Average cost of UK wedding hits all time high at over £32,000
The total amount couples spend has increased by 19 per cent since last year
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Your support makes all the difference.The average wedding in the UK now costs £32,273, a new survey has revealed.
According to Hitched.co.uk, the UK’s largest wedding website, the cost of saying “I do” has hit an all-time high, up by £5,112 – or 19 per cent – from £27,161 the previous year.
Now in its 13th year, Hitched’s 21st Century Bride survey – the biggest annual report of UK weddings trends and spend – collected data from more than 3,300 brides to reveal the top wedding expenses.
The data found that the amount couples spend on their nuptials varies by region in the UK, with London showing the highest cost at an average £41,521 – 52 per cent more than the average UK salary.
In comparison, Yorkshire weddings proved the most budget-conscious, costing the least with an average price of £27,245.
The poll also revealed the biggest expenditures couples face with venue hire taking the top spot at £5,221, up from £4,354 last year. Here, barns and farms proved the most popular location, overtaking hotels.
“It’s clear to see that the venue really is the most important part of a bride’s big day, with couples opting to spend 16 per cent of their total budget on their favoured place to say, ‘I do’,” said Sarah Allard, editor at Hitched.co.uk.
“It’s no surprise that barns have claimed the top spot as the most popular venue either; not only do they offer a more relaxed and comfortable setting for the celebrations but they lend themselves perfectly to the rustic trend so many couples are looking for.”
Other areas included in the top ten wedding spends are honeymoon (£4,545), food (£4,151), engagement ring (£2,657) and drinks (£1,769).
Followed by wedding dress (£1,321), photography (£1,166), mini-moon (£1,051), video (£1,027) and entertainment (£1,014).
The survey also found that three in five couples pay for the wedding with help from family members, while 54 per cent ask their guests for a cash gift on the big day.
Of course, your wedding doesn't have to be the most expensive day of your life.
Jenny and Rob Somerville from Raleigh, North Carolina, recently proved that a ceremony can be both beautiful and affordable with a backyard wedding ceremony, which cost them just $2,000 (£1,500) - a decision they made after seeing friends go into debt with their own weddings.
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