ICYMI: This Is the Cheapest Month to Get Married

As you begin the wedding planning process, determining your wedding date can be a daunting first step—especially if you want to find the cheapest month to get married amid rising wedding costs. But, here's the good news: If you're willing to be flexible when picking your wedding date, you may be able to take advantage of increased wedding vendor availability, discounts and other cost-saving measures with some strategic planning.

So, what is the least expensive time of year to get married? To aid you in selecting a date and saving money, we've created this guide covering the cheapest time to get married, with help from wedding planner and event expert Nancy Ellen of Can Do Events, LLC. Below, learn more about the cheapest days, months and seasons to get married, as well as how aspects like holiday weekends and shorter engagements can can affect the cheapest way to get married.

While reading this guide, remember that some vendors, such as venues, will likely offer discounts depending on when you get married, but other pros may not discount their services. As one Reddit poster noted, "Some businesses offer discounts, some don't. It's that simple." Use this roadmap to the cheapest time to get married as a rule of thumb, but make sure to also talk with your vendors about prices to get clarity on your unique situation. Pro Tip: Explore vendor pricing estimates in your wedding location with our free budget tool.

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Let's save some money: Cheapest Way to Get Married | Cheapest Time | Cheapest Months | Cheapest Days | Cheapest Season | Where to Get Married for Cheap

Cheapest Way to Get Married

Candidly, the absolute cheapest way to get married is to simply go to the courthouse, pay the marriage license cost, and go on your merry (married!) way. But chances are you landed on this story because you still want to have a party, just without breaking the bank. Don't fret—that's why we did the hard work of breaking down the cheapest time to get married so you can plan accordingly. Pro tip: On The Knot Vendor Marketplace, you can also filter by price range so that you not only wed on a less expensive date, but you also build a team of reliable, yet affordable, pros to make the celebration happen.

Cheapest Time to Get Married

The all-around cheapest time to get married is dependent on a few factors: month, day of the week and time of day. In short, you want to do anything and everything possible to select an off-peak day and time to maximize wedding budget savings.

Design: Tiana Crispino

Cheapest Months to Get Married

Here's the definitive answer to "What are the cheapest months to get married?" As you'd expect with supply and demand, the least popular months to get married are also typically the cheapest wedding months. The cheapest months to get married are January, December and November. Late fall through all through winter and into early spring are considered the off-season for weddings. Only 23% of weddings happened between November and March last year, according to The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study. And what goes hand-in-hand with the off-season? Generally, cheaper prices.

Here are the cheapest months to get married:

1. January: $29,900
2. December: $30,900
3. November: $31,400
4. August: $32,500
5. March: $32,700
6. April: $32,800
7. February: $33,100
8. June: $33,100
9. September: $33,300
10. October: $33,500
11. July: $33,800
12. May: $33,900

January

According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, only 2% of weddings last year took place in January. Those weddings cost $29,900 on average (9.4% below the national average). Many states, and popular wedding destinations, experience harsh weather in January. For example, New York sees highs around 39° and even Southern California, known for its balmy temperatures, experiences highs in the 60°s. The National Weather Service also notes that January is the coldest month in Florida.

December

Our data shows us that only 5% of weddings take place during December. December weddings typically cost $30,900 (6.4% below the national average). With many people traveling for holidays during this month, it can be hard for couples to coordinate schedules that work for their guests. Additionally, colder-than-normal temperatures are typical for many areas in the US. For example, Dallas, Texas temperatures range from 41° to 61° in December, making it a less popular, and therefore less expensive, month to get married. It's worth noting, however, that a holiday wedding on December 31st might not save you money since companies usually have a hard time finding staff willing to work on New Year's Eve.

November

According to our data, November is the third least expensive month to get married. Only 9% of weddings last year happened in November and they cost, on average, $31,400 (4.8% below the national average). Similar to December and January, November is typically very cold in many parts of the US which means fewer folks pick wedding dates during this month. Family travel is also common around Thanksgiving which means guests might have a conflict, further driving down the demand for November weddings.

Cheapest Days to Get Married

When it comes to finding the cheapest time to get married, regardless of the time of year, you may be wondering about the cost differences between the various days of the week. In this section, explore what to expect for each day, in order from least to most expensive. The biggest thing to remember is that weddings on Fridays and Saturdays are by-far the most expensive, and the most popular, day of the week for a wedding. Keep in mind that any of the five other days will likely incur savings if you're looking for low-budget wedding considerations.

Here are the cheapest days to get married:

1. Thursday: $31,100
2. Wednesday: $32,000
3. Sunday: $32,700
4. Monday: $33,500
5. Tuesday: $33,900
6. Saturday: $33,100
7. Friday: $33,200

Thursday

Who's ready for a Thurdsay wedding? Thursday weddings come in at $31,100 which is 5.7% below the national average. Weekday weddings, excluding Friday, continue to grow in popularity, largely due to the cost savings they incur. Ellen doesn't see the popularity of Thursdays as an affordable wedding date going waning anytime soon. Plus, "from a guest perspective, it's a lot easier to go and take off Friday."

Wednesday

Wednesday weddings average 3% below the national average at $32,000. Since wedding vendors aren't as likely to get booked up on a Wednesday as, say, a Saturday, they may be willing to offer discounts or even wedding vendors offer payment plans to accommodate a tighter budget during the week. "I would venture to guess that, because it is what we could consider an off-day, any vendor would absolutely jump on that," she says.

Sunday

According to our data, Sunday weddings cost $32,700 on average (1% below the national average). If you opt to save money on a wedding by choosing to tie the knot on a Sunday, Ellen also recommends considering the type of event you'd like to host: "Daytime weddings are usually discounted," she says (hello, brunch wedding reception!). What's more, "buffets tend to be less per head than a plated meal, as are stations throughout the ballroom or space."

Last Minute

If you're willing and able to plan your wedding in the near future (e.g., a few months from now) as opposed to in a year or two (or beyond), you may also find some financial incentives for doing so. "Particularly if you have a short-term booking, if a band is available, even if it's a Saturday night, this might be their only shot to get that date filled," Ellen shares. "It could be to their advantage to chop off a few hundred bucks to get the gig."

Regardless of the day you choose, Ellen always recommends asking for a price cut. "Maybe they won't discount your price completely, but as a concession they'll give you passed hors d'oeuvres," she says.

This is especially true for couples having their ceremony at their reception venue—for an additional fee. "If they're having it on an off day, it never hurts to ask to have the ceremony fee waived," she shares. "There's always some venues that seem to be very steadfast. Other venues might have some more flexibility there."

Cheapest Season to Get Married

When it comes to selecting your wedding date, you may be heavily influenced by the season in which you want to get married. Read more about the seasonal impact on wedding costs below.

Here are the cheapest seasons to get married:

1. Winter (January, February, March): $32,000
2. Fall (October, November, December): $32,000
   
3. Spring (April, May, June): $33,000
4. Summer (July, August, September): $34,000

Winter

Winter is considered the off-season for weddings, so it makes sense that it would be the cheapest. Winter weddings are typically $32,000 (3% below the national average). "I have seen a few venues discount winter months," Ellen shares. However, she notes that these discounts don't often carry over to other vendors, such as entertainment, florists and transportation, possibly because corporate holiday parties occur during this time of year.

Another cost-saving benefit of a winter wedding is the holiday decor that you can use to your advantage when dressing up your venue. "December weddings are so romantic," Ellen notes, "with decor already there that naturally enhances the space."

Where to Get Married for Cheap

Location goes hand-in-hand with timing when it comes to planning a wedding for cheap. It's key that you keep seasonality in mind when researching affordable wedding venues. For example, while winter weddings may typically be less expensive, a destination like Aspen gets lots of tourism during the snowy months so you might not actually save on a December wedding there. Similarly, July is typically one of the more expensive months to get married. If you're concerned about making the best choice to stretch your finances, spend some time researching local wedding costs on The Knot Budget Advisor and then speak with talented wedding pros to make the best plan for your unique needs.

Explore our affordable wedding venue roundups: Chicago | Los Angeles | Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | New Hampshire | New Jersey | North Carolina | Ohio | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | Texas | Utah | Virginia

Additional reporting by Taylor Carson