Courtesy of The Knot, August 2017 Web Exclusive.

In celebration of LGBT Pride Month and the second anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling that the United States Constitution guarantees rights to same-sex marriage, The Knot, the number one wedding brand and marketplace released the results from The Knot & Q.Digital LGBTQ Weddings Study.

Top Statistics from The Knot LGBTQ Weddings Study 2017

• Average wedding cost (excludes honeymoon): women, $17,341; men, $18,049
• Average engagement ring spend: women, $3,185; men, $2,226
• Average marrying age: women, 36; men, 46
• Average number of guests: women, 87; men, 84
• Average length of engagement: women, 13 months; men, 12 months
• Most popular month to get married: women, October, 15%; men, October, 15%
• Percentage of destination weddings: women, 29%; men, 35%

LGBTQ Wedding Trends

A Pair of Proposals. 

Aside from asking, “Will you marry me?” there are no steadfast rules to creating a great proposal. But when it comes to same-sex proposals, who asks whom? Some couples decide who’s going to do the asking, others wait and see who pops the question first and many are both opting to propose to each other. According to The Knot & Q.Digital LGBTQ Weddings Study:

• 17% of female couples and 11% of males couples both proposed to one another
• Women are more traditional when proposing, with 43% proposing on bended knee compared to 28% of men doing the same
• Women (86%) are also more likely than men (60%) to exchange engagement rings during the proposal

  • Of the women and men who exchanged engagement rings, one in four created a custom designed ring (26% of women; 23% of men)

Equality-Minded Pros Are a Must. 

Same-sex couples are eager to partner with wedding professionals, be it a cake baker, florist or planner, who are equality-minded and openly show support of same-sex marriage.

• According to the study, female (30%) and male (11%) couples admitted that they were turned away from vendors or left feeling uncomfortable due to their LGBTQ identity
• An overwhelming majority of LGBTQ couples (88% of males and 91% of females) agree that vendors should clearly communicate that they are LGBTQ friendly
• 91% of males and 92% of females are more likely to book a vendor that caters to the LGBTQ community

The Knot makes it easier than ever for vendors to note that they’re LGBTQ friendly on their online profiles on TheKnot.com.

Creating A Unique Ceremony Set Up and Rethinking the Processional. 

There’s no rule book for same-sex wedding ceremonies, so couples are switching it up, opting for a ceremony in the round or staging multiple aisles, diffusing any pressure of who walks when. Other couples are skipping processionals completely, and instead having their guests walk down the aisle to greet them at the altar

• Some are choosing to walk in together to symbolize the start of their journey together (42% of male couples and 20% of female couples)
• Another twist on tradition is the ceremony music. Only 3% of men and 2% of women walked down the aisle to the tune of the traditional "Wagner’s Bridal Chorus."

Mixed-Gender Wedding Parties. 

• Eight in 10 LGBTQ couples (82%) had wedding attendants. Among female couples, 74% had a maid of honor (58%) or best woman (16%), and 36% had a man of honor (14%) or best man (22%)
• Forty-one percent of male couples had a maid of honor (14%) or best woman (27%), and 60% had a man of honor (12%) or best man (48%). Only 20% of LGBTQ couples had exclusively men only (9%) or women only (11%) wedding parties.

In celebration of the second anniversary of the historic Supreme Court ruling to legalize same-sex marriage in the United States, married couples shared their unique stories, struggles, and how their #LoveMarchesOn with The Knot.