Get Married Grandma’s Way
January 27, 2026
The median American wedding has become more like a luxury party than a solemn exchange of vows. According to the wedding planning website Zola, the average 2026 wedding cost $36,000. Trend pieces describe expensive new traditions, from bridesmaid “proposal” gift boxes and elaborate destination ceremonies to a lavish party thrown to celebrate being one year out from the big day.
Expectations of what a wedding is supposed to look like have rapidly inflated. This is likely a side effect of the rising age of first-time brides and grooms. The median age of first marriage is now 30 for men and 28 for women. In 2024, only around 20% of 25-year-olds were married. In the early 1980s, more than half of 25-year-olds had tied the knot. A couple getting hitched in their 30s will likely have a lot more money to burn on a wedding than a couple in their 20s. And when a couple marries after years of commitment and cohabitation, the ostensible reason for the wedding—a public pronouncement of solemn vows—could get lost amid the party planning.
