How Much Do People Spend on Weddings?

The recent lavish and incredibly beautiful Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly cost a staggering £32 million. While the majority of this was said to be spent on security, it does pose the question of how much modern weddings now cost.

While weddings have always been expensive, are couples still paying as much as they used to? Here, we’ll explore the average cost of a UK wedding and not even including the high cost after you finally found out how to choose an engagement ring.

Average cost of weddings has risen in the past year

According to research carried out by Bridebook.co.uk, the average cost of a UK wedding has risen over the past year. It is estimated couples are now spending £17,913 on their big day, a rise of 6% within a year. The data was taken from 3000 couples who married in 2017 within the UK.

Interestingly, it revealed that millennials were most likely to spend up to 45% more on their wedding then those in their 40’s. The rise is partially being blamed by an increase in supplier costs which are said to have risen by a staggering 12% each year. If couples were to choose a full package, the average cost estimated from all suppliers would be £30,355; highlighting the importance of shopping around!

There has also been an increase in 3-day wedding events which has understandably pushed costs up. It is the venue and marquee costs which contribute the biggest expense, so hiring them for an extra day or two will boost the cost significantly. And of course the price of metal is forever increasing so it’s harder than ever to buy cheap wedding rings.

Cost breakdown – What the figures say

So, how exactly is the average £17,913 wedding broken down? The venue and reception appear to be the biggest expense, costing on average £2,790 and £3,919 respectively. The catering follows closely behind at approximately £3,959.

You will most definitely need to hire a professional wedding photographer, like Jeff Woodall Photography. So, therefore photography and entertainment such as live bands costs around £1,046 and £773, while flowers cost on average £638. Then there’s the cake, wedding dress, shoes, transportation and even stationary to consider.

Of course, there are ways to lower the costs involved and some venues even host full packages for as little as £2000. The key is to work out where you’re willing to make cutbacks and shopping around to find the cheapest suppliers. As the venue is often one of the most expensive parts of the wedding, it’s worth looking into more unique options such as One Events. They offer affordable prices and guarantee a beautiful, intimate setting.

The internet has made it easier than ever before to compare suppliers. It does tend to be cheaper to book different aspects of the wedding from different suppliers, rather than opting for full packages. For example, hiring a live wedding band is as simple as a quick google search.

So, the cost of weddings may have risen over the past year, but that doesn’t mean couples can’t save money. Shopping around and looking into alternative options are the best ways to cut the costs of a modern wedding.

Another big expense is the clothing. The wedding dress and the wedding party outfits, and even formal childrenswear have to be budgeted for. It’s no surprising people are looking at renting rather than buying.