How much will our wedding cost and how do we budget?
The short answer: Two large UK surveys put the average wedding at £20,604 (Bridebook, about 7,000 couples) and £21,990 (Hitched, 2,020 newlyweds). Bridebook’s figure excludes the engagement ring and honeymoon; including them takes it to £25,815.
Costs by region
London averages £26,986, which is 31% above the UK average (Bridebook London). Scotland averages £22,987 (Bridebook Scotland), and the South East £22,637 (Bridebook). For the North, including Yorkshire and Humber the average spend is £18,769.
How do couples budget?
- In YouGov’s August 2026 survey, 81% of those open to marriage would keep their wedding within a budget; 12% would spend freely on a dream wedding.
- Hitched reports 61% of couples rely on financial support from family.
- A Which? survey found more than half of newly married couples overspent.
Where does the money go?
Bridebook’s 2026 averages for individual suppliers:
Item | Average spend |
Venue (excluding catering) | £6,040 |
Catering, reception | £5,406 |
Catering, evening | £2,002 |
Marquee or tipi | £4,633 |
Music (ceremony and reception) | £1,906 |
Videography | £1,514 |
Wedding cake | £360 |
Venue plus catering averages £9,695 (Bridebook venue costs), which is roughly a third of the total for venue hire alone.
Guest numbers change the total
Guests | Estimated cost |
50 | £15,162 |
70 | £21,791 |
100 | £22,510 |
120+ | £26,000 |
A budgeting method (our advice)
- Agree a total, and who is contributing.
- Pick your top three priorities and put the largest share there.
- Test guest-list sizes using the table above.
- Collect written quotes and note what is included.
- Keep a contingency, given how many couples overspend.
How Decadents helps: our three example packages are £595 (evening, up to 5 hours), £895 (half day, up to 8 hours) and £1,295 (all day, with ceremony music and wireless microphones). Bridebook’s average for all wedding music is £1,906, so all three sit below it, although what each includes differs from couple to couple. Prices are based on the Lounge soundstage, and travel distance and venue access can change them. Upgrades are priced separately, for example Light Fantastic £325 or Sweet Love £595, so you can add only what matters to you.
FAQs
What is the average UK wedding cost? £20,604 (Bridebook 2026) or £21,990 (Hitched 2026).
How much does a wedding cost per guest? About £272 to £278.
How much does wedding music cost? Bridebook reports an average of £1,906, with DJs at £500 to £2,000+.
Want to know where entertainment fits? Contact Decadents for a clear written quote.
