• March 3, 2011

Couples are spending a little less on their weddings these days: The average wedding came in at $26,984, reports The Knot's 2010 wedding survey -- down from $28,385 in the prior year, excluding engagement rings and honeymoons.

And with a nod to the economy, they did trim the guest list, inviting an average of 141 people, down from 149 in 2009. (Per-guest spending held even at $194.) But there are sharp regional differences. New York City weddings average $70,030, while those in Utah cost just $13,214. And 12% of America's couples spent more than $40,000, with 20% of weddings costing more than $30,000.

The average bride -- age 29 -- spends $1,099 on her dress, and has four bridesmaids. The average groom, 31, has four groomsmen. The couple typically had a 14-month engagement, with December the biggest month for proposals (16%) and June the most popular month for the "big day" (15%.)