Population update for June - wedding costs, other statistics

American Demographics, June, 1998 by Josh Galper

269,909,648
(May 31, 1998)*

 320,490
(births)

-188,835
(deaths)

 75,279
(net immigration)

270,116,582
(June 30, 1998)

*This estimate based on revisions of previously published estimates.

June 21 marks the beginning of summer, and June is the most popular month for weddings, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. There were 10.7 marriages per 1,000 people in June 1997 and 11.2 in June 1996. In 1994, 59 percent of Americans were married, according to the General Social Survey, and contrary to public opinion, only 10 percent of survey respondents had ever been divorced.

The average cost of a formal wedding is now $17,634, according to Modern Bride magazine. The most costly part is the reception, at $6,503. The engagement ring is the second highest cost, at $2,909. An estimated 2,344,000 U.S. weddings a year now account for market revenues of over $35 billion.

Projections from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services show good news for the wedding industry. The majority of brides are younger than age 30, an age group that is increasing. By 2010, more than 30 million women will be at or close to marrying age, up from 27 million in 1996.

(online survey respondents' ten most common terms of endearment, 1998)

1.
Honey
48

2.
Baby
44

3.
Sweetheart
41

4.
Dear
39

5.
Lover
32

6.
Darling
31

7.
Sugar
24

8.
Angel
20

9.
Pumpkin
13

10.
Beautiful
6

Source: CRO Consulting Group