Florida wedding cost 2026: what each vendor charges
Last updated:
The short answer
$33,000
Florida average wedding, The Knot 2026
$25,200 to $37,800
Florida typical range, Zola 2026
$34,200
US average, 117 guests, The Knot 2026
- Miami runs higher: Zola puts a 150-guest Miami wedding at $47,786. We did not find a published figure for Orlando, Tampa or Jacksonville in the sources we checked.
- Per guest: couples spent an average of $292 per guest in 2025, per The Knot Worldwide. Zola's national average is $36,000.
- Florida-only costs: a $86 marriage license ($61 with a premarital course), and a beach permit from free (Naples, under six people) to $350 (Key West, 51 to 100 guests) in the cities we checked.
Figures from The Knot, Zola, WeddingWire and Thumbtack, checked November 2026. Vendor prices are national averages unless marked Florida.
What each wedding vendor costs
The surveys we checked do not publish Florida prices vendor by vendor, so the table below uses national averages. The Knot and WeddingWire both report a survey of 10,474 couples married in 2025, Zola blends its own platform data with a survey of 720 couples, and Thumbtack uses estimates from its pros. Where they disagree, we show the spread. Tap a category to see Orlando vendors.
| Vendor | Typical spend | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding photographers | $3,000 to $4,400 | The Knot average $3,000. Zola average $4,400 (typical $3,500 to $5,300). Thumbtack national $525 to $1,334. |
| Wedding videographers | $2,300 to $3,993 | The Knot average $2,300. Zola average $3,993 (typical $3,200 to $4,800). Thumbtack national $570 to $1,251. |
| Wedding DJs / MC | About $1,800 | The Knot and WeddingWire both $1,800. Zola groups all music and entertainment at $1,567 (typical $1,300 to $1,900). |
| Musicians / live bands | $4,500 band, $328 to $655 solo | The Knot live band average $4,500. Thumbtack solo musician $328 to $655 nationally. |
| Planners / day-of | $2,100 to $4,047 | The Knot average $2,100. Zola average $4,047 (typical $3,200 to $4,900). |
| Caterers | About $80 per guest | The Knot and WeddingWire $80 per person. Zola $6,927 total (typical $5,500 to $8,300). |
| Wedding florists | About $2,800 | The Knot and WeddingWire $2,800 for flowers. Zola counts florals and decor together at $6,345 (typical $5,100 to $7,600). |
| Decorators / styling | About $1,900 | The Knot $1,900 for lighting and decor, on top of flowers. |
| Hair & makeup | $300 to $982 | WeddingWire $300. The Knot $150 hairstylist and $150 makeup artist. Zola $982 (typical $800 to $1,200). Thumbtack makeup alone $200 to $457. |
| Bartenders / bar service | $318 to $695 for service, drinks extra | Thumbtack bartender $318 to $695, or $40 to $60 an hour. The Knot alcohol $2,800. Zola bar services $5,542 (typical $4,400 to $6,600). |
| Officiants | $260 to $325 | The Knot average $260. Zola average $325 (typical $200 to $450). Florida clerks such as Broward perform courthouse ceremonies for $30. |
| Cakes & bakers | $530 to $917 | The Knot $540, WeddingWire $530. Zola cake and desserts $917 (typical $700 to $1,100). Thumbtack $189 to $409. |
| Rentals (tables, chairs, linens) | About $2,000 | The Knot and WeddingWire $2,000 for event rentals. |
| Photo booths | $361 to $605 | Thumbtack national range. Hourly pricing runs $125 to $200, usually with a 2 or 3 hour minimum. |
| Transportation / shuttles | $273 to $1,100 | Thumbtack limo rental $273 to $609. The Knot transportation average $1,100. |
Why the spread? Survey averages reflect what couples actually paid for a full wedding day, often with add-ons. Thumbtack's ranges come from pro estimates, so treat them as a floor rather than a budget. We found no current, citable figure for favors or novelty entertainment, so those categories are left out instead of guessed.
Two real examples of how the math works
Catering at the average headcount. At The Knot's $80 per person and its 117-guest average, food alone comes to about $9,360 before bar, cake, rentals, tax and service charges. Cutting to 90 guests brings that to $7,200. This is why the guest list moves a budget more than any single vendor choice.
A small St. Pete Beach ceremony. A non-resident couple pays $86 for the license (or $61 with the course), $250 for a St. Pete Beach wedding permit, or $75 for under 20 people with no chairs or equipment, plus an officiant at the $260 to $325 national average. Hold the same ceremony at a county courthouse and the ceremony fee is $30 at clerks like Miami-Dade and Broward.
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What changes the price in Florida
Season and weather. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 and peaks around September 10, per the National Hurricane Center, and the National Weather Service puts the median South Florida wet season at May 21 to October 17. If you want a drier date, book early. If you are flexible, ask each vendor whether they price summer and fall dates differently: we found no published data on Florida seasonal discounts. If you do book in season, budget for a tent or indoor backup from the start. Our Florida wedding weather and hurricane season guide has the full timeline and a backup checklist.
Beach versus venue. A beach ceremony can be cheap on paper: Naples needs no reservation or fee for fewer than six people, per the City of Naples, and Key West charges $150 to $350 by headcount. But most beach permits ban alcohol and glass and limit setups, so the reception still needs a venue, and chairs, an arch and a sound system become rentals. See the Florida beach wedding permits guide for rules in seven cities.
Saturday versus the rest of the week. Saturday is the traditional wedding day, and most vendors can only take one wedding per date. Ask venues and vendors whether they price Fridays, Sundays or weekdays differently, and get any off-peak rate in writing.
Travel between metros. Florida is big. Miami to Orlando or Tampa to Jacksonville is a long drive, and a vendor booked outside their home area may add mileage, a travel fee or an overnight stay. Ask whether travel is included before you compare quotes, and look for vendors based near your venue. You can browse by city, for example Tampa, Miami or Jacksonville.
Guest count. Catering, bar, rentals and cake all scale per head. At The Knot's average of $292 per guest, 10 fewer guests is roughly $2,920 on paper, though fixed costs like photography do not shrink. Zola's Miami figure assumes 150 guests, which may be part of why it sits above the state range.
Where to save, and where not to
Reasonable places to trim
- Guest count, the single biggest lever.
- The premarital course, which saves $25 on the license and skips the 3-day wait for residents.
- A smaller display cake plus a sheet cake for serving.
- Flowers in season, and reusing ceremony arrangements at the reception.
- A beer, wine and signature drink bar instead of a full open bar.
- Shorter photo coverage that skips getting-ready shots.
Where cutting usually backfires
- Photography. It is what you keep, and you cannot reshoot the day.
- A weather backup for any outdoor Florida date.
- Insured vendors. Miami Beach's ceremony permit, for one, requires a certificate of insurance.
- Enough catering staff for your headcount, so dinner is not late.
- Day-of coordination if you have many vendors. The average couple hires 13, per The Knot Worldwide.
Shopping around works. The Knot Worldwide found 37% of couples contacted more vendors than they planned to fit their budget. Ask at least three vendors per category for written quotes with the same hours and headcount, so you are comparing like with like. Our questions to ask wedding vendors list helps.
Contract red flags
- A large non-refundable deposit with no schedule. Deposits are normal, but the contract should say how much, when the rest is due, and what you get back if you cancel at each stage.
- Vague overtime. "Additional hours available" is not a rate. Get the hourly overtime price in writing, especially for photographers, DJs, bartenders and photo booths.
- No written cancellation or weather policy. In Florida this matters more than most places. The contract should say what happens if a named storm, a watch or warning, or a venue closure forces a new date, and whether your deposit moves with you.
- Fees that appear late. Service charges, gratuity, cake cutting, travel, setup and breakdown should be listed in the quote, not added after you sign.
- No named person. If a company sends "one of our team," ask who, and write it into the contract.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a wedding cost in Florida in 2026?
- The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study puts the Florida average at $33,000 for the ceremony and reception, a little under its $34,200 national average. Zola gives a Florida budget range of $25,200 to $37,800, and $47,786 for a 150-guest wedding in Miami.
- How much do wedding vendors cost in Florida?
- The surveys we checked do not publish Florida prices for each vendor, so the best guide is the national averages: about $3,000 to $4,400 for a photographer, around $1,800 for a DJ, about $80 per guest for catering, around $2,800 for flowers, $300 to $982 for hair and makeup, and $260 to $325 for an officiant, per The Knot, WeddingWire and Zola.
- What fees are specific to getting married in Florida?
- A marriage license is $86 at every county clerk we checked, or $61 with premarital course certificates. Several clerks, including Broward and Miami-Dade, perform courthouse ceremonies for $30. Beach ceremonies may need a city permit: St. Pete Beach charges $100 for residents and $250 for non-residents, Key West $150 to $350 by headcount, and Pompano Beach $25 plus a $130 rental fee.
- Is a Florida wedding cheaper during hurricane season?
- We found no published data showing that Florida vendors charge less from June 1 to November 30, so do not assume it. Ask each vendor for their off-peak rate, and if you book during the season, get a written weather and postponement policy from every vendor.
- What is the fastest way to lower a wedding budget?
- Cut the guest list. The Knot reports couples spent an average of $292 per guest across 117 guests, and catering, rentals, bar and cake all scale with headcount. At that rate, 10 fewer guests is roughly $2,920, though fixed costs like photography stay the same.
- Why do Thumbtack prices look so much lower than The Knot or Zola?
- They measure different things. The Knot, WeddingWire and Zola report what couples spent on their weddings, while Thumbtack's figures come from estimates its pros provide plus its own research. Use the survey averages to set a budget and the Thumbtack ranges as a floor for quotes.
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More Florida planning: Florida marriage license · Florida beach wedding permits · Florida wedding weather and hurricane season · Fort Lauderdale wedding guide
Sources
Every figure above comes from one of these pages, last checked November 12, 2026. Prices are published averages and ranges from these sources; we did not survey prices ourselves. Fees and permits change, so confirm with the vendor or office before you pay or book.
- The Knot: Average wedding cost (2026 Real Weddings Study). 10,474 US couples married in 2025. National $34,200, Florida $33,000, and per-vendor averages
- The Knot Worldwide: 2026 Real Weddings Study press release. $292 per guest, 117 guests, 13 vendors hired on average
- Zola: Average cost of weddings in 2026 (Zola Wedding Cost Index). Last updated March 6, 2026. $36,000 national figure from Zola's 2026 First Look Report
- WeddingWire: List of wedding vendors engaged couples need. Published September 16, 2026, from a survey of 10,474 couples married in 2025
- Thumbtack: Wedding photographer prices. National estimates, last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Wedding videography prices. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Wedding makeup prices. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Wedding cake prices. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Bartender cost. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Photo booth rental prices. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Wedding limo prices. Last updated October 28, 2026
- Thumbtack: Wedding musician cost. Solo musician, last updated October 28, 2026
- Broward County Clerk of Courts: Marriage Licenses
- Miami-Dade Clerk of the Court: Marriage Licenses
- Florida Statutes, Chapter 741. Premarital course and 3-day waiting period, section 741.04
- City of Miami Beach: Ceremony and Team Building Permits
- City of St. Pete Beach: Beach Wedding Permit Application
- City of Key West: Beach Weddings
- City of Pompano Beach Parks and Recreation: Beach Weddings
- City of Naples: Wedding locations and specific requirements
- NOAA National Hurricane Center: Tropical Cyclone Climatology
- National Weather Service Miami: Duration of Summer Season in South Florida
Vendor Aisle is a wedding vendor directory. We did not collect these figures ourselves; they come from the published sources above. Prices vary by vendor, date and location, so always get a written quote.