The Town of Fogo Island is located on the largest of a group of islands in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Four scenic towns were founded on Fogo Island by English and Irish descendants in the 18th century.

Attracted by its natural beauty and mild summer temperatures, couples have found The Town of Fogo Island a romantic destination for wedding ceremonies. The location, however, is also one of the most expensive places to get married, according to British-based holiday rental search site Holidu. The site estimates that a wedding in the Town of Fogo Island will cost a couple and their families nearly $40,000, excluding the cost of accommodation, travel, and the rings, for a party of 100 guests. 

To determine the cost of getting married in 15 popular wedding destinations, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed The Wedding Price Index, published by Holidu. Destinations were ranked based on the total cost of a wedding, which included venue, decoration, and photographer costs as well as food and drink (and a three-tier cake) cost for 100 guests. (In the U.S., this is the average cost of a wedding in the largest metros.)

Out of more than 100 popular global destinations Holidu examined, 15 stand out for their outsize cost of the venue, décor, photographer, and food and drink. Wedding expenses for 100 guests at these 15 destinations range from just over $25,000 in Dubai to nearly $46,000 in the Hamptons of Long Island, New York.

By comparison, the average cost of a wedding ceremony in the U.S. in 2021 was $22,500, including the cost of the engagement ring, according to WeddingWire. That is a very rough estimate, as total costs vary greatly depending on the venue, the number of guests, and amenities like an open bar and live music.

Out of these 15 costly places to host a wedding, four are located in the United States, while three are in Italy. France and Spain have two wedding destinations on this list each. (Not all marriages succeed, however. This is how much it costs to get divorced in every state.)

Here is what a wedding costs in 15 popular global destinations
Click here to see our detailed methodology

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Methodology

To determine the cost of getting married in 15 popular wedding destinations, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed The Wedding Price Index, published by Holidu, a British-based holiday rental search site. Destinations were ranked based on the total cost of a wedding. Holidu carried out the study in partnership with the data analysis site Magmatic Research, initially considering hundreds of destinations worldwide that are popular for weddings. 

Costs were computed based on a wedding with 100 guests. Base prices are for 2019, adjusted for inflation in 2022. Food and drink prices are based on a three-course sit-down meal, a classic three-tier wedding cake, and the cost of either two bottles of beer, a glass of champagne and half a bottle of wine, or an open bar priced per hour.

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