Save Yourself Serious Money (and Stress) by Getting Married in an Affordable State

Planning a dreamy wedding is all fun and games until you get hit with how wildly expensive everything is. According to a new nationwide survey, the average cost of getting hitched was more than $33,000 in 2017, but high rollers easily reached a six-figure expenditure. The good news? Where you get married makes a huge difference and can save you a whole lot of budgeting stress.

The Knot reported Manhattan to be the most expensive place to get married, while couples who had their wedding in New Mexico spent the least, about $17,600. Utah, Oregon, Montana, Iowa, and Idaho followed, all with an average wedding cost of less than $22,000.

After surveying 13,000 brides and grooms who married last year in the United States, wedding marketplace platform The Knot found for its 2017 Real Weddings Study that where you choose to host your event could save you big bucks. Manhattan is reportedly the most expensive place in which to get married, at an average cost of about $77,000 for a wedding, while couples who did the darn thing in New Mexico spent the least, about $17,600 on average. Utah, Oregon, Montana, Iowa, and Idaho came in close behind, all with an average wedding cost of less than $22,000.

If you choose to say "I do" in a less expensive state and thus have more moola in your budget to work with, you and your S.O. might have more funds available for stress-relieving healthy habits, like taking all the boutique fitness classes your heart desires, treating yourself to beauty splurges, and getting a much-needed rejuvenating massage to kick off your big day.

This way, you and your partner will feel relaxed, happy, and ready to focus on making memories you'll remember for life—and you won't have to walk down the aisle stressing about how much wedding-induced debt you'll be in by the time the night is over.

Ready to get into the wedding spirit? The Spice Girls are performing at the royal wedding. Or, find out why Meghan Markle will be doing facial massages before her big day.