Wedding Costs Guide UK — How Much Will Your Wedding Cost?

Weddings can cost as much as you want to spend. Here’s what things actually cost.

Average Wedding Costs

The Headlines

Statistic	Amount
Average UK wedding	£18,000-£25,000
Budget wedding	£5,000-£10,000
Mid-range wedding	£15,000-£25,000
Luxury wedding	£30,000-£50,000+
Most expensive area	London & South East

Cost Breakdown (Typical Wedding)

Item	Average Cost	% of Budget
Venue hire	£4,000-£7,000	20-25%
Catering (per head × guests)	£5,000-£10,000	25-35%
Photography	£1,500-£2,500	8-10%
Wedding dress	£1,000-£2,000	5-8%
Entertainment/DJ/band	£500-£1,500	3-5%
Flowers	£500-£1,500	3-5%
Wedding cake	£300-£600	2-3%
Stationery	£200-£500	1-2%
Rings	£500-£2,000	3-5%
Hair & makeup	£200-£500	1-2%
Transport	£300-£600	2-3%
Groom’s outfit	£200-£500	1-2%
Extras	Variable	5-10%

Venue Costs

Types of Venue

Venue Type	Typical Cost	Includes
Hotel	£5,000-£15,000	Often includes catering
Country house	£4,000-£10,000	Venue only (usually)
Barn/rustic	£3,000-£8,000	Venue only
Restaurant	£1,000-£3,000	Often includes catering
Village hall	£300-£1,000	Venue only
Registry office	£100-£500	Ceremony only
Church	£400-£700	Ceremony only

What Affects Price

Factor	Impact
Saturday in summer	Most expensive
Weekday	30-50% cheaper
Winter	Can be 20-40% cheaper
Location	London costs much more
Guest numbers	Often per-head pricing

Catering Costs

Per Head Pricing

Service Level	Per Person	100 Guests
Buffet/BBQ	£35-£60	£3,500-£6,000
Sit-down 2 courses	£50-£80	£5,000-£8,000
Sit-down 3 courses	£70-£120	£7,000-£12,000
Fine dining	£100-£150+	£10,000-£15,000+

Drinks

Option	Per Person	100 Guests
Welcome drink + toast only	£10-£15	£1,000-£1,500
Half-day drinks package	£25-£35	£2,500-£3,500
Full open bar	£40-£60+	£4,000-£6,000+
Cash bar	£0	Guests pay

Saving on Catering

Strategy	Saving
Buffet vs sit-down	20-30%
Fewer courses	15-20%
Limited drinks package	Significant
Bring own alcohol (corkage)	Variable
Food truck	Can be cheaper

Photography and Videography

Photography

Package	Typical Cost
Budget photographer	£500-£1,000
Mid-range	£1,500-£2,500
Premium	£3,000-£5,000+

What’s Included

Package Level	Typically Includes
Basic	Few hours, digital images
Mid	Full day, edited images, album
Premium	Two photographers, full coverage, albums

Videography

Service	Typical Cost
Basic highlights	£500-£1,000
Full day edit	£1,500-£2,500
Cinematic	£2,500-£5,000+

Dress and Suits

Wedding Dress

Range	Cost
High street (ASOS, Monsoon)	£100-£500
Mid-range bridal	£800-£2,000
Designer	£2,000-£5,000+
Alterations	£200-£500 extra
Accessories (veil, etc.)	£100-£500

Groom’s Outfit

Option	Cost
Buy suit (high street)	£150-£400
Buy suit (designer)	£500-£1,500
Hire suit	£100-£200
Hire morning suit	£150-£250

Other Costs

Flowers

Item	Cost
Bridal bouquet	£100-£300
Bridesmaids bouquets	£50-£100 each
Buttonholes	£10-£20 each
Venue flowers	£300-£1,000+
Top table	£100-£300
Total	£500-£2,000+

Entertainment

Option	Cost
DJ	£300-£600
Live band	£1,000-£3,000
Acoustic duo	£500-£1,000
String quartet (ceremony)	£400-£800

Stationery

Item	Cost
Save the dates	£50-£150
Invitations	£100-£300
On-the-day (menus, etc.)	£100-£200
DIY option	Significantly less

Wedding Rings

Type	Per Ring
Plain gold	£150-£400
Diamond/embellished	£300-£1,000+
Designer	£500-£2,000+

Budget Wedding Tips

Biggest Savings

Strategy	Potential Saving
Fewer guests	Biggest impact
Weekday/off-peak	30-50% on venue
Non-traditional venue	Often cheaper
DIY elements	Variable but significant
Buffet vs sit-down	20-30% on catering

Specific Budget Ideas

Element	Budget Option
Venue	Village hall, pub, restaurant
Dress	High street, preloved, sample sale
Flowers	In-season, DIY, supermarket
Photography	Newer photographer
Cake	Supermarket or homemade
Invitations	Digital or DIY
Entertainment	Spotify playlist
Hair/makeup	Do your own or friend

£10,000 Wedding

Item	Budget
Venue & catering	£5,000 (smaller guest list, buffet)
Photography	£1,000
Dress & accessories	£500
Flowers	£300
Entertainment	£300
Cake	£150
Rings	£500
Stationery	£100
Groom	£300
Hair/makeup	£200
Transport	£200
Contingency	£450

Paying for Your Wedding

Saving Timeline

Target	Monthly Savings	Months Needed
£10,000	£500	20 months
£15,000	£500	30 months
£20,000	£500	40 months
£20,000	£800	25 months

Payment Tips

Strategy	Benefit
Book early	Lock in prices
Negotiate	Especially for packages
Pay in instalments	Spread the cost
Credit card	Section 75 protection on deposits
Don’t go into debt	Stick to affordable budget

Family Contributions

Approach	Consideration
Parents offering to help	Clarify what’s included/expectations
Split costs	Common for families to contribute
Keep it proportionate	Don’t overspend expecting contributions

Summary: Wedding Budget Checklist

Set Your Budget

Step	Action
1	Agree total budget with partner
2	Decide what matters most
3	Research venue/catering first (biggest cost)
4	Allocate to other categories
5	Keep 10% contingency

Typical Allocation

Category	% of Budget
Venue & catering	40-50%
Photography/video	10-12%
Dress & groom	6-10%
Flowers & decor	5-8%
Entertainment	4-6%
Everything else	15-20%
Contingency	10%

Money-Saving Priorities

Priority	Saving
1. Guest list	Fewer guests = less venue, food, drink
2. Day/season	Off-peak is cheaper
3. Catering style	Buffet vs formal
4. Venue type	Non-traditional often cheaper
5. DIY elements	Where skills allow

Your wedding budget should be what you can afford — not what the average couple spends. A meaningful day doesn’t require debt.