How much does a wedding cost?

Love may be priceless, but weddings can cost a pretty penny. And they’re worth every single cent! Your wedding day is meant to be the most special, beautiful, and memorable day of your life. So, it’s no wonder that people tend to go all out when it comes to financing these one-of-a-kind events.

But how much does a wedding cost, exactly?

Understanding more about how people distribute their wedding budgets can help you to navigate the planning process in a more informed way, and provide insight into how to host the most gorgeous and manageable event possible.

In this article, we’ll break down exactly how much it costs to host a wedding in the UK, as well as run through some tried-and-tested tips for accommodating the ceremony and reception of your dreams.

Table des matières
1. Let’s Talk Averages
2. The Average Wedding Budget
3. Tips For Planning A Fabulous UK Wedding
4. Celebrate Your Big Day Your Way

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1. Let’s Talk Averages

If you’re planning a wedding, the chances are you’re looking for guidance on how to budget for your big day. Wedding planning can be exciting at best, and stressful at worst.

From wedding invitations to dresses and catering, there are a million and one things to consider. And if you lack experience with event planning, this can be one of the most daunting parts of getting married. No wonder newlyweds need a honeymoon!

But the more you know about the average spending habits of other couples in the UK, the easier it will be to develop a wedding plan that brings your nuptial fantasies to life.

Take a look at this list of averages to find out more about how married couples in the UK tend to structure their wedding budgets:

The dress - £1,300

If you’re planning on wearing a dress to your wedding, this part of the process can be one of the most exciting. In the UK, the average wedding dress costs £1,300 and this cost can cover a multitude of styles, fabrics, and design options.

Picking the right wedding dress takes dedication, research, time, and effort, but it’s worth every moment and every penny. UK brides tend to spend within this budget range, but many spend more if it is a custom-made designer gown for that extra touch of luxury.

Wedding bands - £1,600

Unlike a sparkly, eye-catching engagement ring, a wedding band is usually simple, straightforward, and often identical to your partner’s. The average cost of two wedding bands in the UK is £800, but naturally, this fluctuates depending on the size, quality, design, and type of metal.

Some of the most common metals used for wedding bands in the UK are platinum, titanium, palladium, tungsten, and silver. However, you can pick any metal or material that you like the look and feel of most.

Photo : Céline Deligey @celine_deligey_photographer Robe : Céline Ménard @celinemenardrobesdemariees

Wedding shoes and accessories - £300

Every happy couple needs a set of gorgeous shoes to match their outfit. And in the UK, couples tend to spend an average of £150 each for their respective footwear. Remember, these are the shoes that will carry you down the aisle and allow you to dance all night, so they need to be both beautiful and comfy!

They’re also re-wearable so you can see them as an investment too, especially if you splash out on a pair of luxurious leather shoes.

Makeup and beauty - £300

As both beauty norms and gender constructs transform over time, wedding beauty budgets do, too. There is a higher demand for quality makeup and beauty products than ever before, which means this part of your wedding budget needs to be set up for success.

£300 covers everything from foundation to eyeliner to rhinestone sparkles – anything that you need to look and feel your most beautiful.

Wedding stationery - £500

Wedding stationery plays a fundamental role in every big day. Invitations, RSVP cards, table menus, table numbers, thank you notes, and more all help your wedding become as organised and streamlined as possible, leaving more time for you and your beau to relax and enjoy the special event.

Wedding invitations in particular play an important role in the function and flow of a wedding. They set the stylistic tone for the event and inform guests about key details such as venue and dress code.

When you invest a significant portion of your wedding budget into stationery, you not only create a more cohesive theme for your celebration, but you also show guests that they are in for an unforgettable, unique occasion with distinctive style and flair.

Wedding invitation Orangerie

Wedding invitation Giorgia

Discover our wedding stationery

Wedding venue and reception - £5,000

You can’t have a wedding without a venue. This kind of event really comes together when you have the “where” figured out, paid, and ready to host your big day.

For many couples in the UK (and around the world) venue hiring is the most expensive part of the celebration. But considering how prominent of a role the location plays in your big day, this is not part of the budget that you want to skimp on.

Food and catering - £3,100

Food plays a major role in a wedding too, and it’s often what your guests remember the most! Allocating a substantial portion of your wedding budget towards catering is a smart investment that will make the experience that much more sensory and memorable for both you and your beloved guests.

How much does a wedding cost when it comes to food? The average couple in the UK spends a healthy £3,100 on food and food services, and tend to opt for classical dishes, such as French, Italian, or traditional English courses. But you can choose any kind of cuisine that you enjoy eating or that suits the theme of your big day. Food trucks have also grown in popularity in the last few years, especially for outdoor weddings.

Wedding photographer - £2,250

Every wedding needs an expert wedding photographer to capture all the precious moments which will unfold over the course of the day – and £2,000 to £2,500 is the average price to pay in the UK.

Years down the line, you and your partner will look back at these photos and reflect on the memories they captured. There’s nothing worse than looking through photos that are fuzzy, low-quality, or poorly composed. So, make sure you find a professional wedding photographer with great references.

Flowers & bouquets - £350

Flowers truly are the essence of a great wedding. Glorious arrangements throughout the wedding venue make the event feel fresh while adding necessary colour and life to the environment. And let’s not forget the bride’s bouquet, bridesmaid’s flowers and men’s boutonniere.

British couples are renowned for their love of garden weddings, which is why a budget of £350 for flowers is the norm. However, how much you spend on blooms will ultimately depend on the scale, seasonality, and type of flowers you buy.

Wedding cake - £300

The wedding cake symbolises abundance, joy, and indulgence. Bearing that in mind, spending £300 on a wedding cake is a great way to put your money where your mouth is!

These days, we have a myriad of options when it comes to choosing a wedding cake that suits your personal style, aesthetic, and flavour preferences. You can also allocate this part of your wedding budget to non-cake desserts, like ice cream, tiramisu, cupcakes, or even an array of confectioneries.

Guest gift favours - £300

Gift favours are a sweet way to say “thank you” to your guests for attending your big day. Many of them may have travelled from far away, and others may have helped in the organisational process of bringing your big day to life. Either way, they deserve your gratitude.

British couples generally spend between £150 and £400 on favours for their guests. These favours could be anything, from succulents to sweet treats or sentimental keychains.

Biscuit box Piana

Gift tag Giorgia

Check out our guest favours

Reception and ceremony entertainment - £1,000

Having entertainment at your wedding can make it a more memorable and atmospheric event. In the UK, many couples like to hire a band or musician to play romantic music in the background for an added ambience. This is a great idea to fill up the space in between ceremony pauses or to light up the post-nuptial dining and dancing experience.

Live bands and DJs are also popular reception choices, and some couples even opt for a combination of the two.

The honeymoon - £4,500

And finally, the honeymoon. After all the whirlwind of planning and experiencing the biggest day of your lives, a gorgeously indulgent and relaxing holiday is exactly what you need. UK couples spend an average of £4,500 on their honeymoon, which typically entails a two-week-long overseas trip. Some of the most popular honeymoon destinations include Bali, the Maldives, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, so it’s clear that sun-soaked locations are a favourite.

2. The Average Wedding Budget

All in all, the answer to the question of how much does a wedding cost in the UK is approximately £20,500. However, this cost depends heavily on the scale, season, and level of extravagance you go for.

So, if you’re at the beginning of your wedding planning process, these are the figures you can start looking at to develop a budget that meets all your expectations.

While it’s true that weddings are expensive, they’re absolutely an investment – one that will be repaid tenfold – not just on the day itself, but every day for the rest of your lives.

3. Tips For Planning A Fabulous UK Wedding

Wedding planning is often exhausting and nerve-wracking. But with the right strategy and approach, it doesn’t have to be. You can keep your nerves under control and put together the perfect wedding by following these tips that brides all over the world have tried and tested.

a. Plan early

Don’t leave things to the last minute! This is wedding planning 101. To the best of your ability, get everything organised as early as you can. This will help you avoid rushing about at the last minute. Don’t put yourself through the harrowing process of ordering bridesmaid dresses and hand-making guest party favours. Be proactive, get your friends, family, and wedding planner on board, and firm up your plans sooner rather than later.

b. Splurge on the photographer

Beautifully shot, perfectly lit high resolution photographs are what take any wedding to the next level. Wedding photographers may come at a high cost, but they play an essential role in making your big day extraordinary – and you’ll relive that day every time you look through those beautiful photos. Instead of hiring a family member or close friend to take some simple shots, go all out and hire the best in the business. If your budget allows, book a videographer too, so you can capture your day as a real-life movie. You won’t regret feeling like movie stars on the happiest day of your life!

c. Take a step back and breathe

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of planning a full-scale wedding, remember to take some time out for yourself. You and your partner might find that stress levels rise during this part of the wedding process, and that’s completely normal. But finding ways to counteract that stress is so important. Naturally, you want to be involved in every step of the planning process, but remember that it’s okay to sometimes let others take the reins. A week or two before the special day, take a “mini-moon” with your partner to reconnect, decompress, and gather energy for the big event.

Hire a wedding planner you trust to oversee decisions in your absence. You don’t have to do this alone - and if you have a professional helping you out, you’ll return from your mini-moon refreshed and ready to say “I do”.

4. Celebrate Your Big Day Your Way

While we now know that the answer to how much does a wedding cost is £20,500, you may want to spend more or less than this, depending on the kind of celebration you prefer.

Your wedding represents one of the most important and precious days of your entire life. So, make sure you spend money on what makes you truly happy. Remember, this day sets the tone for the rest of your lives as a married couple – so make it count!