free drinks at their dream wedding. In addition, 44% would want formal attire for their wedding and 48% revealed they want a band instead of a DJ at their wedding. 

The study, commissioned by Minted Weddings, examined the wedding features that make up the perfect wedding and discovered 48% envision something different than the traditional wedding celebration. 

From flowers and colors to who gives a speech and how long it lasts, Americans are opinionated when it comes to their ideal wedding. Nearly half (49%) of respondents say white is a color they definitely want to include in their wedding, while a further 36% are unafraid of having black as part of their color scheme. And when it comes to flowers, roses top the list of wedding flowers (50%) followed by tulips (36%), lilies (35%) and baby’s breath (31%) — with gardenias (28%) rounding out the top five. Three in 10 said they’d prefer a more modern theme over the traditional church bells and a ballroom. 

But how many people would be in attendance at Americans’ dream wedding? Just under 100 — the average respondent revealed their ideal wedding would be comprised of 92 guests in total. In order to make sure those 92 guests have the most up-to-date information, many respondents believe a website is important. In fact, 72% of those studied agree that guests rely on a wedding website to provide the necessary information to plan their trip accordingly. 

“Building out wedding solutions allows design-oriented couples to bring their wedding dreams to life,”  said a spokesperson for Minted. “Couples are looking for a website that provides up-to-date information for their wedding weekend.”

Americans are not ready to compromise for their dream wedding. Two in five said the venue was a non-negotiable for their ideal wedding. Besides the location of the celebration, 39% revealed cake was a priority for them while a further 34% said having a best man’s speech was something they aren’t willing to go without. And those aren’t the only wedding priorities Americans have when it comes to their dream day. A third (33%) will not compromise on the type of music played. Speeches were also a priority — 46% of respondents said the father of the bride would give a speech, while a further 43% said a mother of the bride speech is essential at their dream wedding. But everyone’s speech should be a tight 10 minutes or less, according to the respondents.

“Couples planning a wedding want stationery that is uniquely designed and one-of-a-kind,” said a spokesperson for Minted. “From wedding websites and address collections to save the dates and seating charts, we always put design first so every couple can find their dream wedding stationery.”