D. Tighe
Research expert covering consumer behavior, sporting goods retail, and the global toy industry.
Wedding industry in the UK - statistics & facts
“To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish…”, so go the traditional wedding vows in the United Kingdom, and for most couples, they will certainly end the day poorer than richer, with the average cost of a wedding in the UK exceeding 20,000 British pounds, more than double the figure in 2020. But to many brides and grooms, a celebration of love with what they will hope is a once in a lifetime event, is worth the thousands invested in venues, catering, clothes, and entertainment.
So, according to 2023 surveys, the cheapest wedding would be on a Wednesday in January, at a pub in Wales, with fewer than 50 guests. Those looking to spend big should plan for a June Saturday at a stately home in London with more than 150 guests.
Couples want online choices and won’t wait
One of the first decisions couples must make is where their wedding will take place. Location and value were the two leading considerations in 2024. Couples did most of the research on venues online, with Google and social media being the two main sources for fiancés to do their planning. Almost half of couples also booked their first appointment or tour with a wedding venue online, with a further 37 percent booking by email, showing that venues must have a strong online presence to capture their clients. Venues also need to make a quick impression. The majority of couples only enquired with five or fewer venues before making their final decision.How to have the cheapest wedding
Engaged couples are faced with a plethora of decisions while planning their big day, many of which will have a significant impact on the cost. Some are obvious, like the number of guests. The fewer guests, the cheaper the wedding. Other basics are less apparent, such as the day of the week. Wednesday is on average the cheapest day to get married, with the prime slot understandably falling on Saturday, which was around 5,400 pounds more expensive than mid-week in 2023. When it comes to location, Wales is the cheapest region to get married in the UK, here a wedding costs 15,500 pounds on average in 2023. Well over double that cost was a London wedding. Getting married in the capital set couples back almost 37,000 pounds.So, according to 2023 surveys, the cheapest wedding would be on a Wednesday in January, at a pub in Wales, with fewer than 50 guests. Those looking to spend big should plan for a June Saturday at a stately home in London with more than 150 guests.
