CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – Weddings can be an ordeal, but at least in these West Virginia cities, it’s a little bit easier.

According to a recent study from WalletHub, two cities in West Virginia were ranked in the top 50 best cities in the nation to have a wedding in 2023. Huntington ended up with a rank of 41 while Charleston was placed at 17.

Other noteworthy findings include Charleston having the second lowest average wedding cost and third most wedding chapels and churches per capita. As for Huntington, WalletHub found that it had the fourth lowest average wedding cost but was 173rd in event planners per capita.

To achieve these rankings, WalletHub examined 182 U.S. cities across three key dimensions.

Source: WalletHub

Best Places to Get Married in the U.S.

Overall Rank CityTotal Score Costs Facilities & Services Activities & Attractions 
1Orlando, FL72.845626
2Las Vegas, NV68.0810641
3Tulsa, OK66.5818543
17Charleston, WV60.011412772
41Huntington, WV56.234180161
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

The three key dimensions, Costs, Facilities & Services and Activities & Attractions, were made up of 26 weighted metrics that were graded on a 100-point scale, “with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for weddings,” according to WalletHub.

The weighted average of each city was then used to calculate the overall score.

“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.”

Costs – Total Points: 60

  • Average Wedding Cost: Triple Weight (~30.00 Points)
  • Price of a Three-Star Hotel Room: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  • Restaurant-Meal Costs: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
    Note: “Restaurant Meal” refers to a three-course meal for two.
  • Prevalence of Affordable Wedding Logistics: Full Weight (~10.00 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: 20

  • Wedding Chapels & Churches per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Venues & Event Spaces per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Party-Equipment Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Photo Booth Rentals per Capita*: Half Weight (~0.61 Points)
  • Event Planners per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Videographers & Photographers per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Musicians & DJs per Capita: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Makeup Artists & Hair Salons per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Bridal Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Flower & Gift Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Limousine Rentals per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Hotels per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Restaurants & Bars per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Catering Companies per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Bartenders per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Floral Designers per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)
  • Cake Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.21 Points)

Activities & Attractions – Total Points: 20

  • Number of Attractions: Double Weight (~6.67 Points)
  • Popularity as a Travel Destination: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
  • Foodie-Friendliness: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
    Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Foodie Cities” ranking.
  • Weather: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
    Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking.
  • Amusement & Entertainment: Full Weight (~3.33 Points)
    Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Most Fun Cities in America” ranking.