It is estimated that the average cost of a wedding now totals £26,989 when happy couples hire a supplier for the traditional elements of a wedding. However, with costs rising it’s estimated that many are shunning hiring a professional – with a number of brides-to-be choosing to get the cake made by a friend or forgoing getting invites printed. The actual cost is estimated to be closer to £16,842. Still a hefty amount for many!
Despite couples attempting to budget for their wedding, many are still overspending by an extra 30% on the total cost – eek!
Rather than budgeting effectively for their big day, it seems brides and grooms-to-be are getting carried away with the festivities of the event and throwing their best financial intentions out of the window.
Even though 3% wish they had taken the task of budgeting seriously, four in ten Brits regret how much they spent on their big day; wishing they had put the money towards a house deposit or into a retirement fund. It seems financial tensions can ruin even the happiest of days.
However, as many couples who have preceded us in getting married will attest, it’s easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of pre-wedded bliss – saying yes to things which in the grand scheme of the day don’t really matter, but still cost you a fortune.
Vera Wang dress? Check. Christian Louboutin shoes? Check. Photobooth? Check. Chocolate fountain? Check. Free bar? Check.
After all, getting married is the chance to celebrate your love for one another – not about how much money you can spend on just ONE day.
The trick to wedding budgeting? Staying strong and sticking to the figure that you and your partner had in mind right from the beginning.
Of course, it’s nice to be able to afford all the little extras that go into making the day so special. But, do you want to start wedded bliss with debt hanging over your marital home? Probably not.
The Wedding Cost Calculator takes couples through the traditional costs that they will encounter when planning their wedding. Asking questions such as where the service and reception will be held, to more minute (but costly) details such as who will need to have their hair and make-up done on the big day. The cost is then totalled up based on averages for each wedding element, allowing couples to see just how much they can expect to pay for their big day.
Did your total come in under or over budget? Could you cut costs further? Apart from the ceremony which elements of the wedding do you feel are the most important to you?
