Did you have to cancel your wedding this year? You’re not alone in NJ

If you’re reading this let me first say: Congratulations! You’re likely either about to be married, recently married, or you know someone who is in either of those scenarios. Best wishes!

However, with the thrill of the eventual marriage comes the chore of planning the actual wedding ceremony and reception: a notorious headache.

If that financial burden became too much for you planning your New Jersey wedding this summer, you’re not alone. This has been the case for thousands of engaged couples in the Garden State this year.

According to research performed by Bad Credit, at least 12,891 couples in New Jersey have or will have to cancel weddings this year due to budget struggles.

Bad Credit says it "surveyed more than 3,000 couples and discovered that many say they have been forced to postpone or cancel their wedding plans entirely due to financial constraints, particularly those stemming from inadequate credit scores."

According to Time.com, the average cost of a wedding in New Jersey in 2024 is $45,586. As for our neighboring states: New York’s average is $45,422, and Pennsylvania’s is $31,892.

Really let that sink in. Any of those could be more than a 20-something’s annual salary.

Some good news, though: Among the respondents who said they had to delay their wedding this year, 61%  said they hoped to get married in 2025, and 29% said they plan to do so within the next three years.

Of couples surveyed, 40% said the postponement had made their relationships even stronger.

Though, that said, 28% admitted that delays led to tension, and 7% even reconsidered their relationships due to the financial strain.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.
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