Just how much does it cost to have a wedding in Canada? The short answer is it costs however much you want it to cost. The longer answer is that there are average rates for all of the services typically seen at weddings. Even then, the services that a couple choose to have at their wedding changes with every couple and location makes a huge difference in pricing. We found 3 recent surveys of the average cost of weddings in Canada and they vary greatly.

  1. A poll that was reported by Global News stated that the average costs of weddings in Canada in 2017 was $8,937.
  2. While at the Better Business Bureau’s Wedding Resource Centre they show average wedding costs from Weddingbells.ca that comes in at $30,717.
  3. Lastly, Slice.ca did their own research and came up with an average wedding cost of $40,000 to $50,000. This was based on 100 guests at $200 a person.

So, what causes these discrepancies? It usually boils down to 3 main factors: venue, guest size, and choice of wedding features.

  1. Venue rental costs vary greatly, it can be as low as $0 to $20,000 for the whole day. If couples are looking at a popular venue, it can end up being one of their biggest costs.
  2. The size of your guest list affects 2 things, venue options, and catering costs. Weddings with smaller guest lists have a longer list of options for venues, and many of them are more affordable. The cost of food/drinks is another huge cost that you need to consider, the more guests you have, the more you will need to spend on both food and drinks.
  3. The reported average cost of $30,717 and $40,000 – $50,000 includes all the traditional wedding features a couple could include in their wedding: wedding planner, a DJ, dance floor, cake, transportation, favours and so on. The $40,000 – $50,000 average wedding cost most likely used prices of higher-priced vendors to get to that average. While the $8,937 average wedding cost may have forgone many of those features and most likely are only considering the cost of the rings, wedding attire, venue, food, bouquet, boutonniere, photographer and ceremony fees.

So with so many different numbers flying around, what advice would we give to newly engaged couples? Talk and think about figuring out what is going to be the most important part of the wedding for you, and then budget.

What’s important for your wedding? Is it having a beautiful setting with really great photographs? Making sure that your guests have a good time? Or focused on celebrating each other and your love? With all this mind, when you first plan out how much you would like to spend on your wedding day, first think about what features you would like to have for your wedding and how many guests you want at your wedding.

Is the ceremony the most important part of your wedding day? Consider having an intimate Pop-up wedding or elopement! You can then forgo a traditional reception by having a celebratory dinner at a restaurant.

Or do you envision having a large traditional wedding with all the glitz for your wedding day? Then expect to spend closer to the $30,717 – $50,000 average wedding cost.

Whatever you choose, the most important part is to find a way to celebrate your love the way you both will remember for many years to come!