Ladies, how much do you expect a wedding to cost and is it worth it?

I grew up in a religion ( no longer in that religion) where the church host weddings for free. The reception may have been anywhere from $400 to $1000 if you really wanted to go all out. It made it easier for younger people to get married and have the festivities.

I believe a reason why many don’t get married is due to the high cost of weddings and the social expectation to host an expensive event. Weddings are not cheap. The average cost is $30000 in the US. For those who want a traditional wedding, don’t you think that money is best invested in something else you can grow together? I tend to see people (especially those on lower socioeconomic scale) opt to be in long term relationships and not get married. It’s like weddings are for middle and upper class people.

I understand you can get a marriage license and have a small reception/celebration with loved ones. But when I bring this up to women I’m friends with or my partner, they seem to abhor the idea of it.

TL;DRPlease explain why an expensive, traditional wedding is important to you? How much is too much? Why not get a marriage license and save the money you would have spent on the wedding/reception?