I appreciate when clients come in having done research. But national wedding averages rarely reflect what things actually cost in a specific market. And now with AI, it’s even messier. Whatever AI tells you a wedding or vendor “typically costs,” I’d assume it could easily be 30% off, minimum. Our industry has dealt with inaccurate averages online for years, and those numbers keep getting repeated without context. Hire a planner you trust to guide the way, and come in with an open mind.