Statistics about weddings, brides and grooms:

53%: Percentage of women over the age of 15 who are married today (compare to 62% in 1972).

SOURCE:  U.S. Census Bureau

$125 billion: Amount spent on 2.1 million U.S. weddings in 2005 (about the size of Ireland's GDP).

SOURCE:  Reported by CNN Money from the "American Weddings" study conducted by The Fairchild Bridal Group. Fairchild surveyed more than 1,000 brides. Data released May 20, 2005.

$21,814:  Average cost of a wedding in 2008.

SOURCE:  Wedding Report, as reported in TIME Magazine on April 27, 2009

$4,146:  Average cost of an engagement ring.

SOURCE:  CNN Money reporting on "American Weddings" study

27 and 29: Average age of today’s brides and grooms. They are much older than their counterparts were 15 years ago and more experienced, sophisticated consumers - they know what they want and are willing to stretch their budgets to get it. 

Median age in which a woman got married for the first time in 1972 was 21 years old.

SOURCE:  CNN Money reporting on "American Weddings" study

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