Why it matters: The average wedding in the U.S. costs about $30,000, and the biggest cost comes down to headcount. The pandemic ushered in a new way of celebrating the big day, with the nearest and dearest in attendance and the rest on Zoom — and that model will outlast the pandemic itself. "The pandemic really gave a lot of people the excuse to have the wedding they wanted, not the big fancy wedding that others wanted for them," says Caroline Creidenberg, founder of the wedding planning company Wedfuly, which now offers virtual and hybrid events. "You can spend that extra per plate money on a nice photographer and not leave out mom's book club friends that are maybe really important to mom but not so important to the couple."