Couples nationwide spent an average of $28,427 on weddings and related events last year, an increase of $1,406 over 2011's costs.
The numbers are even higher in Chicago though, with newlyweds spending an average $49,810 on weddings and events. Only Manhattan had higher costs, at $76,686.
Alaska had the lowest wedding costs overall, but couples still shelled out an average of $15,504 on their weddings.
TheKnot.com also found that same-sex couples tend to spend slightly more on their weddings than heterosexual couples, despite having fewer guests.
As high as 2012's numbers may seem, they're still lower than the all-time high of $29,334 per couple in 2008.
The study's numbers also excluded any money spent on honeymoons, which can quickly add thousands of dollars to a wedding's total expenses.
