Charleston, S.C. Ranked #26 as Best Place to Get Married in Latest Study

WalletHub has released its list of the best cities to get married for 2019. 182 cities were analyzed and Charleston, S.C. came in at number 26.

Below is the full methodology and factors that determined this years list along with the top 50. Find out why Charleston, is among the most popular wedding destinations and who ranked ahead of us.

Methodology

In order to identify the best and worst cities in which to tie the knot, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Costs, 2) Facilities & Services and 3) Activities & Attractions.

We examined those dimensions using 27 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for weddings. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Costs – Total Points: 40

• Average Wedding Cost: Triple Weight (~20.00 Points)
• Price of a Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
  Note: “Restaurant Meal” refers to a three-course meal for two.
• Prevalence of Affordable Wedding Logistics: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
  Note: This metric measures the prevalence of affordable restaurants and wedding venues with ratings of at least 4.5 stars.

Facilities & Services – Total Points: 30

• Wedding Chapels & Churches per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Venues & Event Spaces per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Party-Equipment Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Photo Booth Rentals per Capita*: Half Weight (~0.86 Points)
• Event Planners per Capita: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Videographers & Photographers per Capita: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Musicians & DJs per Capita: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Makeup Artists & Hair Salons per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Bridal Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Flower & Gift Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Limousine Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Hotels per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Restaurants & Bars per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Catering Companies per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Bartenders per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Floral Designers per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Cake Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)
• Wedding/Bridal Fairs*: Full Weight (~1.71 Points)

Activities & Attractions – Total Points: 30

• Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Popularity as a Travel Destination: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Foodie-Friendliness: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst Foodie Cities ranking.
• Weather: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Cities with the Best & Worst Weather ranking.
• Amusement & Entertainment: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s Most Fun Cities in America ranking.

Complete Analysis Results – 182 Cities