A couple holds hands showing their wedding rings. (credit: Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) - Weddings are exciting, but they’re also expensive. The average cost of a U.S. wedding in 2012 is $26,951 — excluding the honeymoon. After dishing out for their nuptials, most couples are eager to settle down and save their money. The folks at Rent.com have identified the 10 following cities as the perfect nesting spot for newlyweds. They offer competitive costs of living, high mean annual incomes, low unemployment rates, and good selections of rental property.

1. Baltimore, Maryland
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Phoenix, Arizona
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Denver, Colorado
6. Houston, Texas
7. Kansas City, Missouri
8. Dallas, Texas
9. Raleigh, North Carolina
10. Austin, Texas

Click Here To See In-Depth Descriptions From CBS News

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