Top 10 most expensive wedding costs

The season of "I do" is upon us, and couples everywhere are gearing up to seal the deal -- romantically and financially.

According to online wedding planning resource TheKnot.com, the average amount spent on weddings, excluding honeymoons, in 2012 was $28,427. But is that realistic?

"You have some couples that will book celebrity-status bands for their wedding ... then you'll have couples who will want to do nothing more than just cover a space in flowers," says Anja Winikka, site editor for TheKnot.com.

Using TheKnot's data from 2009 to 2012, Bankrate crunched the numbers and found that although wedding budgets were hit by the U.S. economic downturn, couples managed to hand over hefty change for their big day. Here, in order from most to least expensive, are the top 10 categories in which couples spared no expense for jumping the broom.

    Average cost in 2012: $12,095
    Average cost in 2009: $12,838
    Percentage change: -5.79 percent

With the average reception hall cost topping $12,000, frugal brides can find many places to trim costs.

Rather than outfitting the tables at your reception with expensive linens, use your tabletops to illustrate memories with large photo prints, says Richard O'Malley, a New York-based wedding and event planner.

"You get to actually see the couple through their lives on each table where everyone is sitting. Instead of spending $100 or more a tablecloth, you can actually get a personal thing that if you wanted, you could take home and do something with at some point."

Read the full article here: http://www.bankrate.com/lite/smart-spending/top-10-most-expensive-wedding-costs-2.aspx