Cost of a Wedding UK — Full Budget Breakdown

Understanding what weddings really cost helps you plan a realistic budget.

Average UK Wedding Cost

Overall Figures

Type	Typical Cost
Budget wedding	£5,000-10,000
Average wedding	£18,000-20,000
Above average	£25,000-35,000
Luxury wedding	£50,000+

Regional Variation

Region	Average	Premium
London	£25,000+	+25-40%
South East	£22,000	+10-20%
National average	£18,000-20,000	Baseline
North	£15,000-18,000	-10-20%
Scotland/Wales	£16,000-19,000	Varies

Full Cost Breakdown

Major Expenses

Category	Average	Budget	Premium
Venue hire	£5,000-6,000	£500-2,000	£10,000+
Catering/drinks	£4,000-5,000	£1,500-2,500	£10,000+
Photography	£1,500-2,000	£500-1,000	£3,000+
Wedding dress	£1,200-1,500	£200-500	£3,000+
Entertainment/DJ	£500-800	£200-400	£1,500+

Secondary Expenses

Category	Average	Budget	Premium
Flowers	£500-1,000	£100-300	£2,000+
Wedding cake	£300-500	£100-200	£1,000+
Rings	£1,500-2,500	£500-1,000	£5,000+
Stationery	£200-400	£50-100	£800+
Hair & makeup	£200-400	£100-150	£600+

Often Forgotten

Category	Average	Budget	Notes
Transport	£500-700	£0-200	Own cars/family
Favours	£100-250	£50-100	Or skip
Décor/extras	£500-1,000	£100-300	DIY saves
Tips/service	£200-500	£100+	Often overlooked
Marriage licence	£50-100	£50	Required

Clothing/Appearance Subtotal

Item	Average	Budget
Wedding dress	£1,300	£300
Alterations	£200	£100
Shoes/accessories	£200	£50
Groom’s outfit	£300-500	£100
Hair & makeup	£300	£100
Subtotal	£2,300	£650

Percentage Budget Split

Typical Allocation

Category	Percentage
Venue	30-35%
Catering & drinks	20-25%
Photography/video	8-12%
Attire	8-10%
Entertainment	5-8%
Flowers & décor	5-8%
Everything else	10-15%

Sample Budgets

£10,000 Budget	Allocation
Venue	£3,000
Catering	£2,500
Photography	£1,000
Attire	£800
Entertainment	£500
Flowers	£400
Other	£1,800

£20,000 Budget	Allocation
Venue	£6,500
Catering	£5,000
Photography	£2,000
Attire	£1,800
Entertainment	£800
Flowers	£1,000
Other	£2,900

Venue Options

By Type

Venue Type	Typical Cost	Includes
Registry office	£50-100	Ceremony only
Hotel (all-inclusive)	£6,000-15,000	Venue + catering
Country house	£4,000-12,000	Venue hire
Barn venue	£3,000-8,000	Venue hire
Restaurant	£2,000-6,000	Often all-in
Village hall	£200-500	DIY everything
Garden/marquee	£2,000-8,000	Hire + setup

Savings Tips

Approach	Savings
Weekday wedding	20-40% off
Winter wedding	20-30% off
Sunday wedding	10-20% off
Off-peak month	15-25% off
Dry hire venue	Control caterers

Catering Costs

Per Person Estimates

Level	Per Person
Basic buffet	£30-40
Good buffet	£50-70
3-course sit-down	£60-80
Premium menu	£80-120
Fine dining	£120+

For 80 Guests

Catering Level	Total
Basic	£2,400-3,200
Mid-range	£4,800-6,400
Premium	£7,000-10,000

Drinks Costs

Drinks Package	Per Person
Welcome drink only	£5-10
Wine with meal	£15-25
Full bar tab	£40-60
Limited bar	£25-35

Savings Tips

Approach	Savings
Dry hire + caterer	Often cheaper
Corkage (bring own drinks)	£200-800 total
Buffet vs sit-down	20-30%
Fewer courses	Proportional

Photography & Video

Photography Costs

Coverage	Typical Cost
4-6 hours	£800-1,500
Full day	£1,500-2,500
Premium/established	£2,500-4,000
Budget/new photographer	£500-800

Video Costs

Coverage	Typical Cost
Highlights only	£500-1,000
Full day	£1,500-2,500
Cinematic	£2,500-4,500

Savings Tips

Approach	Savings
Partial day coverage	30-40%
New photographer	40-60%
Skip video	£1,500+
Digital only (no album)	£200-400

Entertainment

Music Options

Option	Cost
Spotify playlist + speakers	£0-100
DJ	£400-800
Live band (3-4 piece)	£1,000-2,000
Both DJ + band	£1,500-3,000
Acoustic during ceremony	£150-400

Guest Numbers Impact

Cost Scaling

Guests	Budget	Average	Premium
30	£3,000	£8,000	£15,000
50	£5,000	£12,000	£22,000
80	£8,000	£18,000	£35,000
100	£10,000	£22,000	£45,000
150	£15,000	£32,000	£60,000

Cost Per Head

Wedding Type	Per Person
Budget	£75-125
Average	£180-250
Premium	£300-500

Hidden Costs

Often Overlooked

Item	Cost Range
Marriage licence/notice	£50-100
Pre-wedding events	£500-2,000
Wedding insurance	£50-150
Guest accommodation	Variable
Thank you gifts	£100-300
Post-wedding dress cleaning	£100-200
Name change fees	£50-100

Service Charges/Tips

Typically Tip	Amount
Photographer	£50-100
DJ/band	£50-100
Hair/makeup	10-15%
Venue staff	Optional

Money-Saving Strategies

High Impact Savings

Strategy	Potential Savings
Reduce guest list	£150-250 per person
Off-peak date	20-40% of venue
Non-traditional venue	40-60%
DIY flowers	50-70%
Preloved dress	50-80%

DIY Options

Element	DIY Cost	Pro Cost
Invitations	£50-100	£300-500
Table décor	£100-200	£500-1,000
Favours	£50-100	£200-400
Cake (amateur baker family)	£100-150	£400-700

Budget Wedding Formula

Element	Budget Option
Venue	Registry office + pub/hall
Food	Buffet or family help
Dress	High street/secondhand
Photos	New/student photographer
Music	Playlist
Décor	DIY/minimal
Flowers	DIY/supermarket
Total	£3,000-7,000

Summary

Expense	Budget	Average	Premium
Venue	£1,000	£5,500	£12,000
Catering	£1,500	£4,500	£10,000
Photography	£600	£1,800	£3,500
Attire	£500	£1,500	£4,000
Entertainment	£200	£700	£2,000
Flowers/décor	£200	£800	£2,500
Other	£1,000	£2,200	£5,000
Total	£5,000	£17,000	£39,000

To Reduce Costs
Fewer guests	Biggest impact
Off-peak date	20-40% savings
DIY where skilled	Flowers, décor
Prioritise	2-3 things that matter most