This is how much people spent on weddings in 2018, according to a new survey

From mid-week weddings to the most popular honeymoon destinations, Bridebook.co.uk has released its 2018 weddings report
1/50

Weddings are a costly business and if you're curious as to what other couples are spending on their big day, then keep reading, as wedding planning app Bridebook.co.uk has just released its annual wedding report.

The average cost of a UK wedding fell slightly in 2018 for the first time since the recession – by just over 1 per cent compared to 2017 – to £17,674, according to the app, which attributes this partially to "Brexit-related concerns", or so-called "branxiety".

"With uncertainty in the economy, millennial couples are being more savvy than ever to curtail their wedding spending," says Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook.co.uk.

Couples are increasingly opting for Sunday or mid-week weddings, and millennials are less concerned with marrying in a place of worship, according to the report.

"It is a sign of the times that double as many couples now use a wedding planning app than get married in a church," Shephard continued. "Apps are serving a purpose for the wedding generation: This year saw the launch of Deliveroo’s wedding catering service and botox for brides via digital beauty concierges!"

Bridebook asked over 2,000 recently married respondents to complete this survery - here are a few more key findings.

Popular dates to get married

If you're looking to avoid a clash or secure a bargain on venue then you should avoid the first two weekends of August which were the most popular wedding dates in 2018 among the respondents of this survey. Meanwhile the top 20 most popular dates of the year fell on Saturdays in summer and spring.

The report suggests couples who opted for the less popular months of January and February saved up to £5,000 compared to those who tied the knot in June-August. Meanwhile having a weekday wedding could result in savings of up to £6,000.

Biggest wedding expenses

Unsurprisingly, the venue continues to account for the largest portion of the wedding budget, at £6,539, up by 6 per cent since 2017, which was the biggest increase year-on-year than other categories. Meanwhile, the second biggest spend was on food and drink at £5,187. For inspiration, check out this article on the best wedding venues in the UK.

How many wedding guests?

The average number of evening guests rose from 80 in 2017 to 90 in 2018, according to this survey. Meanwhile the average number of guests for the wedding ceremony (79) and wedding breakfast (76) remained flat.

What age are people getting married?

The majority of couples surveyed were between 25 and 33, according to the report, which also found the average engaged bride is 32 years old at her wedding, and her partner is about two years older at 34.

How long do engagements last?

A quarter (24 per cent) of engagements last longer than two years, compared to only 19 per cent in 2017. But on average, most engagements last 18 months or less, the report found.

The rise of the wedding weekender

While almost three-quarters of couples keep their festivities to a single day, just over a quarter of respondents celebrated over two days or more.

"More and more couples are embracing American traditions in their weddings, with the 'weekend weddings' gathering particular momentum in the UK. Why celebrate just one day when you can celebrate 2 or 3?" says Shephard

Where are people honeymooning?

Europe is most popular for honeymoons (26 per cent), followed by the UK (15 per cent), and USA (11 per cent), and the survey suggests respondents spent an average of £4,875 on their honeymoons.

Check out our honeymoon section for more romantic ideas.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in