When all the excitement and chaos involved in planning your wedding is over and the two of you have said, ‘I do’ and partied with your family and friends, many couples embark on their first journey together as a married couple in the form of the honeymoon. It’s a way for the two of you to unwind after a hectic year or more of planning, and spend time in each others’ company while soaking in some sun, being pampered and enjoying some delicious food.
But, with a wedding already costing so much money, how much is a romantic honeymoon going to add to your overall cost? In this post, we’re going to take a look at how much couples spend on their honeymoon, what it costs to visit some of the most popular honeymoon destinations and why many couples are opting for a far more affordable minimoon.
The average amount spent by couples on their honeymoon in the UK is £4,329. While this is an average, many couples can spend far less than this – or far, far more. It all depends on what you’d like to do on your honeymoon, how far you’d like to go and whether you want to splash out on luxuries such as the honeymoon suite or first-class flights.
This is by no means a cheap getaway – it is your honeymoon, after all, and a great reason to treat yourself and your new spouse. It’s especially expensive when you take into consideration the average costs involved with the rest of your wedding, which, as set out in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, is £20,775. That means, together with the honeymoon, you could be looking at a total cost of £24,069.
But how much should you spend on a honeymoon? Well, that’s another question entirely, and one that only you and your partner can answer. There is no right or wrong amount to spend on a honeymoon, it’s simply down to your tastes and what’s possible within your budget.
Once upon a time, almost immediately after the reception, newlyweds would jump on a plane in search of sun and sand. But, that’s becoming something of a rarity these days. In fact, the majority of couples now postpone their honeymoon, with 76% waiting at least four months after their wedding before jetting off. Of course, this is understandable, as not many couples have the budget to go on an expensive holiday right after throwing the most lavish and expensive bash of their lives.
That being said, the biggest wedding splurge is undoubtedly their honeymoon, with 40% of couples having a post-wedding getaway as their biggest expense.
The average amount of time couples are away on their honeymoon is seven days, but many go away for two or even three weeks. It all depends on where you want to travel to and the budget you have available.
You should start planning your honeymoon around the same time you start planning your wedding. This will give you a good idea as to how much your dream honeymoon will cost, and whether or not you’ll be able to go on it immediately after your wedding or a few months later.
Whether or not you book your honeymoon early is purely down to your budget. On one hand, if you book your honeymoon early you’ll be able to pay it off in chunks or set up a direct debit to pay monthly. On the other hand, if you wait until a few weeks before your wedding you may be able to secure a last-minute deal which is much cheaper. But, the risk with that is you might not be able to go to your first-choice destination.
If you’re keen on rewarding yourself with a honeymoon after months of busy wedding planning, what are some of the most popular honeymoon destinations for couples from the UK, and how much do they cost? Here are 10 of the most popular destinations and a rough guide to how much you might spend (based on two weeks during the summer in a standard room with economy flights).
The Maldives
A collection of islands located in the Indian Ocean, over 100,000 Brits visit the Maldives every year. With crystal clear water, white sandy beaches and stunning coral reefs, it’s a slice paradise that is perfect for honeymooners. Costs for a couple start from around £5,000.
Mauritius
Sharing the same ocean as the Maldives and not too far from South Africa, Mauritius has fabulous beaches, towering mountains, and luscious forests and gardens. Costs start from around £4,000.
Thailand
For a real adventure, Thailand is just about as far as a couple can travel from the UK, and offers a chance to see incredible sights and get immersed in a new culture. Costs start from around £3,200.
Seychelles
The ultimate luxury honeymoon destination where your comfort is always a priority. There are also a few private island resorts in the area if your budget allows. Costs start from around £5,500 but can easily exceed £10,000.
Caribbean
With fabulous food and culture, the Caribbean has plenty of options for an idyllic honeymoon, on islands such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. Costs start from around £4,500.
Mexico
If you’re looking for a balance of great beaches, rich history and delicious food, you really can’t go wrong with Mexico. Costs start from £3,600.
Greece
Not only does Greece have a huge selection of fabulous resorts and beaches, but it also has a rich history and plenty of culture to keep you busy exploring. Greece is always a great spot for couples on a budget, with costs starting from around £2,000.
Italy
Great food, great wine and great sights. There’s something for everyone in Italy, and costs can be reasonable for a two-week stay, starting at around £2,500.
Kenya
For a honeymoon on the wild side, a trip to Kenya or Tanzania combines relaxation with the chance to explore breathtaking landscapes in search of incredible wildlife. Costs start from around £3,500.
Dubai
A relative newcomer on the honeymoon scene, Dubai has fabulous weather, clear seas and world-renowned entertainment. Costs start from around £4,000.
While many of the above costs are approximations, there are plenty of factors that can influence how much your honeymoon might cost, much like any other holiday you might book.
Location – The more popular the destination, the more you’re likely to pay.
Date – If you’re travelling at peak times, such as during the summer (and especially during school holidays) then expect costs to be way (way) higher.
Hotel/resort – The more premium the resort, the more it’ll set you back.
Upgrades – Because you’re going on your honeymoon you may be keen on a room or flight upgrade, but the costs involved can be eye-wateringly high.
Board – Whether you stay full board, half board, all-inclusive, or room only will affect the cost.
Activities – An adventure-packed honeymoon will cost more than a honeymoon spent lazing by a pool or on the beach.
Spending money – If you plan on eating a three-course meal every evening the costs will add up. Similarly, if you know you like to buy a lot of souvenirs you’ll need to budget accordingly.
If you want to get away on your honeymoon but don’t have a huge budget, check out our post on how to save money on your honeymoon.
If you want to get away after your wedding but don’t have the budget to spend on a two-week honeymoon, a minimoon might be exactly what you need.
A minimoon is a shorter, more budget-friendly way of getting away after your wedding until you’re able to save and get away from a longer honeymoon. There are no rules for what’s classed as a minimoon, but they’re often a few nights and will cost less than £1,000. It’s purely a means to get away, relax and decompress after a year or more of planning your wedding.
If you’re looking to stay in the UK, some popular minimoon destinations include the Cotswolds, Cornwall, the Lake District and the Peak District.
If you’d prefer to hop on a plane to somewhere a little further afield, great international minimoon destinations include Paris, Bruges, Mallorca and Venice.
Wherever you choose to go, and for however long you choose to go, it’s a great way for you and your new spouse to enjoy some well-earned time together.
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Two common choices for couples are getting married in a civil ceremony or a traditional religious ceremony. They’re both fantastic choices but come with certain limitations if you’re hoping for a more bespoke ceremony. That’s why the third option, a wedding celebrant, is becoming an increasingly popular choice for couples tying the knot.
By hiring a celebrant, you’re free to have your wedding be as personal and customised as you like. But how much does a wedding celebrant cost and what’s included?
In this post, we’re going to explore how much a wedding celebrant costs, what factors can influence that cost and why they ask for as much as they do.
A wedding celebrant is someone who will officiate your wedding. A celebrant doesn’t only officiate weddings, but many of life’s other important events, such as funerals, naming ceremonies and renewals. You may find yourself hiring the same celebrant for various events throughout your life.
When a celebrant officiates your wedding it will be highly personalised so it’s specific to you and your partner. They can be as religious as you like, or have no references to religion at all, which is why they’re a popular choice for couples with no beliefs or mixed religious beliefs.
Believe it or not, there are several types of celebrants that can officiate your wedding:
Interfaith ministers – A great choice for couples who may have different faiths or no faith at all. They have knowledge of different beliefs and can accommodate accordingly.
Humanists – They officiate highly personalised weddings, usually not focused on religious beliefs. They also officiate alternative weddings regularly.
Independent celebrants – Authorised independent celebrants can solemnise marriages.
No, a wedding celebrant isn’t the same as a registrar and it’s important to be aware of the differences when planning your wedding.
A registrar can legally officiate a wedding via a civil ceremony. They oversee the approval of your marriage license and it’s legally binding.
A celebrant cannot legally marry you (apart from in Scotland!), but can support you through your wedding and help you with everything you need for getting your marriage license. When a celebrant officiates your wedding ceremony you will still need a registrar so your marriage is legally binding. However, this doesn’t remove any of the personalisation from hiring a celebrant.
With this in mind, you’ll also need to factor the cost of a registrar into your overall budget, which averages at around £300 (check out our ultimate wedding budget breakdown for more information).
The average amount spent by couples in the UK on a wedding celebrant is around £500. However, some celebrants can cost much more than this, while others cost less. If you’re looking for your ceremony to have a personal touch, then a wedding celebrant is the best way to do that. For more information, check out our ultimate bedding budget breakdown.
To the average guest at your wedding, a celebrant appears to play a small part in your celebrations. But, they don’t simply pop in for half an hour to officiate at the ceremony then head off to the next wedding – there’s a lot of work involved.
As we’ve already highlighted, a celebrant will help make your wedding ceremony hugely personal. It’s unlike any other wedding that came before it nor any other wedding that will come after it – and that doesn’t happen by accident. Once you’ve hired your celebrant they’ll sit down with you and your partner to discuss how you met, what interests you share, where you’ve travelled, times you’ve laughed, times you’ve cried, and you’ll share many, many other stories as they really get to know you. After all, how could they make your ceremony personal if they don’t know the real you?
Many celebrants will send out questionnaires that encourage detailed answers, which they’ll study carefully to create a beautifully crafted script for the big day. They may even talk to your family and friends to get some of the juicy information from them that you may have conveniently not mentioned. They’ll also arrive at your wedding and meet with you and your partner individually to help calm any nerves you might have before you walk down the aisle.
There’s also years of training and experience behind a skilled wedding celebrant that got them to where they are today, so you can be confident they’re going to officiate your wedding with style, confidence and professionalism.
So, while your guests might only see your celebrant for less than an hour, there’s a lot of work involved beforehand that helps to justify the cost.
Natalie Beer, experienced celebrant and proud founder of Velvet Moon Ceremonies, shares her top tips on how to save money on your wedding:
“The best way I found to save money as a 2023 bride myself was forgoing anything I didn’t want but others perhaps thought ‘should’ be part of a wedding. That way you’re not spending money on things you don’t care about and you get a wedding that’s more ‘you’ and only includes things you really want.
Having the big wedding day not be legally binding was part of that for us, so saving money on the fee of a registrar visiting our venue could go towards the celebrant cost we booked for the big wedding day and then had a simple legal ceremony a couple of days before. It was night and day difference throughout the whole process – the celebrant-led process was so much more personalised, we felt so much more cared for, and the ceremony itself, despite having perhaps triple if not quadruple the audience compared to the legal ceremony, was so much more relaxed as we were really put at ease and the atmosphere was so much more us!
As celebrants we can bring such personalisation, fun and creativity to your ceremony so that it’s exactly what you want, and you almost have a friend standing up there taking your ceremony more so than a stranger. That’s a cost that for us was absolutely worth it, and for all of my couples it is too. If it’s something that couples feel is important to them, to have a ceremony that really reflects them and is so much more meaningful than a generic script, then it’s definitely worth considering booking a celebrant.”
What factors affect the cost of a wedding celebrant?
While the average cost of a wedding celebrant may be £450, this figure can be higher or lower depending on a number of factors.
Experience – A more experienced celebrant will often have higher rates.
Reputation – A skilled and reputable celebrant will be able to ask for more due to the demand for their services.
Location – Where the celebrant is based will affect their rates, for example, if they’re based in London they’ll usually be higher. They may also ask for more if they have to travel a long way to meet with you and on the day of your wedding.
Style of your wedding – If your wedding is complex or takes more preparation it could affect the cost.
Rehearsals – If you choose to have rehearsals then this will increase the cost of your celebrant.
Additional services – Additional services, such as asking your celebrant with help writing your vows, will affect the overall cost.
How long before your wedding should you book a celebrant?
It’s recommended that you book a celebrant as early as possible, as many affordable, skilled and in-demand celebrants are fully booked for many months. If you find the perfect celebrant who is excited about the stories you and your partner share, the last thing you want is for them to book another wedding on the same day as yours – so get in there quick!
“I’d recommend that couples book their celebrant as soon as they are able to! Mainly because, like other suppliers, the earlier you book the more likely the celebrant is to be free. Booking far in advance also means there’s plenty of time to get to know each other and for the ceremony script to be written, and perhaps even visit the ceremony space together to discuss ideas and make the couple comfortable with how everything will run. I’ve had some couples book me two years in advance and others book with just a couple of months to go until their date, so it’s all doable as long as the celebrant is free on their wedding day!”
Planning your wedding is an exciting time, but it can also be time-consuming and stressful – not to mention overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you approach vendors? Do you know how to secure the best deal or negotiate with venues?
Of course, using Bridebook is a great way to take away a lot of the stress of planning your wedding, but there’s so much to do and so many things to remember, that it can still feel daunting at times.
That’s why many couples choose to hire a wedding planner. A wedding planner is an expert and will know exactly what to do to give you the wedding of your dreams.
That expertise does come at a cost – but it can definitely be worth it, saving you time, stress and even money. In this post, we’re going to explore how much a wedding planner costs, including what a wedding planner will do, the average amount couples might spend, and how a wedding planner could save you money.
What’s the average cost of a wedding planner in the UK?
The average amount couples spend on a wedding planner in the UK is £2,436. This may sound like a lot for something you can do yourself, but it will save you a lot of time, energy, stress and money in the long run. Wedding planners also have years of experience planning weddings behind them, so know exactly what you need to execute your ideas for the perfect wedding. As revealed in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, the average overall cost of a wedding is £20,775, and a wedding planner can help keep spiralling costs down to a manageable level.
Remember, this figure is an average, so some wedding planners will cost way less. But, more expensive planners will likely have more experience in the industry, along with better connections and negotiating skills, so paying that bit more could be worth it.
As you might expect by the name, a wedding planner takes the reins and helps you plan your wedding. They help you by making bookings, securing deals, making decisions and sorting out any problems that might arise. Depending on what you agree with your wedding planner, they may also help you to set up and manage the day as well.
However, while they may take the lead in planning your wedding, you don’t lose out on the excitement, or lose any control. You’ll have in-depth discussions with them about what you’re looking for and your budget to make sure they’re always aligned. Then, they’ll go and do all the long-winded bits, so you have the pleasure of making the decisions while avoiding the boring and tiring leg work.
While at first the average cost of a wedding planner can seem like a big expense on top of an already expensive wedding, a good wedding planner can save you a lot of money.
An experienced wedding planner will have planned dozens, if not hundreds, of weddings. In that time, they’ll have made connections with venues and vendors, know all the right questions to ask and have learned how to negotiate the best rates. They’ll help you save money in ways you might not have even realised were possible.
As well as saving money, they’ll help you organise everything to avoid expensive mistakes. What might seem like an unnecessary cost could actually be one of the best decisions you make to make sure your wedding goes to plan and sticks to your budget.
On top of saving you money, a wedding planner also saves you time, which could be spent doing other more valuable things, particularly if you’re self-employed. Planning a wedding is time-consuming, so why not let someone else do the hard work?
What does it mean when a wedding planner receives a commission?
When you’re finalising the details with your wedding planner, you may notice in the paperwork that it mentions the planner may receive a commission when they make a booking. But what is that commission and where does it come from?
Don’t worry, this isn’t an additional fee you have to pay. This simply means your wedding planner may receive a small amount of commission when you book a specific venue or vendor and is usually a small percentage based on the cost. However, a good wedding planner won’t be driven by their commission, so shouldn’t allow it to sway their decisions about what is right for your wedding.
If you’re not sure about anything, just speak to your wedding planner before hiring them – they’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
What factors can affect the cost of a wedding planner?
A wedding planner will usually charge a flat fee based on the scope and scale of your wedding. What that fee is can vary depending on a number of factors, including:
Your budget – the higher your budget, the more a wedding planner will usually ask for. Not because they think you can afford to pay more, but because there will be more work involved. Often, a wedding planner will ask for between 10% and 15% of your overall budget.
Location – The location of your wedding will play a big part in the cost. For example, a wedding planner based in London will be more expensive than one outside the capital. However, if you’re getting married in London, you’ll probably want to consider a London-based wedding planner as they’ll have the local knowledge and contacts.
Service – A partial wedding planning service will be more affordable than a full planning service.
Number of guests – The more guests you intend to invite, the more work a wedding planner will need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Can a wedding planner also be your wedding coordinator?
Many wedding planners also offer a package that includes coordinating your wedding day. After all, who better to manage the big day itself than the one who helped you to plan it?
On-the-day coordination helps to reduce the stress further, make sure everyone knows what they’re doing and fixes any potential hiccups that might occur. This leaves you to enjoy your day, knowing it’s being managed by an experienced professional.
If you’re looking to hire a wedding planner to provide a full planning service, the best time to do so is right at the start, before you’ve made any other bookings or reservations. This is so you can fully utilise their services and allow them to help you consider all options and secure the best deals.
If you’re only interested in a partial wedding planning service, you’ll need to hire them with around three or four months to go before your big day.
Planning a wedding can be a long, tiring, stressful and expensive process. That being said, it’s also a lot of fun! However, not everyone has the time and energy to spare, which is where a wedding planner shows their true value. If you find planning challenging or may struggle to find the time to spare, then you’ll definitely get a lot out of hiring a wedding planner.
A wedding planner can also be a lifesaver if you’re interested in a destination wedding. A local planner will have the knowledge and insight you might lack by getting married away from home and will save you hours and hours of avoidable research on just the area alone.
In fact, according to qualified wedding planner and wedding expert, Hamish Shephard, organising a wedding can take 200 to 300 hours of planning. When you think of it like that, the average cost of a wedding planner is actually pretty great value, especially as they can also save you a lot of money down the line.
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If you’re not interested in a large wedding or have a smaller budget, a registry office wedding is a great option for your big day. You may not want a lavish ceremony where you get married in front of a hundred people – you may prefer a more intimate wedding attended only by those closest to you. There is no right or wrong approach – only what’s right for you.
In the UK, the average cost of a wedding has risen to £20,775. For many couples, spending that amount on a wedding isn’t possible, and seeking affordable alternatives to expensive venues is just one way to cut this figure in two.
In this post, we’re going to explore everything to do with the cost of a registry office wedding, including the average amount couples pay, the factors that can affect that cost, and why couples choose to get married at a registry office.
What’s the average cost of a registry office wedding?
According to our data, the average amount spent by couples getting married at a registry office is £1,342. It’s also important to remember that this figure is an average, and it can be cheaper still to get married in a registry office – much cheaper.
Many registry offices offer a basic ceremony rate, which includes hiring the room, for as low as £57. However, this basic figure can vary depending on where you’re based and the, as the cost is set by the local council. This also doesn’t include the cost of a ceremony room (which is different from a registry office) which can cost around £200.
It’s important to remember that this isn’t the only fee you’ll pay. As well as the cost of the room, you’ll also need to pay for each of you to give notice (from £35 per person) and any additional marriage certificates (around £10). There may also be administration and postage fees, starting from around £10.
Registry office wedding costs can therefore be broken down like this:
Overall average registry office wedding cost – £1,342
Basic UK registry office ceremony rate – as low as £57
Cost of ceremony room – £200
Cost to give notice – from £35 per person
Marriage certificates – around £10
Admin and postage fees – starting from around £10
See the infographic below for a full breakdown of registry office costs:
This infographic shows a breakdown of registry office wedding costs
What’s the average cost of registrar fees?
As revealed in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, fees for a registrar to attend a civil marriage venue (for example, a town hall, or a hotel) cost an average of £300 in the UK. This cost can also vary depending on the day of the week. Expect to pay higher fees on weekends and bank holidays. By contrast, weekdays during office hours are generally the most affordable option.
Monday to Friday (office hours) – £300-400
Monday to Friday (outside of office hours) – £400-£450
Saturday – £500
Sunday – £550
Bank Holiday – £525
Special Days (for example, Valentine’s Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, New Year Day) – £600-£650
Is it cheaper to get married at a registry office?
With the average cost being £1,342, a registry office wedding is by far the cheapest venue option for couples, coming in at 75% cheaper than getting married in a place of worship, 82% cheaper than a hotel and 89% cheaper than a castle. This figure does include the cost of the registrar, which as stated above, costs an average of £300. This is also the most important cost to be aware of, because without a registrar you can’t have a legally binding marriage!
As we’ve already highlighted, the average overall cost for a wedding is £19,184. With the average cost of a venue being a huge chunk of that cost (almost half in fact), getting married in a registry office can make a wedding far more possible for many couples. Plus, some couples simply don’t want a large wedding and are much happier to save some money by hosting an intimate ceremony with their closest family and friends.
What factors can affect the cost of a registry office wedding?
While the cost of getting married in a registry office is, on average, the cheapest type of venue throughout the UK, there are factors that can affect the cost.
Location – Depending on where you’re getting married, some registry offices can be more expensive than others, as the cost is set by the local council.
Time and day – It can be more expensive to get married during more popular dates and times, such as on Saturday afternoons.
Season – During peak seasons, such as the spring and summer, the price may be higher.
Guests – A registry office will have a limited capacity and there may be an additional charge if you want a larger number of guests.
Additional services – Additional music and decorations (if allowed) may affect the cost.
There are also the costs associated with a wedding at any other venue, such as if you’re hiring a photographer or videographer.
Do you have to pay a deposit when booking a registry office wedding?
As well as losing your deposit, you may be charged a fee if you cancel your wedding (particularly if you cancel last minute) and there may be admin charges to rebook.
How long does it take to get married at a registry office?
A registry office wedding is perfect for couples who don’t want a long ceremony or the attention that comes with getting married at larger venues. The ceremony itself will take around 20 – 30 minutes, and you’ll need to arrive around half an hour to an hour early, so you can be interviewed before the ceremony takes place. This means that several marriages can take place at the same registry office on any given day.
Why might you choose to get married at a registry office?
Whether you’ve been married before, have a tighter budget, or simply don’t want the fuss that comes with a larger wedding, there can be many reasons why getting married at a registry office is the right choice for you.
As our data shows, a registry office wedding is a much more affordable option. Just because it’s cheaper it doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful – far from it. Even a more intimate wedding can still be beautiful and highly personal – it’s just far kinder on your budget.
Once your registry office wedding has finished and the two of you are married, it’s up to you what you do to celebrate. Depending on what you choose, costs will obviously vary greatly – an intimate meal with family and friends will be far more budget-friendly than hiring a venue and hosting a party.
At Bridebook, we can help you plan everything to do with your wedding, from the venue to the stationery. And if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for your post-registry office wedding celebrations, we’ve got plenty of brilliant restaurant wedding venues you can choose from.
Finding the perfect wedding dress or suit can be a huge relief, however, that’s not where it ends when it comes to putting your attire together for the big day. There are still accessories to choose from to complete the ensemble, from the shoes you’re going to wear that balance style and comfort (you’re going to spend a lot of time on your feet!) to the jewellery that ties it all together.
But, what do couples spend on accessories during the build-up to a wedding? In this post, we’re going to take a look at everything related to wedding accessory costs, including shoes, bags, headpieces, jewellery and everything in between.
Wedding accessories are the extras you’ll wear on your wedding day in addition to your dress or suit. They add a little extra sparkle and complement the overall style and theme of your wedding.
Bridal accessories include a veil, a headpiece, jewellery, shoes and a handbag or clutch.
Groom accessories include a tie or bowtie, cufflinks, a watch, a pocket square, shoes and a belt.
There are also accessories for the ceremony and reception, such as ring pillows and flower girl baskets, and accessories at the reception, like table numbers that complement the decor.
The average amount couples spend on wedding accessories is around £300-£400. This can include bridal accessories such as a veil and garter, and groom accessories like cufflinks and a pocket square.
If you’re looking for an idea of what individual accessories might cost, the below guide will give you an estimate of what to budget for. You can also use our ultimate wedding budget breakdown for an understanding of how much your overall wedding may cost.
Veil
A traditional bridal dress is worn with a veil, but it’s certainly not a requirement. In fact, over half of today’s brides choose not to wear one, so there is no right or wrong answer. If you’re keen to wear a veil, depending on the style you choose, expect to spend anywhere from £50 – £250. Bespoke veils with personalised detailing will naturally cost more than standard designs.
Nathalie Neuilly, founder of Dressarte Paris, shares her expert insights as an experienced dressmaker: “We often do custom veils adding custom messages, initials etc. But it’s true that more than 75% of our brides decide to go without veils. Instead they prefer to add fresh flowers when styling their hair, or upcycle their mum’s veil and create a custom accessory.”
Headpiece
If you’re not wearing a veil, a headpiece, such as a tiara or hair comb, can add a little extra sparkle. Costs will be around £100 – £250 but can go higher.
Jewellery
Of course, you’ll likely already have jewellery that would work nicely on your wedding day, but you may want to treat yourself to something new for such a special occasion. Costs for new jewellery can range from a simple pair of earrings at £20 and go up from there.
Jacket
If you’re wearing a strapless dress or getting married during the colder months, you may want to consider a bridal jacket that complements your dress for when the temperature drops. Costs start from £75.
Garter
A garter is a traditional accessory worn around the bride’s thigh and is usually made from lace. It’s another accessory that many brides choose not to wear, but if it’s something for you then you might spend between £20 – £50.
Handbag or clutch
Not many wedding dresses come fitted with pockets, and the modern bride needs somewhere to keep your phone that isn’t your bra. Plus, a small handbag or clutch can complement a dress beautifully. Costs for a clutch will often fall between £25 – £80.
Tie
The groom’s tie is a way to tie a suit together with the overall style and colour scheme of the wedding. Ties will often cost around £25 – £60.
Cufflinks
Cufflinks are a popular gift for a bride to gift her groom ahead of the ceremony. They can be unique and personal and can be customised so that they have meaning behind them. They cost around £50 – £100.
Pocket squares
Pocket squares are another traditional wedding accessory and one that is still typically upheld. It’s another great way to introduce a touch of colour to a suit. Thankfully, they’re relatively inexpensive at around £10 – £15.
Belt
A belt is something already found in no short supply in many drawers, but a new belt for the big day will cost around £15 – £25.
Another key accessory to budget for is the shoes you’ll wear on your big day. At your wedding, you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet, from the time the two of you are exchanging vows to when you’re dancing the night away ten hours or so later. For that reason, you’ll each need a pair of shoes that are kind to your feet.
The average cost of wedding shoes will vary, but couples in the UK spend around £200 on new footwear.
Whether you’re looking for a flat or something with a heel, practicality is just as important as style on your wedding day. The cost of your bridal shoes can vary, but if you budget for between £60 – £150 you should find something to suit any taste.
How much do the groom’s shoes cost?
Grooms have a similar range of choices, including style, colour and even heel if you’re looking to gain an inch or so. Costs for groom’s shoes also vary, but will be around £50 – £130.
There’s a lot to buy during the build-up to your wedding, and whether or not you should buy new jewellery is your decision.
As it’s your special day, you may want to treat yourself to a new piece of jewellery to mark the occasion. Of course, if you’re hoping to wear several accessories, you may have to wear some that you own already. When you consider the cost of a headpiece, a necklace, earrings, a bracelet, cufflinks and a watch, the cost can quickly add up. Our data shows that the average amount couples spend on jewellery is £1,000, and this doesn’t include the cost of the wedding rings. But, it depends on you, your budget and the sentimentality as to whether or not you should buy new jewellery. It’s always nice to have a little treat though, of course!
This is another question that doesn’t have a right or wrong answer. Whether the groom should wear a hat and gloves or not depends on the formality and the theme of the wedding. At a formal wedding, they’re not generally worn, but at a very formal wedding, where the groom may be wearing a tuxedo rather than a suit, they may also choose to wear a top hat, gloves, and even carry a walking stick. But, it’s purely a matter of taste and what suits your style. If this is something you’re looking to wear, then the cost for a hat and gloves will start from around £200.
Accessories at your wedding ceremony, the wedding breakfast and evening reception do often cross over into wedding decor territory, which is worth bearing in mind when it comes to accessorising and budgeting for your overall wedding.
Examples of wedding ceremony accessories include:
Ring pillow or box
Basket for the flower girls
Guest book and pen
Aisle runner
Examples of wedding reception accessories include:
Choosing your wedding venue is just one part of planning your wedding. Even once you’ve found the perfect venue, chances are it still might not match your and your partner’s personalities 100%. That’s where wedding decor comes in, and helps you to personalise your wedding so it reflects your life, interests and values.
Your wedding day is about celebrating your love, so why not add a few extra touches that help the day be all about you?
In this post, we’re going to take a look at how much wedding decor costs, what factors can affect the cost of wedding decor, and whether you should consider hiring a professional decorator for your wedding.
Wedding decorations are the additions you make to your chosen venue to help create a beautiful, romantic and – most importantly – personalised setting. Your decor can be as bold or as subtle as you want and can help to create an overall theme for your wedding that goes beyond a simple colour scheme.
For example, you could have something traditional like a rustic or vintage theme, or even something out there like a superhero or steampunk theme – whatever you choose is up to you. Spell out your new shared surname in giant lights with Letterhire.com, or introduce a ‘Pintrest-esque’, rustic feel with The Rustic Wedding Company. Your decor will ensure that your theme resonates throughout your entire wedding, from signage through to the table decorations.
When it comes to wedding decor, you can be as creative as you like. Examples of what to include are:
Candles
Table centrepieces
Fairy lights
Table runners
Chalkboards
Photo collages
Balloons
Chair covers
Unique signage
You can even incorporate your theme into the ceremony, with plenty of opportunities to add that personal touch, such as altar decor, a ring pillow, or an aisle runner. Just remember, you’ll only spend a small portion of your wedding at the ceremony, so don’t blow your entire decor budget on something your guests won’t get to appreciate for very long.
As our ultimate wedding budget breakdownwill show, we found that couples tend to spend around £1,500 on average on professionally sourced wedding decor (as opposed to DIY wedding decor). However, this doesn’t include the cost of flowers, which have a separate budget, so this is something to bear in mind when planning what to spend on decorations.
Wedding decor is something many couples choose to arrange for themselves, but if you’re looking for custom items then you may want to consider hiring a professional to take care of it for you. Similarly, you may have a vision for your wedding that you could struggle to make a reality by yourself – wedding decorators have the skills and experience to bring your ideas to life in ways that you might not.
It should also be said that some decor can take a lot of time and energy to put together. When planning your wedding you’ll have a lot of plates to spin, and custom decorations can be one of the most time-consuming. Yes, hand-making your own bunting may save you money, but it might unnecessary stress to what can already be a stressful process.
That being said, if you’re on a tight budget then organising your decor yourself is one of the first cuts you can make. For more tips check out our guide to saving money on wedding decorations.
What factors can affect the cost of wedding decor?
Whether you choose to hire wedding decorations, hire a decorator, or do it yourself, there are various factors to be aware of that can push that cost up or down.
The venue: The larger the venue, the more expensive it’s likely to be to decorate to your own tastes. It’s also important to check with the venue whether they restrict certain items.
The location: Is the venue difficult to get to, or in a less populated area which means sourcing decorations from nearby may be challenging?
Date: If you’re hiring decorations, then expect to pay a little more during peak times such as during the summer months or at weekends.
The number of tables: If you have fewer tables then you’ll need fewer centrepieces.
Style and theme: The more grandiose your style and theme, the more expensive it will be to hire the relevant decor.
Customisation: Custom decorations are more expensive than those that are off-the-shelf. A DIY approach may save you a lot of money – check out our best DIY wedding ideas for some inspiration!
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And if you’re looking for ways to save money on your wedding decor, we’ve got all the advice you need to decorate your venue without breaking the bank.
Not a fan of the traditional gift registry? No problem! There are plenty of great alternatives to physical wedding gifts, from honeymoon funds and charity donations, to memorable experiences to share with your partner, or even no gift at all! Read on for the full list (for more gift ideas, be sure to check out our top gift list ideas).
Honeymoon fund
Ask guests to contribute money towards your honeymoon expenses for a luxe getaway like no other. There are various options to choose from. Consider a flight to a room upgrade, as well as add-ons for the holiday itself, like a romantic beach dinner or boat and snorkeling trip. This is a great way for your loved ones to contribute towards a special shared experience, and make your honeymoon one to remember and cherish for years to come.
Choose a charitable cause that’s meaningful to you and ask guests to make a donation in your honour. Choosing a charity fund as a gift registry alternative is a great way to make a positive impact on the world, adding a purposeful touch to your wedding celebrations. Plus, if you choose a cause you’re passionate about, you can educate your guests about it and raise awareness, so it’s a win-win! The Wedding Shop has a great selection of well-known charities to choose from, from Cancer Research UK and Mind, to Oxfam and Save The Children. Any donations made to your chosen charity will be automatically sent on your behalf. Alternatively, you can create your own personal crowdfunding page, using a fundraising platform like JustGiving or GoFundMe.
Create a wish list of experiences you would like to share together. Think romantic spa day, weekend getaway, cooking class, or luxury cinema experience. Choosing a gift experience as a gift registry alternative gives you the opportunity to bond with your partner and share lifelong memories. It also gives your guests the chance to give you something that truly reflects your interests and hobbies. Plus, experience gifts are often more versatile and flexible than traditional physical ones. You can redeem them at a time that works best for you, and look forward to them after your wedding.
If you’ve not already bought a house together, why not create a fund to help you save for a down payment on a new home? Your friends and family will love having the chance to contribute to your future in a very practical and meaningful way. It’s a great alternative to a gift registry, because you can put the money towards a long-term investment and asset. This is particularly helpful if you’re first-time buyers and dreaming of homeownership. If you and your partner are already living together, you can use the cash contribution in other ways, for example, on a home renovation. Or you can be more specific, and ask for a kitchen or garden fund – the possibilities are endless!
Some of your guests can come together to contribute towards a larger, more expensive, higher-value gift, such as a special piece of furniture or a new home appliance. Unlike traditional gift registries, which may only offer specific items, this gives your guests more choice, and the chance to help you buy something you need but can’t afford on your own. And rather than choosing from a pre-selected list, this way, your friends and family can personalise the gift to your tastes and needs. If you like surprises, this kind of wedding gift can also be a lot of fun to give and receive!
No gifts
You may prefer to have no wedding gifts at all, and choose to keep the focus on the celebration itself. After all, the presence of your loved ones at your wedding is arguably the greatest gift of all! If you like simplicity, this is a great alternative to a traditional registry. There’s no need to select, purchase and wrap individual gifts – so less stress for both you and your guests. It’s also a more sustainable option – no gifts means no waste or environmental impact, whether that’s the production and disposal of a physical gift, or the transportation involved in something like a gift experience. Requesting no gifts can also help your guests save money, especially if they’re already spending a significant amount on travel, accommodation or other expenses.
With all these alternatives, there are so many ways your guests can contribute to your wedding besides a gift registry. Whether it’s a cash contribution for your honeymoon or home, donations to a charity you love, memorable experiences, or just their presence, there’s something for everyone!
Want to know how much the average wedding costs this year? Introducing our UK Wedding Report 2023: our annual wedding industry study revealing year-on-year changes. This year, we surveyed almost 4,000 married and engaged couples, representing a mix of regions and demographics, to find out what couples like you are spending on. Time to start planning your own wedding budget…
Average Cost of a Wedding in the UK
2022 was the year of the Corona Comeback. The lifting of pandemic restrictions saw the highest wedding spend ever! Average wedding spend grew by 15% to an all-time high, rising by £2,500 year-on-year to £19,184 (£24,069 including the ring and honeymoon). It goes to show that couples are prioritising their marriage, and not letting the economic climate impact their wedding spending.
Average Wedding Costs by Supplier Category
Average wedding spend increased in almost every category between 2021 and 2022. The most significant increase was in venue cost (£7,944 average, an increase of 20% vs 2021). We’ve put together a wedding cost breakdown below! These are the average supplier costs for UK weddings:
Average cost of a wedding venue – £7,944
Average cost of catering – £5,103 (with an average of 88 guests)
Average cost of a photographer – £1,357
Average cost of a videographer – £1,354
Average cost of hair and makeup – £657
Average cost of a florist – £1,114
Average cost of a wedding cake – £376
Average cost of a wedding dress – £1,424
If you’re looking to save money on your suppliers, savvy wedding planning is a must! Our top tip is to enquire to several suppliers to do more price comparisons.
Total Wedding Costs by Region
Couples spent nearly £10K (or 50%) more to marry in London (£29,085) compared to the national average (£19,184). That’s even more than marrying outside the UK, where the average cost is £25,525. Yorkshire and the Humber is the region with the lowest cost (£16,103), making it the most budget-friendly option. So, if you’re looking to save money, the location of your wedding matters!
Weekend weddings are the most expensive, with Saturday weddings costing £20,141 on average. Tuesday is the least costly option (costing £16,804 on average). So, if you’re on a budget and looking for a cheaper alternative, consider a midweek wedding. This can make a huge difference!
Wedding costs tend to be higher in the from June through September, with June weddings costing the most (£21,287). Costs are lowest in the winter, with February being the cheapest month to get married (£15,826), which is ideal if you’re trying to save on your wedding spending.
It probably comes as no surprise that wedding spending is heavily influenced by the number of guests attending. The more guests you invite, the more your wedding will cost. Catering accounts for just over 1/5 of this. So, if you’re looking to cut costs, consider having fewer guests to feed!
We found that couples are most likely to splurge on their honeymoon, followed by the wedding dress, venue and photographer. With beach honeymoons remaining the most popular honeymoon style (47% of couples married in 2022 chose a beach honeymoon), this is hardly surprising. The honeymoon splurge is heavily linked to the post-pandemic wedding boom and the fact that travel is back on the map. 2/3 of couples married in 2022 planned a honeymoon abroad, which represents a significant jump from 2021, when only 1/4 planned to go abroad.
So, if you’re hoping to have a wedding in 2023, you’re looking at an average spend of £19,184, up £2,500 year-on-year. The average cost may be more or less depending on the region, day of the week, month of the year, and any optional splurges (for example, on a honeymoon overseas). For a more thorough category-by-category breakdown of the cost of UK wedding suppliers, check out our article on the ultimate wedding budget breakdown. And for a budget breakdown that’s tailored for you, look no further than Bridebook’s one-of-a-kind personalised wedding budget planner.
Simply enter your total wedding funds, give us a few basic details, and in one click you’ll have your very own expert breakdown of your wedding costs. You’ll know exactly where to spend your money for your special day – and the real fun of planning can begin!
Want to get started with ballpark figures? Below you’ll find a complete wedding budget breakdown, based on the average total costs of UK wedding suppliers. The average amount spent by UK couples on their wedding in 2024 comes to £20,775 (or £25,952 including the engagement ring and honeymoon). If you want to find out how to stay on budget, take a look at our other articles for some of our top wedding saving tips. We’ve got advice on how to save on photography, flowers, invitations and more.
Creating a wedding budget breakdown is one of the most important steps to tick off on your wedding planning checklist, whether you’re planning a more affordable DIY wedding on a budget or a more extravagant celebration. In this video course, Bridebook founder (and qualified wedding planner) Hamish Shephard explains how to set and manage your wedding budget, and reveals how you could save thousands on your wedding venue, catering and other suppliers.
Your wedding venue is easily the single most important part of your planning – so it’s no surprise that it’s also the most expensive part of your wedding budget! Choosing your wedding venue really is step one of your wedding planning journey, and it affects every aspect of your big day.
Not sure where to start when it comes to choosing your venue? Well, don’t worry, we’ve got you! We don’t mean to brag, but we’ve the largest wedding venue directory in the UK.
With our wedding venue search tool, you and your partner can find your dream venue faster than you can say, “I do!” If you know exactly what you’re looking for, you can kick things off by searching by name, location or style. If you’re just getting started with your venue search, try using filters such as “barn” or “city” and “budget” or “luxury” to get an idea of what’s out there.
As you might expect, the total cost of your catering will be 100% dependent on the number of guests you invite to your wedding. Your guest list will have a big impact on what you’ll spend on your wedding overall as well, so we recommend making some rough decisions about the size of your guest list as early as possible in your wedding planning if you can.
Since caterers usually charge by the head, cutting some co-workers or +1s from your guest list might be your first move if you’re looking to save a few hundred pounds on your wedding. Another easy way to cut costs is to go for food trucks, sharing plates or a buffet over a set menu or traditional sit-down meal. Not only is this a great option for couples planning a wedding on a budget, but it’s also ideal for those wanting a more relaxed atmosphere on their big day.
For even more ways to save on your wedding catering and make your budget go further, check out our top tips on slashing the price of your wedding breakfast.
Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, so it’s important that those memories last forever. That makes choosing the right wedding photographer one of your key decisions. After all, you’ll be looking at their photos for years to come, so it’s absolutely worth the investment!
How much you pay will depend on the photographer, the service you want and the specific package you choose. If you want to cut costs and make your budget go further, ordering a digital album instead of a hard copy can save you some serious cash.
You might be asking yourself, “Why do I need a wedding videographer when I already have a wedding photographer?” Well, while a photographer can capture the key moments and highlights in a few snapshots, we’re betting you’ll want to remember every second of your wedding day – and having a designated wedding videographer will allow you to do just that.
As with wedding photographers, some videographers cost more than others. If having an absolutely jaw-dropping video is a priority for you, consider cutting back on some of your other suppliers to make room in your wedding budget.
If you don’t know how or where to find wedding videographers in your area, try using our wedding supplier search and then selecting the “Videographer” category. And be sure to check out our top tips on choosing your wedding videographer before you book yours!
How much do wedding flowers cost? Well, that depends on the type of flowers you want at your wedding. Though, in our opinion, our best bet is to go with seasonal flowers. It’s a great aesthetic, can mean big savings if you’re on a budget, and can even bag you some sustainability points! But whatever you do, never, ever underestimate how much flowers can transform your wedding!
If your heart’s still set on elaborate floral decorations but you’re worried about breaking the bank, check out our top wedding flowers penny-saving tips. You’ll be amazed how much you can save on your wedding flowers without sacrificing the “wow” factor.
Decoration isn’t just about the flowers! Don’t forget that many venues require you to hire all your furniture and other decorative features (especially “blank canvas” venues). This might be from the venue itself, your caterer, or a third party – but either way it’s an additional cost to factor in.
Something that can also eat up a big chunk of your wedding budget is marquee hire. If you’re hiring an outdoor venue for a winter wedding (or, let’s face it, probably for summer too!), you’ll definitely need one. If marquee hire isn’t included, this extra cost will add a few hundred pounds to your budget. So our top tip? Aim to book an all-inclusive venue which offers a two-in-one decoration and hire package. That way, you won’t have to worry about extra costs later on!
There are two main things that will affect the cost of your wedding cake. The first is the number of tiers you go for. This comes down to how many people you’re trying to feed and what kind of look you want. At the end of the day, more cake means more money…but one sneaky way to cheat the system if you’re on a budget is to order a cake that uses dummy layers.
The second factor is whether you want a traditional fruit wedding cake or a more modern sponge with fresh fruit. While the former can be made further in advance, the latter will need to be baked the night before or even the day of the wedding itself, which makes them that bit more expensive.
If you have a baker in the family, why not ask them to bake your wedding cake? They might offer you “mates rates” or even make it for free as their wedding gift to you. Then you can use the money you save to invite a couple more guests…or put it towards your honeymoon!
With a million-and-one amazing options to choose from, deciding on your ideal wedding entertainment is no easy decision. You’ll want to think carefully about three things. Firstly, what do you and your partner want? Do you see yourself and your partner swaying to a romantic live band, or is techno not something you’re giving up on your big day? Secondly, what will your guests enjoy? And finally, what will fit in with the style and vibe of your wedding?
When it comes to pricing and budgeting, the first question is whether or not you have your heart set on live music. A DJ is almost always cheaper than a live band and can be just as good.
There’s a breathtakingly beautiful wedding dress out there for everyone – and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg! Our handy list of wedding dress saving tips will help you find that dress of your dreams…even if you’re trying to avoid the (shockingly large) average dress cost of £1,424!
Not included in this total are your bridesmaids’ dresses! Whether you’re taking the hit yourself, splitting the cost or asking your main girls to pay, you can find our favourite places to buy your bridesmaid dresses here. From budget to luxury, your girls will look fabulous no matter the choice!
Don’t overlook the shoes! You want to look both fabulous and comfortable — and that comes at a price. Some brides will go with simple ballet flats so they can take the dance floor by storm, while others are comfortable in stiletto heels for all eight hours of their wedding day. If you want to save on shoes, just go with the favourites in your wardrobe. But if that perfect pair of brand-new wedding shoes is something you’ve been dreaming of since your engagement, why not step into Jimmy Choo’s wonderful world of weddings shoes guide right here on Bridebook.com?
And don’t overlook the other wedding fashion accessories! From the classic bridal veil to belts and sashes or hats and capes, accessories are a great way to make a statement, especially if you’re on a budget. A bit of sparkle is a sure-fire way to liven up a more affordable, simple gown.
The way a bride envisions her wedding is simple: she looks drop-dead gorgeous next to her prince or princess. And who makes all of this possible? Trick question! All you need to look absolutely stunning is a beautiful, happy smile…but yeah, a little hair and makeup will help too!
When it comes to figuring out how much you should spend on each part of your wedding, most couples overlook the groom’s attire and menswear But the groom and groomsmen will want to look gorgeous on their W-Day just as much as the bride and bridesmaids will, so why not let Bridebook help you decide on the perfect groom and ushers attire for your wedding day?
Our top tip? Communication. Make sure both your ushers and your bride are comfortable with what you choose to wear. You don’t have to be all “matchy-matchy”, but when your wedding comes together as a whole, the groom will be one of its central pieces…so keep that in mind!
Factoring your wedding jewellery into your budget is just as important as the wedding dress itself, as it can really add up. From necklaces and earrings, to bracelets and hairpieces, sourcing the dreamiest jewellery is crucial if you want to look fabulous walking down the aisle.
And as small as they are, don’t forget your wedding rings! They might just be the most significant detail of your wedding. After all, they’re a lasting symbol of your love and commitment to your partner, and will be with you both for the rest of your lives. Just like engagement rings, they’re also an added cost to your overall wedding budget…but definitely one you shouldn’t cut! Having trouble deciding on which metal and design to go for? We’ve put together a handy guide on all the different types of wedding bands available and their pricing.
You may feel a bit overwhelmed when it comes to choosing your wedding stationery. After all, when there’s everything from save-the-dates and invitations to programmes and place cards to consider, it’s not easy to know where to start. But, luckily for us, Papeterie Eugenie (who did George Clooney’s wedding stationery) shared their insider knowledge with us to help make picking out your stationery a piece of (wedding) cake, no matter your budget.
Do also keep in mind that this figure can vary widely depending on your unique needs and preferences. While both DIY or online invitations (such as those from Paperless Post) can cost next to nothing, bespoke and handcrafted stationery can cost closer to £800 or more.
Yes, yes, we know…organising your registrar isn’t exactly the most exciting part of your wedding, but it is very much one of the most crucial. Despite that, they’re an often overlooked expense that can come as a bit of a shock if you’re not expecting it! Even the royals have to pay their registrar fees, and it’s the one cost on this list where there are no sneaky loopholes or cost-cutting measures.
If you’re looking to save money on your wedding, or simply want an intimate legally binding affair, a registry office wedding is by far the cheapest option.
If you’re on a budget, consider hiring a wedding planner. Adding in this extra cost might sound counter-intuitive, but it could work out in your favour in the long run. Wedding planners have invaluable industry connections and a knack for haggling down prices – so they’ll likely have access to deals us mere mortals can only dream of!
If you’re looking for a less traditional and more personalised wedding ceremony, you’ll want to hire a celebrant. They’ll give you the freedom and flexibility to truly personalise how you celebrate your love with your partner. Just bear in mind that celebrant ceremonies aren’t legally recognised in England, Wales and Ireland (but are in Scotland). So hiring a celebrant will be an additional cost – you’ll still need to make provisions for the legal paperwork to be done at a registry office.
To ensure your wedding day runs smoothly, consider hiring a toastmaster as well. A lot of couples overlook toastmasters, but they play a vital role on the wedding scene. In addition to working with fellow wedding suppliers, they’re responsible for announcing toasts and introducing the speakers, and making sure your guests are in the right place at the right time. Hiring a toastmaster may eat up some of your budget, but it’ll leave you to enjoy your big day stress-free.
Who doesn’t like wedding favours? They’re a great way of giving your guests something to remember your special day by. We’ve kept the number on the lower side, based on 2024 average wedding costs (check out our ideas for affordable wedding favours), but favours can be as big or as small as you like, depending on your budget and preferences (and how many guests you have.
And remember, you don’t have to give favours at all! A lot of couples wonder whether or not wedding favours are a necessary cost – and honestly, it depends! For many of your guests, attending your big day will have been enough of a gift. But if you have money left in your budget…go for it! We actually get this question a lot on our Bridebook Instagram page, which you should follow immediately if you want wedding tips, inspiration and a little bit of Bridebook silliness.
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting you organise taxis for your entire guest list! But whether you’re thinking of making a low-key arrival or even planning on flying down the aisle (no, seriously, it’s been done before!), don’t overlook your own wedding transport. From vintage cars and carriages to tandem bikes and trucks, you’ll find the wedding transport to suit you on Bridebook.
When making decisions about your transport, a key consideration is how far your ceremony is from your accommodation and the reception venue. So maybe don’t choose to make your entrance on a tandem bike if you’re getting married five miles away from your wedding breakfast! And if you’re looking to cut this cost completely, why not ask a friend or relative if you can borrow their super cool car? Not only will they be flattered, but you’ll also save some £££!
Don’t forget your honeymoon, and any other hidden wedding costs (think organists and choirs, delivery costs, accommodation for your guests and suppliers, service charges, feeding your suppliers on the day, insurance, VAT). Your main focus might be on the wedding day itself, but it’s important to budget for any post-wedding spending too, as these costs can be significant. For example, you might need to dry clean clothing, buy thank you notes for your guests, and so on. For a more complete list, check out our post on hidden wedding costs every couple needs to know about.
The honeymoon is understandably a big post-wedding cost. According to our 204 Wedding Report, while older couples are more likely to stay within England, younger Gen Z couples are looking to travel more, favouring the beaches of the Maldives, Caribbean, Greece and Italy for their honeymoons.
Plan your dream wedding on Bridebook
So, that’s how a wedding breaks down for the average couple in 2024. Now it’s time to find out what your personalised budget breakdown will be, so you can get cracking with your planning!
And if you’re looking for ways to save money on your wedding, we’ve got plenty of cost-cutting hacks, so you can have your dream wedding without going over your budget. From venue saving tips to guest list considerations, we’ve got you covered.
A wedding cake plays a huge part in your wedding. Not only is it a centrepiece at the wedding reception, but also acts as a talking point – with the added benefit of your guests getting to eat it too.
But exactly how much a wedding cake costs depends on a lot, from the number of tiers to the flavour. You may want an elegant, traditional fruit cake, or a towering chocolate explosion – the choices are endless.
In this post, we’ll take a look at everything to do with the cost of a wedding cake, including the average cost, what can affect the price, and what type of cake you might expect for your budget.
In our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, we revealed that the average cost of a wedding cake in the UK is £400-£500. However, what you’ll actually pay could be lower – or much, much higher, depending on what you’re looking for.
For example, if you have a tighter budget, then a two-tier, lightly decorated vanilla sponge will be more affordable. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a touch of extravagance, a four-tier cake with multiple flavours and intricate detail will need a considerably more generous budget.
Number of Tiers
Affordable
Moderate
Luxury
2
£250 – £300
£350-400
£650- £750
3
£300 – £350
£450- £500
£850- £900
4
£400 – £450
£550- £600
£950- £1,000
If you’re on a budget, check out our post on ways to save money on your wedding cake. Do note that there are always compromises if you opt for the DIY approach.
By contrast, if you’re looking for a designer wedding cake which is completely custom-made, you can expect to pay well over £1,000 on average, even for cakes starting with relatively few tiers. This is because you’re paying for one-of-a-kind artistry, craftsmanship and unrivalled expertise, and there’s a lot of labour involved with making an elegant bespoke cake. Plus, there’s a very personal, and extended, level of service involved – a large, complicated designer cake can start months in advance, involving many consultations and back-and-forth communications to get the design just right for you and you alone, and take days to decorate once everything has been finalised.
How much you should pay for your wedding cake is down to what works for you – there is no right or wrong answer. If a wedding cake is something you want to include as a formality (or to appease Grandma), then you may want something small purely for the sake of your photos and to give your guests an extra dessert (once again, appeasing Grandma). In fact, if you’re not interested in traditions, you don’t need a wedding cake at all – something unique, like a pie or a jelly, works just as well and makes for a great talking point.
Yes, a bespoke wedding cake will cost considerably more than a ‘generic design’, as we’ve already touched upon above, due to the amount of time it takes the cake maker to design and make a one-of-a-kind cake which also doubles as a showstopping work of edible art. This could include having to create new techniques, sourcing new cake moulds, or crafting sugar models and patterns.
Store-made cakes are also made in large batches and often frozen before they’re bought, whereas bespoke cakes are freshly made. It can still be a lovely cake to both admire and eat, but a bespoke cake adds that unparalleled touch of quality, and so naturally comes with a premium price tag.
Traditionally, a wedding cake will have three tiers, but that’s not to say that your cake should stick to this. It’s your wedding, and if you want your cake to have two tiers (or 14 if you’re so inclined – you do you) then there’s nothing stopping you.
The only thing to be mindful of is how many guests your cake may need to feed. The more guests you have, then if you plan on letting everyone have a slice the bigger it’ll need to be.
If you’re keen on cake but not big on tradition, a show-stopping novelty cake can work as a great centrepiece. A three-tier cake will turn some heads, but a novelty cake shaped like something other than a cake is a great way to add another layer of personalisation to your wedding. Whether it’s a mountain if you enjoy hiking, a carousel if you both love going to the fair, or a pile of books if you’re both big readers, there are a million and one options for a creative – but still elegant and classy – wedding cake. However, because novelty cakes take a lot of work, they can cost a lot more – but are definitely worth it.
Another option to consider is a selection of cupcakes, such as from The Costa Cupcake Company and The Daisy Chain Bakery. The number of cupcakes can be customised to the number of guests you’ve invited, so everyone gets one. Cupcakes can be decorated to complement your style or theme, and there’s also the benefit of them being a huge crowd pleaser, too.
Does the number of decorations affect the cost of a wedding cake?
Wedding cake prices can increase depending on the number of sugar decorations that you have, so think carefully before committing to a dozen sugar flowers on each tier. A ready-made sugar flower sold separately from the cake can cost £6.75, and bespoke flowers like peonies and roses for crowning the cake can add another £30 – £40. Many couples choose to decorate their cake with real or plastic flowers, both of which save a considerable amount of money and still look absolutely amazing.
What other factors can affect the cost of a wedding cake?
When it comes to your wedding cake, there are plenty of factors that will affect how much you’ll pay. The following are the most important:
Tiers: The more tiers there are, the more your cake will cost.
Location: Where your cake makers are based will affect the cost. For example, those located in London will naturally have higher rates than those outside.
Design: A more complex or intricate cake design will take more time and skill than a simple or more subtle design, bumping up the cost.
Techniques: The techniques involved are another potential variable in the cost, for example, whether the cake will be hand-painted, or airbrushed with stencils, or whether it needs to be sculpted free-hand, or is of a simpler shape.
Toppers: Cake toppers offer a cute way to personalise your cake, but can take a lot of time to craft, especially if they’re bespoke.
Flavour: A basic sponge cake will be more affordable than luxurious triple chocolate or alcohol-soaked fruit cake.
Dummy layers: If you want more tiers but not necessarily more cake, dummy layers will lower the cost by (though not always by as much as you might think).
Ingredients: If organic or premium ingredients are important to you then you’ll need a budget to reflect it. Ingredients for the decoration will also add to the cost – for example, if there’s sugar, buttercream, or even fresh flowers.
Stand: A basic cake stand will be more affordable than one that’s extravagant.
Delivery and setup fees: If delivery and setup take a long time, especially for large and elaborate cakes, then expect to pay a little extra.
You’ll be the first to slice your cake, but don’t expect to have to cut every guest a slice yourself. When speaking to your catering team, ask them exactly how you want your cake to be sliced. If you have a fruit cake, the denseness and richness mean you don’t need to be overly generous with size like you might with a more delicate sponge. Another way to ensure a better cost-per-slice ratio is with square slices instead of wedges.
When it comes to taste, vanilla, chocolate and lemon are the most popular wedding cake flavours, and luckily they’re also among the cheapest. A fruit cake made with fresh fruit will be more expensive, but as we mentioned above, its intense (and more acquired) taste means it’ll go further. Also, rolled fondant and marzipan will cost more, as they take more time to smooth and can tear easily if not applied carefully.
Dummy layers are a crafty way to add extra tiers to your cake while ensuring the cost doesn’t spiral out of control. Dummy layers are made from styrofoam and covered in the same icing as the other layers, so your guests will be none the wiser. They’re a great way to save if you’re keen on a five-tier cake but only need 70 servings. A fake layer (or two) can add drama and extra height, without the need for a filling or unnecessary weight. The layer itself doesn’t cost a lot, but it’s worth bearing in mind that lots of detail will still drive up the price.
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And if you’re looking for ways to save money on your wedding cake, we’ve put together our top tips to help you cut costs without cutting out all the best bits.
When it comes to hosting a memorable wedding, food and drink are a huge contributing factor. Including canapés and arrival drinks, a three or four-course wedding breakfast and a spread for the evening buffet, your guests will spend a large portion of their time at your wedding enjoying some delicious food and drink.
But how much does wedding catering cost, so you know exactly how much of your budget you need to dedicate toward keeping your guests fed, watered (or wined!) and – ultimately – happy?
In this post we’re going to take a look at the average cost of catering a wedding and what can affect that cost – including the alcohol.
The first thing you need to know is that, depending on the venue, catering can often be done in-house. But, if the venue doesn’t offer catering that suits your taste, you can hire caterers to come to your venue separately. Venues that include catering are usually priced per head, meaning there will be a set price for every guest which will include food (a buffet or sit-down meal), the venue rental and sometimes half a bottle of wine per person for the meal and some bubbly for the toasts.
If a venue is priced at a lump sum, it usually means that catering is not included and what you are paying goes towards securing the venue. For more information check out our post on the cost of a wedding venue.
How much your wedding catering costs depends entirely on how many people you’re looking to invite. The more people you invite the more hungry mouths there will be, and of course the higher the cost will be.
In our ultimate guide to budgeting a wedding, we outlined that to cater an 80- to 90-guest wedding you can expect to spend an average of £5,700 overall. This may initially sound like a lot, but it actually equates to just over £65 per person, which is quite reasonable when you consider it’s their food for the entire day. However, it’s also enough to make you think twice when liberally handing out those +1s.
Of course, if your wedding is more intimate than that – or more grandiose – it can drastically change that figure. Based on this, to cater a 40-guest wedding the average cost will be around £2,600, and a 160-guest wedding will cost around £10,400.
This is of course based on the average, and depending on your budget there’s a range of options available:
You may expect the price per head to reduce depending on the greater the number of guests there are, but this isn’t always the case when it comes to catering a wedding. It will usually depend on several factors, including the venue, the number of kitchen and wait staff required, and the dining style.
For example, the price per head will be cheaper if you provide buffet-style food or food trucks than it would with a four-course meal, regardless of how many guests are attending.
The wedding breakfast will generally be one of the most expensive parts of your wedding reception. They’re usually multi-course sit-down meals that are meticulously run from a busy kitchen like a well-oiled machine – and that kind of operation comes at a cost.
The average cost of a wedding breakfast will be around £30-40 per head, but certain venues and vendors can charge more than three times this amount.
Your evening buffet is a far more relaxed meal, which offers a greater choice of food and the need for fewer servers. It also offers you the chance to fill the bellies of your guests who could only come to the evening reception.
The average cost of a buffet is usually around £20-30 per head, however, this can also vary depending on the selection of dishes on offer and the type of cuisine. For example, chicken and chips will be far more affordable than hand-made sushi!
What else can affect the cost of catering a wedding?
The above costs are all averages, and you’ll make plenty of choices that will make that cost go either down or way (WAY) up. These include:
Style of service: the cost of a buffet, sit-down meal, or food truck can vary hugely. For example, for a sit-down meal, you would have to factor in the wages of the waiters (it’s recommended to have 1 per 11 guests) and a buffet would have a wider selection of food options. There are thousands of caterers offering a wide variety of options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Menu choice: The more options you offer your guests outside of the standard meat, fish or vegetarian/vegan, the more you’re likely to pay.
The venue: Does it have its own catering team? If you’re hiring a catering team separate from the venue, you may also need to factor in the cost of hiring a marquee and portable kitchen. These costs can quickly add up, adding several thousand to the cost of your catering. Some venues have a list of preferred caterers, so make sure you ask your chosen wedding venue if there are limitations.
The food: Some food is cheaper to make than others. If you’re keen to offer oysters and caviar, don’t be surprised if it’s more expensive than if you were to offer sandwiches and vol-au-vents.
The ingredients: Some caterers may offer premium ingredients, and if imported or organic produce is important to you then expect to pay a little extra.
The number of courses: Are you happy with a three-course meal, or would you like to offer hors d’oeuvres, a fish course, palate-cleansing sorbets, and mignardise? The more courses there are (and the more complex they are to make) the pricier it will be.
The date: you can expect to pay higher rates during peak times, such as during the summer and at weekends.
While it can be tempting to offer an open bar, a wedding is one of those rare occasions when people tend to let their hair down. As a result, many of your guests will want to partake in a drink or two (or five or six). The cost of an open bar can quickly become eye-wateringly expensive, which is why many couples opt instead for a bottle or two of wine per table, plus a glass of bubbles on arrival and for the toasts. Then, if guests would like any other drinks, they’re free to choose what they like from a cash bar.
Remember, if you choose to supply your own fizz or bottles of wine, the venue may charge a corkage fee, which can be around £5-11 per bottle.
Hidden wedding costs can sneak up on even the most diligent of couples. It’s easy to forget to check whether a supplier’s service charge is included, for example… Only to find out a week before your wedding that you need to cough up an extra few hundred pounds! Nightmare.
So what should you look out for? Well, luckily for you, we’ve asked our experts and got the inside scoop. Read on to find out the hidden wedding costs you’d never think the budget for. We promise your wallet will thank you!
Psst! If you want to make even bigger savings, Bridebook is home to the most powerful wedding budget planner available. Simply enter your total wedding funds and in just one click, you’ll have your personalised wedding budget breakdown. Wave goodbye to spreadsheets and penny-pinching!
1. If you’re getting married in a church and want an organist, bellringer or choir, check if it’s included. It rarely is, meaning you’ll need to budget extra for the add-on.
2. Watch out for where you’re getting married when estimating costs! An off-site civil ceremony tends to cost more than a ceremony at a registry office.
3. Remember that you’ll rarely pay the base rate for your wedding dress. Wedding dress prices often don’t include the cost of any potential alterations – and you’ll usually need around three fittings to get it just right!
4. Don’t forget any delivery costs that come as extra. Many suppliers, from florists and cakemakers to hair and makeup artists, will charge a premium when delivering from a certain distance.
5. It’s a sneaky one, but check whether or not envelopes are included in the price of your wedding stationery. Can you believe they sometimes aren’t?!
Want even more wedding tips, tricks and inspiration? Check out our Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.
6. Another stationery-related one for you: consider the cost of stamps – especially if you have family abroad! Depending on the weight of your invitations and how far they’ll have to travel, stamps can rack up fast.
7. Feeling peckish? Plan in advance what you and your wedding party will snack on while you’re getting ready on the big day, even if it’s just some homemade sandwiches. Remember, you’ll probably be nervous. You might also have had a little something to drink… And we all know how easy it is to spend a small fortune on takeout when hunger strikes!
8. While reusing flowers from your ceremony at your reception can be a quick way to save a few bucks, you’ll need to check beforehand if you’re travelling between venues that it’s actually as cost-effective as you think. Your florist may well charge a fee for the extra work they’ll do to relocate displays between different locations.
9. If you’re filming your wedding, some musicians may charge a fee to have their performance filmed. Ask in advance so you’re not surprised on the day!
10. Don’t forget to tip! Make sure your wedding venue (or caterer) includes any compulsory service charges in their bill from the start. It can be an unpleasant (and costly!) surprise to have another 12.5% added to your bill at the last minute.
11. Something many couples forget is that their wedding team (think your photographer, videographer, entertainer, band or DJ, etc.) – may well be expecting to be fed. They won’t necessarily expect the same meal you’re serving your guests – although this can be an easy way to kill two birds with one stone – but do check their contracts, as some will stipulate hot meals be provided. Whether it’s part of their contract or not, we’d always advise that best practice is to make sure your suppliers are provided for.
12. Definitely don’t forget about corkage fees. This is a charge many venues will add onto alcohol bought elsewhere – and it can add up fast. This means that even if you found alcohol for sale at bargain prices, it might no longer be cheaper than buying from the venue once you consider how much the venue will charge you to serve it.
13. If you’re having a marquee at your wedding, make sure to take out insurance to cover any potential damage. It’s not worth the risk of going without!
14. One detail it’s easy to forget – but impossible to avoid – is transport! How are you getting to your ceremony, from there to your reception, and finally back to your accommodation? Whether you need a car, a tractor or a horse, factor the cost of that wedding transport in.
15. We know, we know – we sound like a broken record. But don’t forget about VAT! Check whether or not it’s included and read the small print to avoid any surprises.
16. Your main focus might be on your wedding day but it’s important to budget for any post-wedding spending, as these costs can be significant. For example, you might need to dry clean clothing, buy thank you notes for your guests, and so on.
While we can’t guarantee that covers absolutely everything, those are the top things we’d look out for – and even they could save you hundreds of pounds! One final tip is to make sure you note everything down in one place and make sure the terms of all your arrangements are crystal clear to both parties. That way, you’re on top of everything – and you won’t need to worry about any unexpected surprises!
Whether you’ve recently started to plan your wedding or you’re right in the thick of it, you probably noticed something fairly quickly – weddings can be costly. In 2024, the average cost of a wedding is £20,775, and that’s before you’ve even got to the honeymoon or considered the cost of the engagement ring. So if you’re trying to figure out how to plan your dream wedding and stay firmly within your budget, you’ve come to the right place.
In this post, we’re going to take a deep dive into how to save money on a wedding and offer you plenty of tips to make sure you don’t go over your wedding budget.
Before we go over the many ways you can save money on your wedding, make sure you have a solid idea as to what you want to (realistically) spend. To give you a helping hand, you can use Bridebook’s useful wedding budget calculator.
Throwing a lavish and expensive wedding is a fabulous way to spend your big day, but it’s important not to get too carried away. Have a chat with your partner about what’s really important for both of you and create a list that categorises the must-haves and the nice-to-haves so you know what can be cut if you get a little too close to the top end of your budget.
Planning a wedding is a lot of fun, but it can also be a stressful time. That stress, combined with spending a great deal of money, can be create challenges. Remember to be open and honest with your partner and try not to get your heart set on something before you’ve booked it. The last thing you want is to be disappointed if something doesn’t quite work out how you hoped.
What’s the average cost of a wedding in 2024?
Average UK Wedding Costs: With and Without the Engagement Ring and Honeymoon
As uncovered in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, the average cost of a wedding in 2024 is £20,775, not including the ring and a potential honeymoon. When you factor the engagement ring and honeymoon into your budget, the average cost rises to £25,952, which is a huge amount of money to spend.
It’s important to remember that this is just an average, and the actual cost of your wedding will depend on many factors, including the cost of the venue, number of guests, time of year, and even how many tiers there are on your cake.
Of course, you don’t have to spend this amount, or anything close to it – couples have weddings which range from costing less than £1,000 to costing £100,000 or more. If you budget wisely, make some careful decisions and plan ahead, you can make significant savings while still ensuring you have your dream wedding.
What are the best tools for saving money on your wedding?
When the time comes to start planning your wedding in earnest, the excitement can take hold and before you know it you’re creating spreadsheets, browsing Instagram hashtags and Pinterest stores, and your Google search history is nothing but venues and flower shops. But before you dive into the deep end, why not consider a tool to help you save time, money and effort?
We recommend using Bridebook’s state-of-the-art wedding budget tool to keep track of your expenses and make sure everything is taken care of. We also have a wedding planning app so you don’t have to keep a stack of notebooks with you or carry your laptop around when you meet vendors – you’ll have everything you need right there on your phone.
Can you save money on your wedding by inviting fewer guests?
When you’re getting married, we understand that it’s a big deal and you’ll probably want to invite every family member, friend, colleague and acquaintance you have. However, having a set number of guests will ensure you keep the guest list limited, which will save you on the venue, catering and invitation costs. It may be tempting to invite everyone you know to come and celebrate with you, but doing so will increase the cost of your wedding and could push it beyond your budget.
To put it into perspective, the average couple spends around £200 per guest – that means, if you’re ruthless with your guest list and invite 100 guests instead of 150, you’ll save over £10,000. If you’re not prepared to make cuts quite that drastic, even just cutting back your guest list by five could save you around £1,000.
A twilight wedding is a wedding that starts later in the day and is a great way to lower the cost of your wedding. It not only means you’re using your venue for a shorter amount of time, but you also bypass the expensive wedding breakfast and you pay vendors and staff for fewer hours as well.
For example, Friern Manor Country House Hotel offers a twilight wedding package starting at £3,500 for 70 guests, compared to £7,995 for a traditional wedding – that’s half the price! That means you can have all the celebrations of every other wedding, only condensed into a shorter amount of time. It’s the perfect way to make massive savings on your wedding if you’re happy to have the ceremony take place later in the day.
If you’re planning a wedding on a budget or just looking to save a bit of cash, knowing how to break down your budget will be one of the most important parts of your overall wedding planning, but how to stick to it? In this video course, Bridebook founder (and qualified wedding planner) Hamish Shephard explains how to plan a wedding on a budget, sharing his expert money-saving tips on everything from your wedding venue to your catering and more.
If you haven’t set the date yet, you can find huge savings by avoiding the busy seasons, certain days of the week and popular locations. So, if you’re happy to not have a Saturday wedding in the middle of summer, slap bang in the middle of London, you could save thousands. For example:
Choose a midweek wedding. You’ll save on almost every wedding supplier by joining the 50% of couples who hold their big day on any day other than a Saturday, which is the most popular day to get married. To maximise your savings, the cheapest day to get married is a Tuesday. Suppliers are usually happy to offer reduced rates on days that otherwise wouldn’t be booked.
Consider areas outside London. Couples are now spending over £15,000 (or 77%) more to marry in the capital. So, like other savvy couples, why not consider having your wedding somewhere outside of the capital (both Wales, and Yorkshire and the Humber, are the cheapest regions to get married in)? Plus, not only is a wedding away from your hometown a great way to save money, it increases the feeling of magic, mystery and adventure.
Have a winter wedding. Try to avoid peak wedding season, which is between June and September, when costs are the highest. Costs are lowest in the winter, with January and February being the cheapest months in which to tie the knot (24% less than the UK average). So, if you don’t mind it being cold outside, it could be a great choice. And on the off-chance there’s frost or snow, it’ll give you the opportunity to take unique wedding photos.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that many venues offer discounts and special ‘late availability’ packages in off-peak wedding seasons or to fill a space left by a cancellation. This can make even the most premium ones a far more affordable option if you’re happy with a bit of last-minute planning and organising. A great example is Holdsworth House Hotel, an idyllic wedding venue with 32 bedrooms, charming courtyards and enchanting gardens.
If there’s one thing people remember about weddings, it’s the quality (and quantity) of the food. Whether you go for a four-course breakfast or an all-you-can-eat buffet featuring around-the-world cuisine, food is guaranteed to excite your guests. For that reason, you won’t want to cut corners when it comes to your food, but there are still some creative ways to save money while not compromising on quality. But, with couples spending around £5,700 on wedding catering, it can account for around a quarter of your entire wedding budget.
As we’ve already highlighted, you can slash these costs by cutting the number of guests you invite, as there will be fewer mouths to feed. Your friend’s boyfriend of two months? Sure, you like them, but do you like them enough to pay £62 per head for them to eat a three-course meal? Cutting out a table of eight will save an average of almost £500 on food and drink (as well as saving you in table numbers and stationery). Not to mention that cutting your guest list might also give you the ability to choose a smaller, more affordable wedding venue.
If you’re keen on having a lot of people there, why not invite them to the evening reception? That way, no one will get offended about not being invited, and you’ll save money by not having to feed as many guests at the wedding breakfast. Alternatively, why not skip the expensive wedding breakfast altogether and have a breakfast buffet instead? A buffet drastically reduces costs by only requiring limited staff, plus it offers guests a wider choice.
Many people enjoy a drink or two at a wedding, and the most obvious way to save money is by not offering an open bar. Save over £2,000 by offering a paid bar. This requires your guests to pay for their drinks themselves, and stops everyone from accidentally over-indulging. Plus, guests won’t expect an open bar, with two out of three couples opting to let their guests pay for their own drinks.
Another way to save money is by choosing a more affordable fizz for the toasts. Champagne may be a luxurious choice, but cheaper alternatives like prosecco, sparkling wine or Cava will still go down just as well.
You may also be able to hire your own mobile bar instead of going with what the venue offers. One of our vendors, Near and Far Mobile Bar Ltd, is an excellent option as they set up their mobile bar at the venue, provide staff and bartending service, and offer pre-wedding consultation. Whoever you hire, just make sure they have a license. Or, you could choose to provide your own bubbly. Just bear in mind that the venue may charge a corkage fee. This can sometimes be more expensive than going with what the venue offers.
Below are just a few tips for helping strip those costs right back, while still ensuring you get wonderful professional photographs.
Consider an express package. Instead of having the photographer spend the whole day with you, ask if they offer two or three-hour packages, where they come and take shots of the venue, the bridal party and your close friends and family. Opting for fewer hours is the best way to reduce costs, but does mean forgoing pictures of you cutting the cake and your first dance at the evening reception. Some photographers also provide a second camera person and opting out of this service can significantly lower the cost.
Hire a local photographer. Local photographers will usually charge you far less than those who have to travel far and charge additional fees for those miles. Here at Bridebook, we have a huge range of fantastic photographers, so you’re sure to find one who operates where you’re hosting your wedding.
Go digital. If you forgo professionally printed albums as 9 out of 10 couples now do, you could save £250+. Most modern photography packages include a link to your own online gallery, where you can browse and enjoy all your favourite shots at your leisure. You can then always use a photo-developing service, such as Snapfish, to print your photographs for a fraction of the cost later on.
While the majority of couples choose to have a photographer shoot at their wedding, a third of couples also choose to hire a videographer to document and capture their big day in a candid and natural way, with the costs in line with that of a photographer. If capturing your wedding on video is important to you, there are plenty of ways to save money on a videographer too.
One way to save money on a wedding videographer is by hiring a professional who might not have as much experience as others. An up-and-coming videographer, who is new to the business, will have plenty of enthusiasm and passion, but not quite as much of a portfolio. They may also not have a range of expensive kit, such as drones or 4K cameras, but should still be able to produce a beautiful video for a price that fits within your budget.
You may also be able to save money by asking not to have any complex editing or cinematography, which can add a lot of time to post-production.
One of the expenses that might take you by surprise is the price of your wedding flowers, at an average cost of around £1,100. This is due to florists having to source different flowers, create elaborate artistic displays, and transport them to the venue, which all requires time, dedication, skill and expertise. That being said, there are ways you can save money on wedding flowers which mean you can have a luscious wedding filled with flora while sticking within your budget.
Many wedding florists have years, if not decades, of experience providing flowers for hundreds of weddings. That means they’re equipped to work with any budget – including yours. Speak to your chosen florist, tell them what you’re looking for and trust them. As with all wedding vendors, communication is key.
Here are a few money-saving tips for choosing wedding flowers:
Choose flowers with big heads. Not only do they look gorgeous, but generally, the bigger the flowerhead, the fewer stems you need to fill out an arrangement, which can cost a lot less than having multiple small-headed flowers.
Go for flowers that are in season. While it may be tempting to ask for roses at your spring wedding, they’ll cost a lot more then than they would during late summer or autumn, because they wouldn’t be in season. Choosing flowers that are in season will naturally help keep costs down.
Choose a naturally beautiful venue. Go for an outdoor wedding with plenty of surrounding greenery, so you won’t have to pay for additional decor. Great outdoor venues can include vineyards, parks and private gardens.
Opt for foliage over flowers. Greenery is super popular right now and many couples prefer to go with garlands to adorn their tables or drape over the altar. The best part is, foliage is typically way more affordable.
Wedding decor peppers your personality across your big day, but depending on your theme, the costs can quickly add up. The average cost of professionally sourced wedding decor is £1,500, but there are plenty of ways to save money if you’re willing to compromise, such as by creating DIY decorations or sourcing them from specialist vendors. If you’re happy not to have personalised decorations, you can slash this amount to just a couple hundred pounds. Check out our blog post on how to save money on wedding decor for more inspiration.
Another expense is the cost of marquee hire, which averages around £4,200. This depends on the size and type of marquee you go for, so if you’re not set on either of these, you can make significant savings by having a more basic marquee type. Another way to save money on a wedding marquee is by avoiding peak times, such as Saturdays and/or the summer months, as prices can be much higher during the busiest and most popular periods.
Your wedding cake is most likely the most expensive dessert you’ll ever buy, with the average cost at around £400 – £500. After all, it’s not just hugely symbolic: you’re paying for an edible work of art. Yet just like the cake itself, there are layers to the cost. The larger your wedding party, the bigger the cake will be, and the more expensive it will be too. If you do have a lot of guests, a cake with a less complex or intricate design will help keep costs down. You could also consider a dummy layer that replaces a layer of cake with polystyrene – not as tasty, but generally cheaper (though this isn’t always the case).
Due to the skill and time needed to make them, fondant and sugar flowers will typically cost more, so you can save money by forgoing them where possible. A lovely and cost-effective option (not to mention fashionable) is a naked cake with fresh flowers or fruit. Not only does a naked cake require less buttercream and fewer time-consuming decorations, but it still looks and tastes amazing.
Wedding cupcakes are another cute option and usually cost around £4 per guest; they’re generally easier to make and decorate, look adorable in pictures, and are often cheaper than a showstopping multi-tiered wedding cake.
For entertainment, it ultimately depends on your wedding theme. To keep costs down, consider creating a DIY kid’s table if children are coming to your wedding. A collection of colouring books, crayons and a box of Lego will save you £500+ that you would have to spend on a kids’ entertainer.
When it comes to music, if you’re interested in a live act, unless you want Tylor Swift at your wedding, a solo singer will generally be far more affordable than a band, simply because you’re paying one performer instead of four or five. Similarly, a DJ is often a more budget-friendly option and is almost guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. You can actually save up to £900 by choosing a DJ over a live band (though a band will offer that unique touch to your evening reception).
Firstly, you can reach out to bridalwear boutiques and ask if they have any upcoming sales or bridal dresses at discounted prices. There’s every chance that in a week or two, there may be a sale that slashes the price of many of their dresses, saving you a bundle. And, it may be an awkward conversation, but asking your bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses could save you £300+.
Most bridal shops sell sample dresses in styles they’re either discontinuing or no longer want to sell at discounted prices. These are dresses you and other brides-to-be try on in the shops, but if you can look past this you can make significant savings. You can also opt for high-fashion brands – ASOS, Chi Chi London and Little Mistress all sell wedding dresses at super affordable prices (just note that these are unlikely to match the quality and service of a bridalwear boutique).
The amount of gorgeous second-hand dresses out there shouldn’t be underestimated, and you can save as much as £750 by finding a vintage or pre-loved dress. Plus, only 5% of brides buy a second-hand dress, which means you won’t face much competition if you opt for something pre-loved.
To save money on a veil, why not have it as your ‘something borrowed’ and ask a family member if you could use theirs? If you’re willing to compromise, you may also have other accessories at home already, including a belt and bowtie, or jewellery and handbag, which may already work with your wedding outfit.
It’s also worth checking the depths of your shoe cupboard to see if you have some shoes that will work. Just remember to give them a polish to make them extra shiny. And remember that, again, you might have to compromise on the exact look and quality you originally envisioned . Check out our dedicated post to discover more ways to save money on wedding accessories.
The thought of walking down the aisle, all eyes on you, is both exciting and probably a little nerve-wracking. But, when you look amazing, it can help you feel confident enough to melt those nerves away. This is one of the many reasons why hiring a professional to take care of your hair and makeup is important to so many brides and, in most cases, totally worth it – that and it’s one less thing for you to worry about on the day. But, with couples spending an average of £690 on hair and makeup (as well as other pre-wedding rituals) cutting costs where possible can be a lifesaver for budget-conscious couples.
The most obvious way to significantly save money on wedding hair and makeup is by biting the bullet and doing it yourself, or asking your bridesmaids to take on the responsibility. This could save you up to £330+, but comes with its own set of risks (which we set out in our article on demystifying bridal beauty costs). If the DIY approach isn’t ideal, you could instead consider hiring a makeup assistant , who won’t be as experienced as a hair or makeup artist but will still have worked closely with one at plenty of weddings.
Another cost-saving option is to travel to your stylist or beautician on the morning of your wedding, rather than having them come to you at your venue. This could potentially halve the amount you spend on beauty. Just note that you won’t get the same level of on-the-day care and attention, including last-minute touch-ups and veil adjustments, which might be stressful).
While not generally quite as pricey as a wedding dress, today’s couples spend an average of £700-900 on suits for their wedding. While a bespoke, tailored suit might be appealing, high-street retailers offer a great range of wedding suits for around £150 if you’re on a tight budget. You may also find a great suit or tuxedo at a local second-hand store or charity shop, but bear in mind you’ll likely need to have it altered to fit you perfectly (which will bump up the costs).
Another option to slash the price of a suit is through renting, which can cost as little as £50 per suit. Plus, if all the groomsmen rent their tuxes or suits from the same place, there’s a good chance the groom’s suit will be free, or at least discounted. And even if this isn’t an advertised offer, it’s always worth asking.
Your wedding ring is the one piece of jewellery you’ll rarely take off, so will be with you through thick and thin – which is why couples spend an average of £1,000 on their wedding rings. However, it is possible to save money on wedding rings by not relying on expensive metals such as gold and platinum, instead opting for something such as silver or titanium, which could lower the cost to as little as £50 per ring (and still be durable over years of wear and tear).
You may also want to seriously think about whether or not you want to choose wedding rings with set diamonds or other precious stones. While it may look incredible, it will be far more expensive than if you were to choose a plain band. Also, the thicker the band is, the more expensive it will be, so consider choosing a band that is on the thinner side to reduce the cost.
With Pinterest full of gorgeous and creative wedding invitation ideas, it’s hard to forgo a beautiful professionally-designed invitation in favour of a less aesthetic amateur one. But, you don’t necessarily have to do that to save money. Choose the invitation style of your dreams and go digital, and give your guests the option to RSVP digitally too. This will massively reduce the cost of your wedding stationery, on which couples spend an average of £400.
Almost a third of today’s couples don’t use paper stationery, such as menus and invitations, so consider joining them! Save money on wedding stationery by using sites like Paperless Post, or design your own beautiful digital invitations to email to your guests and save almost £300. At the wedding, a decorative chalkboard can explain the menu and agenda for the day – beautiful and often cheaper than paper (plus you can box it away as a keepsake post-wedding).
A registry office wedding is already one of the most affordable choices when it comes to a wedding on a budget, costing an average of £1,342. However, it’s possible to save even more money on a registry office wedding if you opt for the basic ceremony only, which means it could cost you as little as £57 (not including the £35 it costs for each of you to give notice).
It can also be cheaper to get married during quieter periods, so make sure you avoid peak times such as Saturday afternoons or the height of summer.
Hiring a wedding planner may sound like another cost you could do without – after all, the average cost of a wedding planner is £2,436, or about 10% of your overall budget. But, wedding planners can actually help you save money in the long run by ensuring you stay within your budget. Not only that, but being in the industry means that wedding planners also have plenty of contacts and connections and can help you land the best deals, discounts and savings as a result, and they’re expert negotiators as well.
One way to save money on a wedding planner is by hiring them to do a partial wedding planning service, which means they come in with a few months to go before your wedding to make sure everything is as it should be. It’s a far more affordable service, but obviously not as thorough as if you were to hire them at the very start of your planning journey.
A wedding celebrant is a wonderful way to personalise your ceremony, particularly if you’re not looking for a religious wedding or you’re a couple with mixed faiths. However, because a celebrant can’t legally marry you, there are further costs due to the need to also hire a registrar. And, with the average cost of a celebrant being £500, this can be an important cost to consider.
To save money on a wedding celebrant, consider compromising on the level of service involved. Ask if they’ll consider not meeting with you ahead of the wedding, and if they’re happy to rely on a questionnaire to personalise your ceremony. Similarly, many celebrants will want to speak to your family and friends about your relationship; cutting out this service may help to lower the price. Just be aware that you may not get as bespoke or thorough a service.
Go down the DIY route. DIY favours can really reduce your costs, and if you’re happy with them not being super personalised, you could get the cost down to less than £1 each.
Consider cheap sweet treats. Edible favours are usually a more budget-friendly choice, such as retro sweets, biscuits, or even homemade jam.
Keep packaging simple and practical. The simpler the design, the more affordable the packaging will generally be.
Donate to a charity. A charity donation made on behalf of your guests allows you to control how much you spend, and makes for a thoughtful and generous gesture.
Depending on your plans, you could spend a good chunk of the first half of your wedding day being driven from A to B to C and back to B again. For that reason, wedding transport can be expensive, with couples spending an average of £700 on the vehicle and driver of their choice.
To save money on wedding transport, consider hiring a venue that allows you to have the ceremony, breakfast, reception and accommodation all in one, so you only need to pay for an hour or so of time. Or, if you know someone with a classic car or something with some oomph under the bonnet, call in a favour in exchange for an invite and a night of free drinks.
Your honeymoon is your chance to relax and unwind after a year or more of full-on wedding planning. The honeymoon is non-negotiable for many couples and is one of the biggest splurges, costing an average of £4,300.
It can be tempting to book your honeymoon early to help you budget, but if you’re flexible with where you’re happy to go, you could grab a bargain by booking a last-minute deal a week or two before your wedding.
But if you have your sights set on somewhere in particular, reduce costs by travelling on off-peak days: Wednesdays and Thursdays are usually the cheapest for international flights. It also goes without saying that during busier times, such as school holidays or the summer months, it’s often expensive to travel. If your wedding is booked on such an occasion, why not postpone your honeymoon by just a couple of weeks and save money by travelling off-peak?
The cost of wedding insurance might feel like an unnecessary expense – as low as £30 for the most basic cover, to £100 -£180 on average, to up to £20,000 – but it can save you thousands down the line in the unlikely event something goes wrong.
You can save money on your wedding insurance by only choosing a basic policy, such as a policy which doesn’t include public liability. If you also forgo a marquee, you won’t need to add a marquee insurance extension to your policy, further bringing the cost right down.
Despite being a specialist type of insurance, comparison sites such as Money Supermarket let you compare quotes from various providers so you can secure the best policy. Just double-check that your chosen insurer includes everything you need and provides you with the right level of coverage.
Spending the ‘right’ amount of money on a wedding gift is something that plagues the mind of many wedding guests, but the cost of a wedding gift can vary dramatically based on several factors, including your relationship with the couple and whether or not you’re in a couple yourself.
But, there are ways to save money on a wedding gift. Why not club together with other guests, turning what would be several smaller gifts into a single larger one?
If the couple has a gift registry, it should include gift suggestions to suit a range of budgets. Don’t buy your gift from the first retailer you find it in – if you shop around you might be able to find a bargain, or at the very least something very similar with a far more affordable price tag.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
There you have our top tips to help you save money on your wedding. For more information, check out our individual savings pages for even more ways to cut down your spending and make your wedding budget go further.
Here at Bridebook, we have thousands of wedding venues and suppliers to suit any budget. Sign up today and start planning your dream wedding!
Planning your wedding is a fun, exciting and challenging time. It’s fun and exciting because you and your best friend are planning the biggest party of your lives before you spend the rest of your lives together. It’s challenging because, unfortunately, it’s actually pretty expensive to plan a wedding.
In the UK, the average cost of a wedding is £20,775, which is a considerable amount of money for most couples. It’s amazing just how expensive weddings can become as budgets spiral out of control. Small costs can quickly stack up. Plus, if you don’t keep on top of invoices and payments, it can soon suck the joy out of the experience, and become something altogether stressful.
The great news is, there are things you can do to make sure you don’t get carried away and you keep on top of your payments. In this post, we’re going to dive into how to pay for a wedding, including budgeting and payment options, as well as tips for making sure you manage your money smartly.
How to pay for a wedding: cheat sheet
Check out the below cheat sheet for the key takeaways when it comes to paying for your wedding. Refer back to it whenever you need to.
Follow this cheat sheet when thinking about your wedding payments
If you’re looking for how to pay for a wedding on your own, this isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. We’ve already covered how the average UK wedding costs almost £20,000, but that figure is exactly that – an average. So, there are plenty of weddings that cost way below this (as well as some that cost far more, of course). And, a wedding that costs far less than the average is a much easier and more achievable goal if you want to pay for it all yourself.
Here are a few things to consider if you want to pay for your wedding:
Set a realistic budget. If you’re going it alone, you may have to consider what are must-haves compared to nice-to-haves.
Consider the venue carefully, because some cost way more than others. For example, getting married in a castle will cost you around £12,454, while a registry office will cost around £1,342.
Rather than a wedding that takes place across a whole day, you can slash costs by having a twilight wedding, which takes place during the latter half of the day.
Ramp up your monthly savings where possible – even one less meal out per month could save you around £1,000 over the course of a year (if you regularly eat in places that are a little pricey, that is).
Think about how you could make money through a side hustle. It shouldn’t take too much time – after all, you still need downtime and an opportunity to actually plan your wedding. But, you could earn an extra £1,000 a year and avoid paying any additional tax.
Choose to get married during off-peak days and months, which could save you thousands. With only 13% of couples getting married on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there’s also much less competition out there.
Be open to compromise – if you are, there are plenty of ways to cut costs.
When you plan your wedding there are quotes, figures, deposits, instalments, direct debits and invoices flying around from all different directions. With so much going on, how are you supposed to keep track and make sense of everything? Below are a few things to keep in mind so you don’t get lost wading through mounds of overdue invoices.
Agreeing on your budget is more than sticking your finger in the air and plucking out a magic number. If you do that, and then try to fit your venue, catering, outfits, rings and more around it, you’ll soon realise that you’re likely to run out of budget.
Of course, it’s useful to have an overall figure to aim for. But, in order to do this accurately, you first need an idea of what each individual vendor is going to cost. The best way to do this is by using a budget calculator, which helps you visualise everything using realistic figures. That way, you can instantly see that your dream venue, which costs £8,000, might not align with the overall budget of £10,000 that you were hoping for.
If you’re not quite sure about what you want at this stage, it can be useful to use average wedding costs to get an idea of what it might set you back. From there, you can determine where you can make savings and which costs are your non-negotiables. Getting out there and gathering quotes will also help you figure out how realistic your dream vendors are.
One important point to remember is that your life will continue long after your wedding. You and your new spouse may want to go on your honeymoon, buy a house or start a family – and all of those require money. So, while you may want to throw a lavish and memorable wedding, you might not want to start married life from square one.
You’ve worked out your money, you know how much you want to spend on your wedding, you’ve maybe even started booking one or two vendors, such as your venue and caterers. The deposit for your venue could be as much as 50% (but is usually closer to 10%), which could instantly drain your bank balance. So what does that mean for the other countless things you need to pay for over the coming months?
There are several ways couples choose to pay for their wedding. They may use one of these methods or a combination of several. Which you choose is down to you, your preferences and your financial situation:
Personal savings
Pay by monthly instalments
Credit cards (though not necessarily recommended due to high interest rates)
With so many quotes flying around and important vendors to book, how do you know which one you should book and pay for first?
The most important thing to secure first is your date. This is predominantly decided by your chosen venue and whether or not they have availability on the date you’d like to get married. If this is a peak date, such as a Saturday during the summer, then you may find that you have to book this at least a couple of years in advance. If you’re happy to get married midweek during the winter, you’ll have a lot more flexibility.
Once you’ve secured your date at your chosen venue, you can start fitting everything else in, which you’ll probably want to do in order of whatever’s most important to you. For example, it may look a little something like this:
Photography/Videography
Catering
Celebrant/Registrar
Flowers
Cake
Dress/Suits
Transport
Entertainment/Music
As the big day draws closer, you’ll also want to sort out your accessories, rings, favours and hair and beauty. There are also the invitations, which you’ll want to put together fairly early so you give your guests as much notice as possible.
Another way to approach it would be in order of the most expensive. Get the larger payments out of the way first, such as the venue, food and dress, then think about the cake, transport and entertainment a little later on. Of course, if you do that and you leave it too long, it does risk your chosen vendor not being available for your date.
When you start making payments, the worst thing you can do is not keep track of which bills you’ve paid and when. Every time you make a payment, no matter how small, make sure you keep a record of the who, when and how much.
We’ve built a super smart budget tracker to help you manage the costs. You can make a note of how much you’ve paid so you know exactly what balances are still outstanding – perfect if you want to avoid complicated spreadsheets!
As you pay each vendor through their preferred payment method, mark this off your tracker as you go. As devastating as it may be to spend so much money in such a short amount of time, it will feel great getting these costs ticked off your lists.
Once all the payments have been made, you’ll feel like the cloud has been lifted and once again you can look towards your wedding, enjoying that wonderful mix of excitement and joy.
Once you’re deep in planning mode and it feels like things are going well, it can be easy to get carried away. You might even feel like a wedding planning genius! When this happens, it can be easy to feel a little overconfident. This can lead to the odd mistake, which is more than likely avoidable.
Some of the most common wedding payment mistakes include:
Purposefully overspending, which means payments can quickly become unmanageable. Don’t let anyone else sway how much you spend.
Refusing to be flexible can potentially cause issues. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that everything will go 100% to plan, so be open to compromise.
Even with meticulous planning and budgeting, sometimes costs can rise and you go over budget. Failing to have a contingency plan means unexpected costs will sting a lot more than they might have otherwise.
Always share concerns and worries with your partner. Chances are, they’ll share the same thoughts (which is why you’re getting married, right?) and you can think of a plan B together.
Don’t book anything without getting several quotes, first. Quotes will help you see if the vendor you choose is offering a fair price.
Don’t forget to ask for a discount from every vendor you book. Almost everyone you get a quote from will have some wiggle room – usually, you’ll save at least 5%, which can add up massively.
We get it, weddings are incredibly expensive, and even if you’ve carefully budgeted and you’re on top of your payments and savings goals, the costs can still sting. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can save money on your wedding. Just a few ways include:
Get married on an off-peak date
Choose a venue outside of the city – especially London
Hire more inexperienced vendors, such as your cake-maker and photographer
Choose in-season flowers and arrangements that use more foliage
Go for a cake with a simple design to save on decorating time
This is just a taste of the ways you can save money. Check out our comprehensive guide to saving money on your wedding, which features dozens of cost-cutting tips.
Two thirds of couples ask for help to pay for their wedding, so if you can’t pay for your big day by yourself then it’s okay to ask for a little support from your family.
When doing so, give them a heads up that you want to ask them to help pay so you don’t spring it on them unexpectedly. Then, sit them down and share your budget and plan with them in person so you can explain what you’d like and how they can help. The more they can see you’ve planned everything thoroughly, the more they’ll be inclined to help if they can.
Need a few more handy ways to understand more about paying for your wedding? Here are ten helpful tips for scraping and saving.
Treat your budget as your bible.
Be realistic and don’t set your heights too high. It’s easier to add more on later if you’ve underspent than it is to take things away if you’ve overspent.
Have a contingency plan in case something goes over budget – try to allow for around 10%.
Always start by booking your venue, as this is often the biggest expense and the trickiest to secure.
Always think about the bigger picture. If one thing doesn’t quite go to plan, there will more than likely be ten things that do.
Start paying for things as early as possible to avoid missing payments and accruing fees.
Prioritise vendors that are most important to you.
If you’re asking family for financial support, do so as soon as you can so you know your total budget early on.
Try not to rely on your credit card. The last thing you want during the build-up to your wedding is looming credit card debt.
Consider opening a dedicated savings account that the two of you can pay into each month. Having it right there will help you keep track of how much of your budget you have left.
Manage your wedding payments on Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, our handy budget calculator helps you keep track of how much your wedding costs so you don’t accidentally spend too much. Sign up and start planning your perfect wedding today!
Cutting down your wedding guest list can feel like you’re Hercules battling the Hydra – cut one person, and two more grow back in their place! But it has to be done, whether it’s because you need to save a few bucks or because they just! won’t! fit! in your venue. Remember, a bigger guest list means a bigger budget… or choosing between a champagne reception and serving your uncle’s homebrew!
The moment when you and your partner combine lists and discover the number is bigger than you ever imagined is always a dark day. To avoid disappointment for either of you – and the ruthless cull that has to follow – try using our Guest List Tool. It’ll do all the adding up, sorting and tracking, meaning you both stay on top of numbers.
Sadly, as brilliant as our Guest List Tool is, it can’t fight your battles for you. (Not yet, anyway. We wish!) So if you think your other half is being unreasonable (or maybe you just need to get something off your chest!), we’ve got some tips to help you navigate the tricky terrain of the wedding guest list.
“Your parents have a longer list… But they’re not paying as much as mine!”
Straight in at the deep end! We can almost guarantee that both sets of parents will want to invite a long list of their friends, regardless of whether or not you like them…or whether they can pay towards the extra cost. As a rule of thumb, we’d say that if they’re not immediate family or your other half hasn’t seen them in the past ten years, you have a right to question them.
“I don’t want children!” (*pause* “At the wedding, not with you!”)
Now, this is a decision that lots of couples struggle to make personally, never mind between the two of them. But if a child-free wedding is what you want, you should be reassured that you’re not a bad person for requesting this. You’re also not the only one – lots of couples do. Not only is it an easy way to cut costs and numbers (and, dare we say, stress levels), but it might even be more welcome among your guests than you’d expect! After all, it gives parents a proper night off to enjoy themselves.
“You don’t even like your work friends!”
Work friends are tricky. The key question to start with is whether they’re friends your partner happened to make through work…or if they really are work friends. Either way, it’s worth considering that not only can a blanket ban rub your fiancé up the wrong way, it might well make for an awkward office atmosphere for them post-honeymoon. Why not compromise and invite a handful of them to the drinks and dancing, if not the ceremony? That way, everyone’s happy… But you’re still not paying full whack!
“Why are you inviting your ex?”
We’d never want to make assumptions but this can be a ticking time bomb. Now, if you’re one of those lucky few who’s genuinely on good terms with their ex (and importantly, whose partner is on good terms with them too!), more power to you. Invite away! But there are no prizes for inviting an ex out of awkwardness or some kind of weird obligation – so if you don’t have a good reason to (e.g. you’re actually still close friends), we’d give it a miss. Remember, you’ll also be risking a fair few awkward conversations: “So, how do you know the happy couple?” “Oh, erm…” Our advice? Only invite exes in exceptional circumstances.
“It doesn’t feel like our wedding anymore!”
Managing a wedding can feel like a balancing act. Yes, you want the details to be perfect and to keep everyone happy… But you still need to think about the big picture (and vice versa!). This is never more apparent than when you’re putting together your guest list. Sure, maybe those extra six guests from Mum and Dad’s timeshare won’t actually feel like such a big deal on your big day… But if it’s overwhelming you right now, you need to let your parents know.
“Shall we just bloody elope?”
Every couple will have this moment… And you know what, some of you might decide you should! But take a minute and pour another glass of wine before making any hasty decisions. We promise that nine-and-a-half times out of ten, it’ll be worth it in the end!
“We’ll have to not invite some of your family.”
Chances are, one of you will have a significantly larger family than the other. To deal with this, try to assign rough portions of your guest list to each one of you early on so that you both know what you’re working with. You might do this equally and split the list into quarters: one for each of your families and one for each of your extras. Or you might decide to reflect on the size of your respective families: if your partner has a much bigger family than you (but is still close to them!), you could decide to give them a third for their relatives and yourself a quarter. Either way, your boundaries will be a bit more obvious – and so will overstepping them!
“We can’t not invite them – they’ve just got engaged.”
This is where you need to be firm with your decision. Lay down the law and stick to it – avoid any grey areas or sneaky exceptions. For example, many couples have a “No Ring, No Bling” policy, meaning a guest can only bring a plus one if they’re married or engaged. That said, given that many people choose not to marry nowadays, another way to keep your guest list a little leaner is by making decisions based on how long a couple have been together.
“Well, they invited us to their wedding…”
Look. Weddings aren’t tit for tat, and you should never feel obligated to invite someone to yours, just because they invited you to theirs. Planning a wedding is too hard (and too expensive!) for that. This is the bottom line: invite the people you want to spend the best day of your life with… And ideally, no one else!
“We’re treating our friends like they’re numbers!”
Maybe you are, but the reality is that this is what all couples have to do eventually. At one stage or another, you’ll start to feel like all your wedding guests have a pound sign hanging above their heads. Planning a wedding is a balancing act. Inevitably, you start to think about how one less guest means getting back their equivalent in booze, flowers or cake. But before you make any hasty decisions, think about how much that person means to you. This feeling won’t last forever – you’ll forget it as soon as they’re there at your big day. We promise, they’re worth every penny… But if you really don’t feel like they are, then it might be time to make a cut!
“It’s still! Too! Big!”
If you feel like you’ve done everything you can and your guest list is still just too big, it’s time to get pragmatic. Sit down with your partner and split your guest list into the A List and the B List. Sound cruel? Not at all! Many couples even plan ahead and print two sets of RSVP cards with different dates: an earlier date for the A List and a later date for the B List (to be sent out after the A List have said they can’t make it). A word of warning though: try not to let the B List know they’re the B List. Cher might get away with it in ‘Clueless’… But there’s no guarantee that you will too!
Got another guest list dilemma you want solved? Check out our Instagram, TikTok and YouTube channels. We might have already answered your question – and if not, drop us a line in the comments. But we reckon once you’ve sorted out these ones, you’ll be pretty much good to go. Send those invitations out – and once your RSVPs come flooding in, keep track of them with our state-of-the-art Guest List Tool. Then it’s onto budget blow-outs…
Bridebook.co.uk, the UK’s leading wedding planning website and app, has broken down the final costs of Pippa Middleton’s wedding. Whilst the average UK wedding costs £16,842 in 2017, Pippa Middleton’s wedding cost almost 44 times as much at £736,706 ($946,961 USD, €844,780 EUR)
The high price tag of the 17-hour spectacular was due to having one glass palace, two venues, two receptions, two dresses, three wedding cars, two photographers, two videographers, three florists, but fortunately the couple have two multi-millionaire sets of parents who could help cover the cost.
The porta-palace glass marquee is believed to be the most expensive marquee available in Europe, costing £250,000, with the air-conditioning estimated to have cost £50,000 and the blossom trees to decorate it costing £31,500 on top.
Bridebook.co.uk, who work with over 70,000 businesses in British wedding industry, and have over 40,000 couples planning their weddings on the Bridebook wedding planning app, have broken down the costs:
Being hosted at the Middleton’s family home and with over 350 guests expected, a super-sized luxury marquee was needed. Whilst a luxury 350-person marquee will start at £25,000, Pippa’s porta-palace was a completely different league and the most expensive marquee option you can hire. The marquee required a huge reinforced structure for it to sit upon, plus two additional supersized marquees, and road tracking. On top of this, from talking to leading specialists, the glass marquee would have required huge generators to power extensive air-conditioners to stop the glass house overheating and this is expected to have cost £50,000 on the air conditioning alone. This marquee is only available from Belgian company PBI, whose team would have transported the marquee from Belgium, adding significantly to the cost. The effect of Brexit will have meant the weak pound will have likely added £30,000 to the marquee bill alone.
Bucklebury Manor – Free
The evening reception was held at Bucklebury Manor – the stunning home of Pippa’s parents, overlooking rolling fields and British countryside, so fortunately had no charge, but will likely need some time for their croquet lawn to recover.
Luxury Toilets – £4,000
The highest quality mobile toilets from top providers will cost £4000 to cater for 350 guests.
Church – £456
Pippa and James will have paid the church their marriage fees, but whilst this is the most important part of the marriage, it had the smallest price tag of all.
Englefield House – £20,000
To hire a luxury country house will cost around £20,000 for two-days over a summer weekend, including Friday night accommodation, where Pippa stayed, plus an evening dinner, plus the Saturday wedding reception.
Ceremony Catering – £14,000
During the 2-hour wedding reception, the 150 guests would be expected to eat 5-canapes hour per hour. These 1500 luxury canapes alone would cost around £6000 , but with serving staff, linen, crockery, chefs and decoration on top, the likely cost was £14,000.
Ceremony Drinks – £6,750
Guests would be expected to drink 2-glasses of champagne per hour. This equates to 50 magnums of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc at £120 per magnum, which was the champagne of choice, so £6,000, plus some soft cocktails on top.
Evening Catering – £80,000
The luxury caterers Top Table, would charge over £170 per guest for catering including all food, chefs and staffing, glassware and crockery hire, and linen hire. With it being a marquee wedding, an extra level of staffing would have been required to look after the 350 guests ,than at a venue, so it will likely be around £200 per guest. The evening food stations of hand carved serrano hams and parmesan, would be add an additional cost on top.
Evening Drinks – £31,475
Around 233 bottle of champagne will have been drunk by the guests during the evening drinks reception and speeches. Nyetimber 2010 Blanc de Noir Millington was said to be served, at £75 per bottle, costing around £17,475. On top of which fine wines for the dinner (around 200 bottles), and cocktails until 4am to be added.
Dress – £38,000
Giles Deacon designed Pippa’s bespoke designer dress. Giles previously designed Abby Clancy’s stunning wedding dress for her marriage to England footballer Peter Crouch which cost £10,000. Top London couture designers estimate the dress would have cost £38,000.
Church Floristry – £5,000
With the overflowing flower arch of the church, the huge displays at the church entrance, and every pillar and pew bursting with flowers within the church, luxury florist Lavender Green Flowers’ bill for this will likely have hit the £10,000 mark.
Engelfield House Floristry – £5,000
Lavender Green Flowers also decorated Engelfield House for the reception. The likelihood of the church flowers ‘look’ being carried through is high, so this will likely have added on another £6,000.
Marquee Floristry – £32,000
Pippa’s second luxury florist of the day, Djordje Varda was flown in from St Barths to work with yet another celebrity florist, Rob Van Helden, to bring the 350ft glass palace to life.
The Middleton family paid for the wedding and ceremony whilst the Matthews family paid for the evening reception, hence the different florists and teams. Each of the 35 table centres were filled with perfect blooms as was the rest of the marquee, Bridebook.co.uk luxury suppliers expect £32,000 would have been spent on the marquee floristry by these top florists, not including the blossom trees….
Blossom Tree Hire – £31,500
The focal feature of Pippa’s stunning evening reception was her blossom trees filling the height of the marquee. Most likely hired from London-based luxury greenery hire company Palmbrokers, each 5-metre blossom tree costs £900 to hire. With 35 tables, on trees alone that is £31,500
Photography – £9,000
Dorset-based Millie Pilkington was the wedding photographer as Bridebook.co.uk was first to predict. Millie was the private wedding photographer for the William and Kate’s wedding also. Just like Pippa had two venues, she also had two photographers with luxury wedding photographer Matt Porteus also shooting the day. A top wedding photographer, including a gorgeous album, will cost around £3,500, but with additional photographers to cover 350 guests and two venues and very long day, it could likely be even more.
Videography – £10,000
Just like Pippa has two photographers, Bridebook.co.uk can reveal she also had two videographers, James O’Garra of Jim & Tonic Films and an award-winning German filmmaker and director Patrick Gather. Keep your eyes peeled in this years Oscars for this high-budget production.
Cake – £2,600
A stunningly-decorated cake from a top cake maker will start from £2,600 and need to be six-tiers to give a slice to each of the 350 guests. The cakemaker is thought to London-based Domino Purchas.
Stationery – £5,125
From Save-the-dates, to the full invitation, to the Order of Service, to menus, and don’t forget the stamps! Stationery from a top stationer will cost around £11 per invitation alone, such as Mount Street Printers who are rumoured to be the chosen wedding stationer. Luckily they saved on design costs as a drawing by the Duchess of Cambridge was used on the Order of Service.
Music – £8,750
From bells ringers and the organist, to Jazz trio for the ceremony reception at Englefield House, to acoustic musicians for the evening reception, to the wedding band, to DJ and saxophonist for the party, Pippa has it all. A top London 5-piece wedding band will cost over £3,000 with everyone else on top.
Veil – £2,000
Celebrity milliner Stephen Jones designed Pippa’s stunning bespoke veil which likely cost £2,000.
Tiara – £4,000
Pippa wore her earrings from being Maid of Honour at Kate’s wedding, and accessorised with a diamond Maidenhair fern tiara by Robinson Pelham estimated at £4,000
Hair and Makeup – £1,700
Pippa had a top team on hand to ensure she was looking absolutely radiant. Celebrity hair stylist Pol Garcia did her hair. Hannah Martin of Bobbi Brown, who also did Kate’s wedding makeup for the Royal Wedding, is rumoured to have done her makeup.
Wedding shoes – £2,000
Pippa wore a Manolo Blahnik pump, in an ivory satin with bespoke pearl detailing which cost £2,000.
Wedding Rings – £1,600
Their wedding rings are said to be from Robinson Pelham. Both James and Pippa opted for simple gold bands, more understated than expected, but following suit of the Queen and the Duchess of Cambridge, which will have costed around £800 each.
Page Boys Outfits – £2,400
With Prince George was centre stage in his Pepa&Co bespoke outfit along with his 3 fellow page boys. The catalogue items are £350 each, so for fully bespoke they were likely £600 each.
Bridesmaids Outfits – £2,400
The average number of bridesmaids a bride has is 3.4 in the UK, so Pippa’s three mini-bridesmaids, including Princess Charlotte, were perfect. The Pepa&Co catalogue items are £520 each, so for fully bespoke they were likely £800 each.
Groomswear – £9,050
Dashing James Matthews wore a bespoke tailor made tailcoat, waistcoat and trousers. A bespoke tailcoat from a top tailor will cost around £4400 alone. His Edward Green shoes were £900. A new tailored dinner jacket and trousers for the black-tie evening reception would have cost another £3000 from a top tailor.
Second Dress – £6,000
With two venues, two photographers, two videographers and two wedding cars, of course Pippa had to have two dresses. Believed to have also been a Giles Deacon creation estimated at £6,000.
Wedding Favours – Free
Pippa’s brother James came to the rescue with 350 custom marshmallows from his company Boomf. We hope he didn’t charge for them.
Church & Reception Production – £6,000
With screens and speakers in the church, as well as production for Englefield House, including a platform built for Michael Middleton’s father of the bride speech, production would have likely be £6,000 between both.
Evening Production – £20,000
The Matthew’s family flew in their production team from St Barths along with London experts Starlight, whose incredible lighting and production could be seen miles away across the valley.
Wedding Transport – £7,400
With a vintage Jaguar for the bride to arrive with her father, and another for the pageboys and bridesmaids, each would cost around £1200. The Jaguar E-type, which is the oldest surviving of its type, would have likely cost £5,000 for such an incredibly rare car.
Entertainment – £11,500
From a spitfire flyby (£4000), projections mapped of the the happy couple on top the family home (£5000), a photobooth (£1500) and table tennis (£1000), the guests had plenty to amuse themselves with.
Guest transport – £45,000
Guests were transported in 50 Range Rovers. A full-day hire with security vetted chaffeurs will have cost around £900 each.
Private Security – £30,000
With royal guests, Hollywood stars, and sporting legends, security at the event was extremely tight. Whilst much of the security would have been provided by the police at no charge due to the Royal guests, an additional £30,000 of private security is estimated to have been on hand.
Total: £736,706 ($946,961 USD, €844,780 EUR)
Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook.co.uk, says:
“Weddings have become increasingly lavish over recent years mainly due to couples getting married when they are older, and hence being able to spend more, and social media raising everyone’s expectations of a wedding. Couples don’t need to spend hundreds of thousands to have an incredible day, today’s savvy couples find ways to save on average £10,147 on their big day so get very happily married without breaking the bank. With the month of May being outside the expensive peak summer wedding months, even Pippa and James will have likely had some discounts from their suppliers. ”
“Traditionally the bride’s parents would pay for the whole wedding, however this is only the case in 23% of weddings now, so it is likely both the couple themselves and the groom’s parents are contributing, so Carole and Michael Middleton likely won’t have been lumped with the whole bill.”
“If you are fortunate to have a large budget, what better way to spend it than celebrating finding the love of your life with your closest friends and family around you.”
“Endless inspiration and ubiquitous luxury have caused expectations to rise and made aspirations increasingly obtainable, which all lead to weddings becoming increasingly expensive. Whether you dream of an Italian silk dress from a top designer, or a ginormous glass marquee, if you can dream it, you can now have it, but sadly you (or your generous parents) will have to pay for it too.”
“It’s not only the couple who spent a lot, the guests likely spent a total of £67,485 to attend too. According to our latest Bridebook.co.uk survey, the average cost of a couple attending a wedding this summer is £385.63 (including gifts, accommodation, transport and fashion) and with Royal guests it was likely far higher for this wedding too.”
Although the Middleton wedding exceeds six figures, the other 4333 brides tying the knot that same day are likely to be spending substantially less. In comparison, the Bridebook.co.uk Wedding Report 2017 found the average costs for a UK wedding to be as follows:
Bridebook.co.uk is the UK’s leading wedding planning platform with over 40,000 couples currently planning their weddings on the website and app.
Launched in 2016, Bridebook.co.uk‘s state-of-the-art wedding planning toolkit with personalised Wedding Checklist, Wedding Budgeter and Wedding Guestlist Manager, enables couples to plan their entire wedding from any device, anytime, anywhere, all in one place…for free. With over 70,000 wedding venues and suppliers in its directory, Bridebook.co.uk increases the digital presence of industry professionals and connects them directly with local couples. Bridebook.co.uk has also partnered with leading experts such as Mary Berry, Bobbi Brown and Jimmy Choo to provide genuine expert advice and inspiration to its couples. Bridebook.co.uk was founded by Hamish Shephard, an industry professional and recently married groom who used Bridebook.co.uk to plan his own May 2016 wedding. Visit Bridebook.co.uk online and the Bridebook.co.uk App on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.
We analysed survey results from nearly 4,000 couples across the UK and found that the average total wedding costs have reached a new high of £26,989. However, whilst supplier costs are increasing, today’s couples are continually finding new and different ways to save on their weddings.
This year, we’re seeing fewer couples going to the chapel as more couples are holding their ceremony at their venue…which is likely to be aCountry/Manor House, the most popular venue type. When choosing a venue, couples are swayed by stunning views/grounds and friendly staff.Venue managers, take note – couples want beautiful backdrops for their photos!
Venue and catering top the list for supplier costs at £5,819 and £4,747 respectively. With wedding dress, photographer, videography and rings costing upwards of £1,000 each, the wedding budget can max out quickly. But does the average UK couple actually pay this much? The answer is…a reassuring “No!” (You can breath a sigh of relief now.)
From hiring lower-cost DJs to homemade cake, couples are finding ways to save in all aspects of their wedding. Interestingly, almost half of couples are booking weddings on a weekday other than Saturday which can lead to significant price reductions from various wedding day suppliers.
Considering these savings, today’s couple spends an average of £16,842. Want to save even more? Consider getting married in Scotland where the average wedding spend is only £13,683…and avoid expensive London where average wedding spend is £25,450, almost ten grand higher than the national average.
When it comes to wedding planning, mum’s opinion actually counts. While couples enjoy reading reviews (7.6 for each supplier) they lean on mum for her support with 42% couples reporting their mum to be heavily involved in planning. Awwww. (Or Yikes!) They also enjoy visiting wedding fairs, with more than half of couples attending fairs near their homes.
Couples identify the most difficult aspects of wedding planning as managing the guest list, managing the budget and knowing what to do next.Bridebook.co.uk to the rescue! With Bridebook.co.uk’s free Supplier Directory, Guestlist, Budget and Checklist tools, and the newly released iOS app, next year’s couples should find wedding planning a breeze.
Depending on the style you’re going for, chances are there’ll be a vast array of different flower arrangements at your wedding. The list includes bouquets, centrepieces, boutonnières, welcome arrangements, altar arrangements, bridesmaids’ bouquets, wedding cake flowers… and the list goes on. There’s nothing quite as lovely as wedding flowers and the joy and spectacle they bring.
Some couples won’t have a budget anywhere near the national average or want to spend over a grand on flowers, but still want to have beautiful blooms at their wedding. If this is you, there are still plenty of options out there for you.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at all the ways you can save money on wedding flowers while still making sure your venue is full of gorgeous florals.
A wedding is a fabulous occasion, and like many celebrations, flowers are the go-to decorative item for adding colour, luxury and elegance. Flowers are also a popular symbol of love, which is why they’re so perfect for a wedding.
As a result, many couples love to use flowers throughout their big day, from the moment their guests arrive at the ceremony to the moment they leave the reception. And because they play such a prominent role, the price of wedding flowers can be somewhat on the high side.
But why exactly are they so expensive? There are plenty of reasons why you may pay a premium for wedding flowers, most notably:
Volume – From bouquets to boutonnières, many different flower arrangements feature in a wedding
Quality – When it comes to weddings, florists often use the crème de la crème of flowers
Service – Bespoke florals will involve a personalised design process and conceptualisation to bring your vision to life
Details – It’s not just about the flowers – think vases, vessels, ribbons, even props – everything you need to create a gorgeous display
Availability – Most flowers are seasonal, particularly in the UK, so it can be expensive to import certain flowers
Expertise – Florists use their skill and experience designing show-stopping arrangements
Time – Wedding flowers often take a lot of time to design and arrange
Delivery – Your florist will need to deliver and set up your flowers at the venue
Whether or not you have flowers at your wedding is entirely your decision. It all depends on your budget, your style and – ultimately – your preference. While there’s nothing written in stone that says you need to have flowers at your wedding, your guests will likely notice if you choose not to have them.
Flowers are one of the biggest wedding traditions there is, and the pure presence of flowers denotes elegance and love. That said, there could be several reasons for not wanting to have flowers at your wedding, for example, due to allergies, or you simply aren’t interested in anything floral.
Wedding flowers are a big expense, but they’re a non-negotiable for many couples. If you do choose to have flowers at your wedding, but don’t want to spend an amount even close to the UK average, then there are ways around it. Below are 15 ways you can save money on wedding flowers.
Choose flowers with big heads where possible. Not only do they look stunning, but the bigger the flowerhead, the fewer stems you need to fill out an arrangement, which means you’ll also generally spend less money.
For example, for every peony or hydrangea you have in an arrangement, you would need two or three roses to fill up the same amount of space. The bigger the flowers, the less you’ll spend in the long run.
Flowers like roses, carnations and tulips symbolise love, which makes them popular choices for floral arrangements. That means they can also be quite pricey, as demand is high. Instead, why not consider flowers which are both beautiful but which aren’t commonly seen at weddings, such as chrysanthemums, daisies and Peruvian lilies?
Be a trendsetting bride and instead of full bouquets, give your bridesmaids corsages to wear on their wrists or boutonnières to fix onto a neckline or waistband. It will leave their hands free (to fluff out your dress if need be) and provide the perfect accessory for their outfits. Not to mention it will save you a lot of money, especially if you have four or five bridesmaids.
Use flowers as your focal points. Positioning some at the bar and on the central table will draw the eye and let you get away with much smaller pieces on the other tables. This will make the room seem full to the brim with floral decoration, whereas actually, you’ve just been clever with how you use them. The key is to position them in a way that works for them and the space.
We may have already mentioned that bigger blooms can be more cost-effective, but if you’re going for a minimalist and sophisticated theme, then that can also be a great way to save some money. Instead of having big bunches of flowers on every table, try putting single stems in tall elegant vases as eye-catching centrepieces. Because of the impressive height, the room will still look decorated throughout, but this way you’ll use fewer stems and your guests will be able to truly appreciate the flowers you’ve hand-selected.
Roses are fabulous flowers which work well like this, but speak to your florist about which flowers will fit best within your specific budget.
Did you know you can still have flowers even if you don’t want real ones? Switching real flowers for faux or paper-made flowers works a treat and can cost less than the real deal. For example, at Paper Bouquets here on Bridebook, prices start from as low as £8! As an added bonus, you’ll have gorgeous floral paper creations to treasure long after the big day itself. For an extra touch of personalisation, you can also tie it to your wedding theme by making flowers from pages out of your favourite book or sheet music from your wedding playlist.
To save even more cash, you might want to consider making some paper flowers yourself. It’s not like they’ll wilt over time, so if you start early enough you should be able to make plenty. There are loads of paper flower tutorial videos on YouTube to get you started. Though these are unlikely to rival the masterful creations of a professional, if cheap flowers are your no. 1 priority, then the DIY approach can be both cost-effective and fun!
After the wedding ceremony, your bridesmaids will probably have little use for their bouquets, so why not make them work extra hard and reuse them at the reception? Place them at certain focal points, or even use them as centrepieces on some of the tables. It’s unlikely that your guests will even notice!
The time of year at which you’re getting married can have a big influence over the cost of your flowers, particularly if there are specific flowers you have in mind, because seasonality plays a huge part in cost. For example, peonies, when not in season, can be four times more expensive than roses. This includes cabbage roses, which look almost exactly the same.
To keep costs down, choose flowers that are in bloom during the time of year when your wedding is taking place, for example:
You might not have to as much much money on flowers if you choose a venue that has plenty of floral beauty of its own. An inner-city hotel might need a little extra help in the flower department, whereas a countryside manor will likely have landscaped gardens, wonderful artwork and stunning decor which means you won’t need to rely on having many flowers to add any additional beauty.
Depending on the number of groomsmen and bridesmaids you and your partner will have, one thing that bumps up the cost is the number of boutonnières and corsages you’ll need. Two ways to reduce costs is by cutting them altogether or getting creative to bring those costs down. Why not design your own with faux or paper flowers? Or you could pick them up for less than £2 each by using a website like TEMU or Wish. Just make sure you know what you’re willing to compromise on (obviously cheap alternatives to professionally-crafted florals are unlikely to match the quality and design of the real deal).
While flowers are beautiful and vibrant, and can make for some truly breathtaking displays, the more you have in an arrangement, the more you’ll have to pay. So, why not fill some of that space with a little greenery, instead? More greenery, like ruscus and baby’s breath, can bring new textures and shapes to an arrangement and accentuate the flowers so that they pop even more. Not to mention it will help keep the costs of your flowers down. Win win!
Dried bouquets are versatile and unique, and work whether you’re going for a vintage or more modern style at your wedding. They’re also more affordable due to the fact they last far longer than fresh flowers. Not only that, but you’ll be able to take them home afterwards and they’ll last for months, or even years. Dried florals works particularly well if you’re going with a rustic venue.
Fancy yourself as something of a gardener with particularly well-attended flower beds at home? If so, you might consider putting together some arrangements of your own? Or, if you’re not quite that adventurous, you could take just a few single stems, such as from a rose bush, to use in tall vases that would work as simple, yet elegant and highly personal, centrepieces on each table.
As always with the DIY approach, remember that there’s always a risk. Growing and then designing your own bouquets will be no mean feat, and won’t come with the same level of service and quality as working with a professional florist. Your flowers might not turn out exactly as you wanted them or your bouquets might not come together as you’d envisaged them, and they might get damaged on the day, either in transit or at the venue itself. So, carefully weigh up whether saving money is your no. 1 priority, or if you’d rather go for a more hands-off and stress-free approach (which will of course come at a cost).
When searching for a florist to design your flower arrangements for your wedding, make sure you choose one that is local to you. If you choose one based on price alone, you may be in for an unwelcome surprise when it comes to the cost of delivery and setup. Make sure you double-check the catchment area of the florist you hire so you don’t pay any additional delivery costs.
The only exception to this rule is if your wedding is taking place in London. Hiring a London-based florist is often more expensive than hiring one from outside the capital. So, if sticking to a tight budget is important to you, we recommend comparing prices to see if it’s worth hiring one that has to travel a little further, as it could save you money. Just remember to get plenty of quotes and weigh up which offers the best value for money.
Almost all of the big-name supermarkets sell decent flowers, and if you (or someone you trust with the job) get there early enough on the day, you’ll have a reasonable selection to choose from. You might not want a bunch of supermarket flowers as your bouquet or centrepieces, but they can work well as welcome flowers or accents, and are considerably cheaper than the flowers you’d get from a florist. Though they won’t match the quality or complexity of design of a bespoke creation, they’re a valid choice if you’re on a tight budget.
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Whether you’ve dreamed of yourself in a beautiful, flowing white dress since you were five-years-old, or you’ve only started to even consider it post-ring, the bridal dress is often a major component of a wedding. There are so many styles available that searching for and trying on dresses can be a long, fun and exciting journey for both the bride and the entire bridal party.
Many wedding dresses are made with premium materials and involve complex and intricate designs. As a result, the perfect dress naturally comes with a corresponding premium price tag. In the UK, the average amount spent on a wedding dress is £1,300, though it can often be double or even triple this. When you consider that the average cost of a wedding is £20,775, this may sound like a lot, but it’s proportionate with the cost of many other professional wedding services, including photographers and videographers.
However, there are plenty of ways to save money on a wedding dress. In this post, we’re going to explore the tips and tricks you can use to help you stick to your budget while still getting to wear a gorgeous gown on your big day.
Wedding dresses come with a premium price tag for several reasons:
They’re made using very high-quality materials
They can come with complex and intricate adornments
They’re often handmade by a highly skilled and experienced dressmaker
They’re highly customised both in terms of style and fit
It’s tempting to choose a well-known, high-end designer to mark the occasion
They usually involve tailored service and consultations to get it just right
As well as these, wedding dresses have great sentimental value and are massively important to many brides. As a result, many brides-to-be are willing to pay premium prices to get the dress of their dreams. After all, this isn’t any old day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime celebration, which deserves an outfit like no other.
Do you need to wear a bridal dress on your wedding day?
While a white dress is traditionally worn by a bride in western countries specifically, you by no means have to wear one on your own wedding day. What you wear at your wedding is down to you, the style and theme of your wedding, and any religious traditions you may wish to stick to.
A white dress may be what many brides choose to wear, but there are plenty who don’t and opt for an alternative instead. Examples of these include:
A non-traditional dress, which may feature colours or be black
Religious or cultural attire, such as a saree, kimono or hanbok
Trouser suits or jumpsuits, which are stylish and modern but still elegant
A two-piece ensemble, such as a skirt and top
Many non-bridal dresses can also be expensive, but are often far more affordable than traditional dresses worn by brides in the West.
If you’re keen to wear a traditional dress on your big day, there are plenty of ways to save money if you’re willing to compromise a little. Below are 12 ways you can make a saving when buying your wedding dress. And for more tips, check out our ultimate guide to saving money on your wedding.
Have you always wanted a stunning Vera Wang gown to get married in but aren’t sure your budget can stretch that far? Well, did you know that most wedding dress designers have a cheaper line available at bargain prices? That means you can go to your favourite designer and not have to break the bank to buy a dress. And for reference, for Vera Wang, it’s the White collection.
2. Look out for sample sales
When it comes to gorgeous designer gowns, boutiques and designers themselves will host sample sales at the end of seasons. You can find some absolute gems hidden among the endless racks; so as long as you’re willing to forego the typical bridal boutique shopping experience and service, they’re definitely worth it. Contrary to what some believe, the dresses are rarely permanently damaged – although they sometimes come with minor easily repairable flaws. In sample sales, all sales are final, which means no returns – so inspect your potential dress carefully for any imperfections before you buy.
Why not consider a preloved gown from a local charity shop? Remember, most brides will only wear their dress once and only for half a day, so the majority of the dresses you’ll find in a charity shop will be as good as new. It’s also a lovely sentiment to wear a dress that’s previously given so much joy to a happy couple. The only thing to bear in mind is that it’s unlikely you’ll find a dress that fits you perfectly, so you’ll have to take it for alterations and be prepared to compromise.
A great tip to save some pennies is to buy a dress that’s made ready to wear. It may need a little bit of tweaking, which can ramp up the cost, but the price of an off-the-hanger dress will generally be much lower than that of a made-to-measure gown. This approach can also save time, as it doesn’t require many months of creation and fittings. That said, if the creation and fitting experience is important to you, and you want a bespoke gown, you can’t expect to pay cheap off-the-rack prices. That level of service, and quality, is naturally going to cost. So it’s important to weigh up what’s most important to you when shopping around.
If you’re having a vintage-themed wedding, vintage shops are great places to find stunning dresses in a great variety of styles. In fact, you might not even buy a dress that was intended for a wedding at all. White Gatsby-esque evening dresses can look just as impressive as a specially made gown. When browsing, make sure to check the dresses for signs of wear and tear (especially on the hem and the armpits) and think of any potential alterations you might want to make ahead of buying. Then, you can put your bridesmaids in dresses of a complementary style.
This one might be a bit of a stretch, but if you happen to know a fantastic seamstress or dressmaker, you’re one lucky bride. It’s sometimes cheaper to have a dress made by a seamstress (especially if they’re not that experienced), and even more so if you ask for mates’ rates.
Many high-street retailers, like John Lewis and Next, have a beautiful range of bridal dresses that are fabulous, elegant and – most importantly, if you’re on a budget – affordable. Dresses from popular high-street brands can cost as low as £60, but make sure you shop early in case you need to take it for minor alterations. And again, weigh up your priorities, and manage your expectations. A high-street dress is unlikely to rival a bespoke custom-made designer dress, but if you’re on a budget, may be the best option for you personally.
It might not be something you immediately think of as an option, but did you know that, along with wedding suits, you can also rent wedding dresses? If you’re excited to wear a gorgeous, flowing dress but can’t stretch your budget enough to cover the cost, renting can get you into that perfect bridal gown. The only downside is that you’ll have to give it back, so won’t be able to hold on to it for sentimental reasons. Plus, just make sure you’re aware of the return policy, because if you return it late, the fees can sting.
As we’ve already covered, one of the reasons wedding dresses can be so expensive is because of the high-quality materials and craftsmanship that go into creating them. So, one great way to lower the cost is by choosing a dress with a simple or minimalist design. The fewer intricate details there are, the less work it will generally take, which can help keep costs down.
Sometimes it can be more affordable to hire a seamstress – particularly if it’s a seamstress with less experience. Of course, a seamstress with decades of experience will produce a fantastic dress, but it will come at a price. By using a less-experienced and local seamstress, you’ll get a beautiful bespoke dress but not have to pay as much. Also, if they’re local (and outside of London) you won’t have to pay for shipping or as many travel costs.
Online retailers, such as ASOS, can have a wide range of dresses to suit a selection of tastes, styles and budgets. The cost of a dress will often start around £100, but if you keep your eye out for a sale you might be able to pick up a stunning dress for as much as half this amount. The main risk is that you might not like it as much in person as you did when you saw the images, so make sure you know the returns policy before purchasing.
And again, the quality is not going to match a custom-made ensemble, in the same way that the experience of browsing online will be vastly different to trying on dresses in an independent boutique with your bridal party. Part of the service involved in choosing a bridal boutique is getting fitted by a professional with years of experience and benefiting from their expert advice through tailored, one-on-one consultations. But if a finding a cheap and serviceable dress is your only priority, this is of course a perfectly reasonable option.
Know you absolutely want to wear a certain dress, which means that renting, borrowing or buying online are out of the question? You can still splurge and buy an extravagant dress, because there’s always the option of selling your dress once you’re done. Unless you’re particularly sentimental or want to pass it on as an heirloom, sites such as Vinted, Stillwhite or even Facebook Marketplace are great. You more than likely won’t get your money back, but you could still get a huge chunk of it, which you could then reinvest into your honeymoon.
Depending on your plans for the big day, you may end up spending a fair amount of time in the back of a car. You might travel from home to the venue, then to have photographs taken, then to the breakfast, then be whisked off with your new spouse at the end of the night.
So, you might be keen to hire a luxurious car to be transported from A to B like royalty. Or, you might want to hire a bus so you and your entire wedding party can get around without having to worry about driving and parking.
But, there are ways to save money so you don’t have to spend anything close to the average. In this post, we’re going to explore the many ways you can save money on wedding transport and can still arrive at your wedding in style.
There are plenty of options available to hire fabulous wedding transport but pay way less than the average. Among the most affordable are modern, luxury cars, such as a Mercedes Benz S-Class or a Jaguar XJ.
Many wedding transport providers have rates that start from as low as £100, such as DS Executive Cars in High Wycombe, Classic Bridal Cars in Wirral and Kent and Coastal Wedding Cars in Whitstable. Each has a range of vehicles available, and provides further savings by offering discounts exclusive to Bridebook.
Have your eye on a specific type of car or vehicle but looking for some ideas to cut costs? Below are 12 ways you can save money on wedding transport. You can also read our comprehensive guide on how to save money on your wedding for even more ways to slash spending for your big day.
Wedding cars can be quite pricey, especially if the distance between the pick up and drop off locations is far. Many wedding transport companies will charge a per-mile surcharge if they have to travel outside of their usual level of service.
If you’re getting married in a church, try having it close to home or not too far from your reception venue. Factor this in when you’re searching for your perfect venue, because the further you have to travel, the more it’ll cost you for transport.
You can cut transport costs right down by hiring a venue that allows you to have the ceremony, breakfast and reception all in one. You’ll make further savings if your venue also doubles as a hotel, so you don’t have to jump in the car again at the end of the night.
Got an uncle who spends all his time tinkering with his E-Type Jaguar in the garage? Give him the opportunity to show it off and drive you to the venue. Calling in a favour with someone you know who has an extra special car is a brilliant way to save money and also give them a unique role in your wedding. Just make sure the car they have has a big enough back seat to fit you and your partner at the end of the night!
If a vintage or luxurious modern car isn’t necessarily for you, you may be able to save money by going for more alternative and quirky options. If you’re having a countryside wedding, why not climb into a tractor for your last drive as a single person? Or if your brother is a fireman, why not arrive at your venue in a fire engine for a more explosive entrance? Ask around and see what you can get that’s one-of-a-kind (and inexpensive).
For your grand exit at the end of the reception, consider forgoing a luxury vehicle and simply hiring a taxi. The experience might not be quite the same, but if your priority is to keep costs down at all costs, this can often be a more affordable option, costing a fraction of the price of a luxury mode of transport. If you’re having a London wedding, taxis are an iconic car choice in themselves. You will want to secure a fixed rate to avoid any last-minute hidden surprises or extra fees on the day (due to unforeseen traffic, for example).
For an example of what you might pay, prices at Wedding Taxis in Greater London start from as low as £30 – you can’t argue with costs that low.
During the most popular seasons (April through to September), and on the busiest days of the week (Fridays and the weekend), vendors’ rates will be at their most expensive – this includes transport. So, to keep costs down across your entire wedding, consider getting married during the quieter winter months in the middle of the week. If you do, you’ll pay significantly less, and will be able to get much more for your budget.
Make sure you hire from a local company, because part of their quote will include the miles they drive before you even get in the vehicle. With fuel as expensive as it is, you can expect to pay less if a vendor is based a couple of miles away compared to one that takes an hour to get to you.
The only exception to this is if you’re in London. Vendors based in the capital often have rates that are higher than those elsewhere, so it’s worth browsing from a range of companies and comparing their rates. Check out our huge list of wedding transport providers to find fantastic options near you.
You might expect vintage wedding cars to be expensive, but they’re actually fairly budget-friendly. Costs generally start from around £250, so you can ride in the back of a vintage VW, Rolls Royce or Bentley and still pay way under the UK average. Great vintage wedding car companies include Bridal Carriages in Northamptonshire, Splitty Wedding Hire in Hampshire and EWC Wedding Cars in Essex.
When you know your date and you’ve secured your venue, make it your mission to book your transport as far in advance as possible. The more popular and affordable options will soon get booked up, so you could end up paying more than you’ve budgeted for. And, if you book far enough in advance, many vendors offer early bird rates.
Ask friends and family for recommendations on which company they used when they got married. That way, not only can you be confident that you’ve hired a dependable service, but it can also be a great way to secure a discount. Another option is to browse the range of wedding transport we have here at Bridebook. Many vendors offer exclusive discounts if you book through Bridebook, so it’s worth taking a look – you could save a lot of money.
If you only need to use the services of a car and chauffeur for a certain number of hours, make sure you book an hourly rate, rather than a daily rate. A day rate will be much more expensive and you’ll end up paying way more than you need to. Paying an hourly rate means you only pay for the time you use, meaning you don’t waste any of your precious budget.
If a vendor doesn’t appear to offer an hourly rate, ask them for one. Chances are they’ll be happy to give you a quote.
As the saying goes, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Before securing your booking, ask your chosen company if they’d be happy to offer a discount. Just because they quote you a certain price doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. Business owners often expect a bit of back and forth, so will may well have a bit of wiggle room that allows them to lower the price. Even just a tiny discount can make all the difference when you’re planning something as extravagant as a wedding.
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