Trying to figure out the average wedding cost is trickier than trying to plot out who needs to sit at the table with Aunt Mabel.
One wedding might be an intimate affair, another an extravagant party. The average 2025 wedding on Long Island ran more than $70,000, up from $62,000 in 2024, according to Heather Cunningham, the founder and owner of wedding planning resource Brides of Long Island. She gleans that number from what she sees brides sharing, she says.
George Pagan and Jessica Santoli spent $7,000 on an intimate wedding, celebrating with friends and family at Crabtree’s Restaurant in Floral Park. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
The Knot, a wedding website, offers a lower average number for Long Island weddings — but still comes in at $54,600 for 2024, their most recent statistic available. That number is higher than the national average of $33,000, according to The Knot’s 2025 Real Weddings Survey.
Many factors go into the total price — the catering, the music, the photography, the flowers. The biggest escalator of all, according to The Knot, is the number of guests. So that average spending number can be misleading — after all, if one couple spends $100,000 and another spends $20,000, their average cost is $60,000 even if neither couple comes close to that amount.
So how to know what a wedding might really cost? Take a look at these four couples who got married on Long Island in 2025, and what they spent for their big days.
Lindsay Rivera, 32, and Nicholas Rivera, 31, of South Huntington
The couple: Lindsay, who works in marketing, and Nicholas, a banker, were introduced in the modern way — through the Tinder app. It turns out they grew up five minutes apart — she in Melville and he in Farmingdale — and had friends in common. "The first time I met all of Nico’s friends, I walked in the room, and my cousin was in the room," Lindsay says. The duo moved in together during the pandemic. "That was a testament to our relationship I think," she says.
Nicholas and Lindsay Rivera, of South Huntington, tied the knot on Nov, 8 at RGNY in Riverhead. Credit: Janelle Brooke Photography
Tied the knot: Nov. 8
Venue: RGNY in Riverhead
Guest count: 137
Total cost: $100,000
The vibe: "We wanted to do a little bit of a destination wedding," she says; getting married on the East End could offer a fall weekend getaway right before the holidays. "Guests didn’t have to get a hotel, but they could if they wanted to," she says. RGNY was the only venue the couple looked at. "We fell in love with it right away," she says. She liked that the winery allowed them to choose all their own vendors — photographer, caterers, etc. — instead of having to use a venue’s affiliates.
Special touches: The couple’s officiant was predestined. "It’s a funny story," Lindsay says, involving her best friend. "Five years ago, we made a bet. Neither of us can remember what the bet was about. But we said, ‘Whoever wins gets to officiate the other’s wedding.’ We put it on a Post-it note." Her best friend had kept it, and when he found out Lindsay was engaged, he said, "I’m going to cash in on this, OK?" The couple also lucked out because a good friend of theirs is a DJ. He knew their musical taste and mixed in Latin music — Nicholas is Puerto Rican — as well as festival music the couple likes and "oldies" for their parents.
Splurge: Lindsay and Nicholas took about 10 private dance lessons before the big day, at $100 each. "I have three left feet, so I needed the help," Lindsay jokes. The instructor choreographed a dance for them to do together at the ceremony.
Stephanie Lozano, 28, and Miguel Lozano, 29, of Massapequa
The couple: Stephanie was the girl-next-door. Well, she was actually the girl-across-the-street. The duo met when Miguel’s family moved to Massapequa when Stephanie and Miguel were juniors attending Farmingdale High School. "He finally asked me out senior year," Stephanie says. For 10 years they remained at their respective family homes, while Miguel became a union carpenter and Stephanie pursued medical billing. "Our parents were like best friends, so it was a lot of fun," Stephanie says. The couple still lives just five minutes from their parents.
Stephanie and Miguel Lozano, of Massapequa, got married May 31 at Sparkling Pointe Vineyards and Winery in Southold. Credit: Lotus Wedding Photography
Tied the knot: May 31
Venue: Sparkling Pointe Vineyards and Winery in Southold
Guest count: 100
Total cost: $50,000 to $60,000
The vibe: "We wanted the vineyards to be our main backdrop," Stephanie says. And she wanted a specific style sit-down dinner. "One of the big things I had in my head was I wanted big, long tables," she says, instead of circular ones. "We had four long tables. The best way I could explain it is like ‘Harry Potter,’ " she says, referencing the fictional wizarding school’s dining hall. The couple kept the guest list to 100 people, all of whom knew them well, instead of inviting "cousins of cousins of cousins," Stephanie says. "I didn’t want a wedding where I was walking around saying hi to people and catching up."
Special touch: The ceremony included the tying of the knot. "Our sisters tied a rope around our wrists, and we pulled it through to make a knot," she says.
Splurge: "Everything was kind of a splurge," Stephanie says of the wedding. On top of that day's costs, the couple also splurged for their honeymoon, she says. They spent a week at Sandals resort in Grenada. "It was the best decision," she says of the $8,000 they spent on that experience. "We were treated like kings and queens."
George Pagan and Jessica Santoli, both 31, of Carle Place
The couple: The duo met freshman year at Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, and the lucky number of 13 years dating seemed the time to get engaged, Jessica says. Her mother threw a bridal shower in October with about 50 guests, but for their wedding day, "we both decided we wanted something small," says Jessica, 31, a physical therapist. She and George, who works in a pathology lab, rent an apartment, are paying back student loans and are saving to buy a home. "It didn’t seem like the most financially responsible thing to have a big wedding," she says.
George Pagan and Jessica Santoli celebrate their wedding day with friends and family on Dec. 12 at Crabtree’s Restaurant in Floral Park. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Tied the knot: Dec. 12
Venue: North Hempstead Town Hall followed by a luncheon at Crabtree’s Restaurant in Floral Park
Guest count: 17
Total cost: $7,000
The vibe: "We tried to keep it as intimate as possible. We didn’t want the fanfare," Jessica says. Invitees included parents, siblings, siblings’ children and Jessica’s only living grandparent, with guests ranging from 5 months to 84 years old. The entourage attended both the ceremony and the lunch. Afterward, the couple headed upstate for a mini-moon at The Beekman Arms Delamater Inn in Rhinebeck, in a room with a fireplace.
Special touches: "I actually got my dress on Etsy," Jessica says. A dressmaker in Ukraine created a tea-length, off-white gown. "It came when he said it would and it fit perfectly," she says. Cost: $187. "My mom cut some bows off her wedding dress that I had added onto mine," Jessica says. She got her pumps and veil on Amazon. George wore a black suit. A childhood friend of Jessica’s who is a professional photographer flew from North Carolina to take their photos.
Splurge: "We are going to splurge on a honeymoon — we would like to go to Italy next summer," Jessica says.
John Prussen, 63, and Lee Ann Prussen, 69, of Ronkonkoma
The couple: "You only live once," says Lee Ann, even though that may mean getting married twice. Lee Ann, who works in purchasing, was married for 42 years before her first husband died; John, an auto body specialist, was divorced. They wanted a big to-do to celebrate their later-in-life love story. "Our families were so accepting of us. We just found something very special, and we wanted to share that with everyone," Lee Ann says.
John and Lee Ann Prussen, of Ronkonkoma, got married on April 13 at The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club. Credit: Full Circle Photography/Frank Padrone
Tied the knot: April 13
Venue: The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club
Guest count: 120
Total cost: $24,000
The vibe: "When I first got married, I had a wedding, but it was really my mom’s wedding. I was 19 years old," she says, and her mother planned everything. "Now, I’m a grown woman." This time, Lee Ann wanted to get married outdoors, on the water. It had been raining all week leading up to the wedding day but then cleared up. It was still windy, but the show went on. "My hair was blowing all over the place," she says, laughing. Lee Ann’s adult son walked her down the aisle, and John’s adult daughter escorted him. Lee Ann’s 4-year-old granddaughter was the flower girl. "We just really enjoyed the whole day, took in the moment," Lee Ann says.
Special touches: The couple met at an open-mic night. Both are singers and now perform together at venues on Long Island. After Lee Ann sang that fateful night, John approached her and asked if she would do a duet with him of "You Don’t Bring Me Flowers." They performed it again at their wedding reception. "Everybody knows that’s the song that brought us together," she says.
Splurge: The couple tried to keep costs reasonable by forgoing videography, eliminating flower centerpieces, and enjoying a reduced rate from a friend who is a DJ. But Lee Ann wanted the perfect dress. "Everyone kept putting me in a typical bride dress. I was 69 years old," she says. "Every time I came out of the dressing room, I kept seeing a black-and-white dress." She asked about it, and, though it wasn’t a wedding gown, she knew it was the one. She had sleeves added and needed other alterations. "By the time I got done I probably paid $3,000 for my gown," she says. "Everyone still compliments me about my dress."
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.
