Wedding costs soar: is love becoming too expensive?

Many people say that love doesn’t cost a thing… but tying the knot certainly does.

Whilst a lot of couples would agree curating the perfect wedding is worth the money, rising mortgage rates and food costs could mean not everyone can afford to splurge.

There’s no denying that weddings are expensive. Celebrating this milestone often requires a major investment to bring together all the finer details, from the venue to the fashion to the entertainment. Since the pandemic, wedding prices have soared. Now demand is back in full swing, there are over 550,000 weddings taking place each year with Brits spending an estimated direct spend of £14.7bn.

In light of this, Creditfix has analysed the average cost of a wedding across 50 counties in the UK to reveal which location is the most and least expensive to plan your special day. By researching wedding planner sites such as Hitched and Bridebook, Creditfix collated the starting prices of venues, décor, photography, entertainment, outfits and plus the added bonus of a honeymoon getaway.

But for those who are looking for an affordable wedding, where is the best place to get hitched?

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The most expensive counties to wed

Unsurprisingly, Hertfordshire has been revealed as the most expensive area to get married, with the cheapest option still costing a whopping £18,428 – which could equate to a yearly salary.

The average price for a wedding venue starts at £6,280, the priciest venue option out of the 50 counties. However, venues have seen the biggest price surges with the lowest starting from £1,894 – a reason why mid-week weddings have become so popular due to cheaper rates.

Those keen to get married down south may have to scrimp and save slightly more as Hampshire came second costing £17,033.

Gloucestershire, Surrey and Somerset round out the top five most expensive locations for potential weddings. £16,724 is the average cost for those wanting to get married in Somerset, with Surrey and Gloucestershire both coming to just over £16,900.

To make sure guests are entertained those looking to book a wedding in Gloucestershire can be expected to spend a minimum of £1,149 for DJs or bands.

Similarly, hiring photographers in Surrey for the big day can be costly with it being the most expensive county to book starting from £1333.

The least expensive counties to wed

Greater Manchester was revealed to be the least expensive county to get married costing on average £12,659. Venue prices start from £1,894, with hair & makeup costing less than £100.

Durham and West Yorkshire follow closely behind, both costing just under £13,000. Now, for those looking to have their ceremony in these locations, booking the individual elements all costs less than £1,000. To book entertainment and décor both cost on average, less than £500 each.

The Midlands also proved to be a slightly cheaper option for those on a budget. Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire & Rutland on average cost less than £15,000 with venues starting from £1,955 in Nottinghamshire but slightly higher in Leicestershire at £3,325.

After booking a venue, the next biggest expense is photography. The cheapest starting price is £478.50 in Staffordshire and the most expensive is £1355 in West Sussex – maybe the new fun trend of disposable cameras is back for a reason.

In fact, there is even a growing demand on TikTok to learn how to create DIY options for weddings. For example, #DIYWedding has 851.3 million views and #DIYweddingdecor has 71.1 million views, as people look for cost-effective ways to curate their big day.

How much is the average cost of the bridal & groom outfits?

Of course, the main event is seeing the happy couple get wedded. But what about what the bride and groom are wearing?

The national average cost for a wedding dress in the UK is £1,350, with a groom’s suit costing £300. But more and more people are looking to spend less on items they’re (hopefully) only likely to wear once, as there’s been a 93% increase in second-hand wedding dresses year on year, providing alternatives for those on a budget.

On top of this, saving to buy wedding bands costs an average of £546.61 each and could be potentially more depending on which design you go for as well as the added cost of a wedding certificate of £70.

To honeymoon or not to honeymoon?

Now you’re married and you want to spend quality time with your spouse, how much does a honeymoon cost?

Mini moons and honeymoons are still one of the bonuses of getting married, although it comes at a price.

On average, a full honeymoon package starts from £6,789.40 which is a hefty price tag on top of the already soaring wedding costs.

Whether you’re just in the beginning stages of wedding planning or coming towards the end, ensuring you don’t overspend is important as that might lead to financial pressures down the line. If you’re struggling with finances and are worried about falling into debt get in touch with the team at Creditfix where we can discuss options such as IVA to take back control.

Methodology

 Creditfix analysed wedding prices across the most populated UK counties and used Hitched and BrideBook to find the starting prices of 9 factors:

• Wedding venues
• Florists
• Photography
• Hair & make up
• Entertainment
• National average of wedding attire
• Average costs of wedding rings
• Wedding certificate
• Average cost of a honeymoon package (found the average price using holiday websites such as Thompson, Virgin and Thomas Cook)

Data correct as of July 2023.