Cost of an average wedding in the UK

According to Sky News, the cost of the average UK wedding has now broken the £20,000 barrier.

The report shows that engaged couples can now look forward to an average bill of £20,273 for getting hitched in 2008, this figure is up nearly 8% on the 2006 average of £18,781.

The wedding reception being the single largest expense, at a total of £7,724. That figure includes paying for hiring the wedding venue at £2,529, spending £3,497 on feeding everyone, £1,242 on drinks, plus just short of £500 for wedding entertainment.

Couples who plan a romantic getaway after the wedding, face their second largest cost of £3,220 on their honeymoon.

Wedding rings cost a further £900 on average, that’s after the groom has spent £1,400 on the engagement ring.

An average wedding dress cost is £977, rising further when you add in the cost of fittings and adjustments plus the accessories of veils, jewellery and shoes, bringing it tp £1,927.
Brides also splash more cash on a new honeymoon wardrobe and “going away outfit” totalling £352.

The grooms wedding suit costs £165, then you’re looking at a further £251 for best man / usher outfits, plus £313 for the bridesmaids dresses.

The survey was conducted online, asking 1,500 brides to be how much they forked out for their wedding.
The figures also showed an average expense of £839 for the wedding photographer, £400 on a videographer, £381 on wedding flowers, £308 on transport for the day, and £138 on the wedding stationary.

Chipping in on the article are Norwich Union who claim that one in five single ladies have started saving for their dream wedding day, despite the fact they’ve even met their future husband yet !
A designer wedding dress tops the list of wishes for 85% of women, who want their special day to be like a celebrity wedding.

It’s an interesting report, although a lot of people will agree that £20,000 for one day is a little excessive, there are plenty of ways to reduce costs without losing any sparkle.
There are also plenty of money saving schemes available for those who want to save for a big wedding, so whatever option you choose, make sure it’s memorable either way.

Tell us yout thoughts on this, leave your comments below.

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