Listen to article
The
average wedding
in the UK
now costs
£23,250 – nearly £6,000 more than in 2021.
However, that does not provide the complete narrative, as stated by
Bridebook
, one-fourth of couples will allocate less than £10,000 for their big day, whereas 10% plan to have a more modest celebration.
budget of £5,000 or less
.
Then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, 10% of nearlyweds are set to fork out over £38,000 for their 2025 nuptials.
But whether your
budget is tight
Or virtually non-existent, it can be challenging to discover the information you need.
actually
get for your money.
To demystify the topic and eliminate the reluctance around discussing marriage and finances,
News Globe
asked three brides what they spent on their recent weddings, as well as the advice they’d give to others tying the knot.
Budget: £5,000
Catherine Ramm, aged 52, who owns
Dorset Dried Flowers
The couple from Corfe Castle, Dorset, tied the knot in 2023.
Altogether, she and her partner managed to keep their expenses under £6,000 for a big event hosting 120 daytime guests and 300 evening guests.
Since Catherine works as a florist, she managed to handle the bouquets and decorations herself. Her newlywed husband, being a farmer, allowed them to save on venue expenses by hosting both the ceremony and reception on his property.
Friends and relatives of the couple contributed their skills for free or offered discounted rates on various aspects, ranging from taking photos to installing plumbing fixtures.
Catherine says they didn’t have any particular budget in mind when they began planning.
News Globe
‘It simply developed over time, and having so many people eager to participate was incredible.’
She’s ecstatic about the outcome, noting, “People are still discussing it. We had an incredible experience, and I doubt we could have improved it further even if we had spent more money.”
Even though Catherine did not deliberately intend to allocate minimal funds for her special occasion, she has valuable recommendations for those looking to reduce expenses.
Examine the areas where you’re unwilling to make compromises and those where you are,” she advises. “Some aspects allow for flexibility while others do not.
Catherine’s budget breakdown
Venue:
£3,500
We spent £3,000 on the marquee for our property and £500 on a generator. Our friend provided the toilets as a donation.
Registrar/celebrant
: £270
We officially tied the knot on Thursday at the Poole registry office, which came with a price tag of £270. Then, on Saturday, one of our friends, who happens to be an officiant, performed the ceremony as a favor.
Catering
: £950
Next to the hog roast that was priced at £650, one of our farmer friends gifted us some venison, which he had hunted and prepared himself, as a wedding present.
Afterward, we enjoyed an afternoon tea featuring sandwiches sourced from a nearby bakery (£100), scones procured from a local tearoom (£100), sausage rolls prepared by a friend, along with cupcakes obtained from a local creator (£100).
Photography and/or videography
: £0
The photography was handled by an old friend with professional photographic experience, and fellow friends contributed their own photos as well.
Flowers and venue decor
: £500
I handled everything myself, which kept the expenses very low.
Invitations and stationery
: £50
I created the invitations personally by utilizing a custom-made stamp from an online company, along with some beautiful paper and an inkpad.
Wedding cake
: £100
A buddy created this for the price of the components.
Entertainment
: £210
Our vocalist received compensation in the form of four complimentary nights of camping at the farm. Since the band members were acquaintances, they gave us a discount, charging only £60. Additionally, we hired a fire performer for £150.
Bride and groom attire
: £120
I bought my dress for £100 at a sample sale, and my husband found his suit for just £20 on Vinted.
Wedding party and ushers’ clothing
: £11
The bridesmaid dress for my daughter cost only £11 on Vinted, while the remaining children wore outfits they already possessed.
Transport
: £0
We traveled around the venue using a farm buggy that we already owned.
Rings
: £0
My spouse, being a farmer, does not own one because he would likely misplace it. Additionally, using machinery poses risks when wearing such items. As for mine, they were my engagement rings—my partner gifted me three silver bands—and I decided to use those since I do not require anything else.
TOTAL: £5,711
Average: £20,000
Jasmine Granton, a 31-year-old digital public relations consultant from Mansfield, tied the knot with her partner of 12 years last November.
In total, they spent just under £19,000 on a wedding of 100 guests at the West Mill in Derby.
Although they did not establish a specific budget, they aimed to keep costs down so as not to break the bank on their wedding day. Their primary desire was to save enough funds for the dream one-month Vietnamese honeymoon in Vietnam that they had always envisioned.
‘Deep inside, we really did desire a grand wedding,’ Jasmine shares.
News Globe
And since we both come from big families, we knew our guest list would be close to 100 people — and that naturally increases the cost.
The pair put together a detailed spreadsheet outlining all the items they would require, along with the highest amount they’d be willing to pay for each item. However, like everyone planning a wedding soon realizes, certain aspects ended up costing more than anticipated, whereas in other categories, they found ways to cut costs.
‘I am extremely delighted with what we received for our money,’ states Jasmine.
‘Some significant choices early on—like deciding to have our wedding during winter on a Monday—allowed us to make subsequent calls such as hiring photographers and videographers who really resonated with us, since capturing memories through photos mattered greatly to both of us.’
In addition, she managed to keep expenses low by crafting her own stationery, personalizing more affordable products, and handling much of the planning on her own.
She advises other engaged couples to remain true to their desires and ‘not to spend money on things they feel pressured into doing’ or ‘make compromises solely for others.’
Jasmine goes on: “If you’re not interested in having a cake, then skip it. Similarly, if there’s a long-distance friend who rarely puts in the effort to meet up with you, feel free not to extend an invitation.”
‘The biggest compliment we got (and still get) about our wedding was that it felt “us”, and that’s because we prioritised the things that made us happy.’
Jasmine’s budget breakdown
Venue
: £2,800
The rental fee for our venue was approximately £2,500. Since we tied the knot on a Monday during winter, this significantly reduced the price; typically, during high-season weddings, it would be nearer to £9,000.
We additionally spent money to accommodate our family in a big house; however, they covered their room expenses, making our total cost approximately £300.
Registrar/celebrant
: £450, including licences
Catering
: £7,800
Altogether, the cost of food was £5800 and beverages amounted to £2,000.
Photography and/or videography
: £2,400 for both
Flowers and venue decor
: £600
Most of the decorations – like candle holders, mirrors, and candles – were purchased secondhand via Facebook Marketplace for £300 altogether. Additionally, I did extensive upcycling, transforming the mirror into both our welcome sign and seating plan.
We didn’t have flowers at the venue; instead, we used plenty of candles and mirrors, as that reflects our taste better. For bouquets, I opted for dried flowers both for myself and my bridesmaids, totaling £300.
Invitations and stationery
: £70
I created all of these myself using Canva, which means the only expenses were for paper and printing.
Wedding cake
: Roughly £30
We opted out of having champagne since nobody really drinks it anyway, and went with a prosecco tower instead. This ended up costing us only what a few bottles of prosecco would have, thanks to the venue’s policy allowing no corkage fees.
Entertainment
: £700
It cost £600 for a vocalist who performed musical bingo, which really set the mood for a great time, and amazingly, we secured an excellent DJ for just £100!
Bride and groom attire
: £1,562
I purchased my wedding gown from a site named Stillwhite; it still had the price tags attached and hadn’t been altered, costing me £1000 instead of £1800. The veil came second-hand at £12, my shoes set me back £50, and my jewelry was generously given to me as a gift.
The total for my husband’s suit and shoes was approximately £500.
Hair and makeup:
£600
Wedding party and ushers’ clothing
: £1,300
The total cost for ASOS suits for two best men and two groomsmen along with three bridesmaid dresses amounted to £700.
Transport
: £0
We didn’t have any.
Rings
: £300
TOTAL: £18,612
Splurge: £50,000
Krissie Williams-Steward, a 36-year-old housewife from Coventry, tied the knot last December.
She and her now-spouse Frankie shelled out £50,000 for their
dream wedding
, took place at Merrydale Manor in Cheshire and included 91 attendees.
‘From the beginning, we had a specific budget in mind,’ Krissie explains.
News Globe
‘However, I had never examined anything related to weddings prior to this, so I was entirely unaware of the actual costs involved.’
Even though their special day ended up costing over twice the average amount, she insists “it was absolutely worth every cent.”
“I have absolutely zero regrets regarding what we received for our budget,” says Krissie. “Our day was a perfect fairytale, and my vision turned out exactly as I had imagined.”
Regarding guidance, she emphasizes the significance of setting priorities.
‘Start by jotting down your must-haves and concentrate on them first; afterwards, look at what options remain for everything else,’ she advises. ‘Should your ideal location be costly, think about having your wedding on a weekday or during an off-peak season to secure a more favorable rate.’
Pay attention to the ‘small details’ and tackle do-it-yourself projects whenever possible, since individual touches like favors and table settings ‘accumulate quickly.’
Krissie goes on: “While it might be enticing to arrange every detail, you actually don’t have to… Honestly, your guests appreciate socializing and chatting among themselves, so there’s no need to worry about providing entertainment non-stop.”
‘We handled everything, and truthfully, it made the day feel quite hectic since there was always something happening.’
As she points out, “Never underestimate the importance of hiring a good photographer.” She emphasizes, “These pictures will last a lifetime, so it’s crucial to invest properly.”
Krissie’s budget breakdown
Venue
: £13,000
Registrar/celebrant
: £650
Catering
: £12,000
The cost for food and drinks during the day was £9,000, and for the evening, it was £3,000.
Photography and/or videography
: £3,700
The photographer’s fee was £2,500 and the videographer charged £1,200.
Flowers and venue decor
: £5,350
The total cost for all the flowers, including bouquets, was £4,500. We also rented additional decorations for £850.
Invitations and stationery
: £400
Wedding cake
: £300
Entertainment
£4,300
The cost for music during the ceremony was £800, and for the reception, it was an extra £2,000. The price for additional entertainment amounted to £1,500.
Bride and groom attire
: £5,400
The cost of my wedding dress was £3,500, with an additional £1,000 for accessories, whereas my husband spent £900 on his suit.
Hair and makeup:
£2,200
The cost for hairdressing amounted to £1,500, while makeup expenses totaled £700.
Wedding party and ushers’ clothing
: £1,500
In addition, my spouse individually crafted a custom watch for each groomsman as well as the father of the bride to complement their attire perfectly!
Transport
: £600
Rings
£450
Wedding planner:
£300
TOTAL: £50,150
Would you like to share a tale?
Reach out via email
News GlobeLifestyleTeam@News Globe.co.uk
.
Subscribe to News Globe’s The Slice newsletter for insights into what’s happening in London, featuring reliable reviews, special offers, and contests.
Leave a Reply