The Average Wedding Cost 2023

When planning your big day, knowing the average wedding cost is important. The beginning of your wedding journey is a very exciting time indeed. It's a veritable flurry of emotions, love, and celebration. It's also the best time to buckle down and think about your budget. This is, of course, a very personal number for each couple. So sit down with your partner and work it out. As we all know (or at least, hopefully), evaluation is an important part of the process. Knowing what is important to you, what you absolutely want, and what you're willing to compromise on is vital. This will make your budget breakdown a lot easier, and you'll know where you want to allocate more money. Before any allocations take place, it's a good idea to know how much the average wedding is going to cost in 2023. That's why we're here, friends. 

So, what's the average wedding cost for 2023?

Drumroll, please...

The average wedding cost for 2023 is £18,718. Of course, the average is just that; the average. Shocking, I know. But this means that there are couples who spend a lot less, and those who spend a lot more. Wherever you fit into the equation, knowing how much you'll be spending on different areas of your wedding beforehand is always going to be helpful when compiling your checklist. So, if you want to stick to your budget and find out where you'll most likely be spending more money, then keep on reading. 

Wedding Venues 

The average cost for wedding venues in 2023 is £7500. 

Arguably the most important part of your planning is choosing your wedding venue. It's where it all takes place, and each and every venue offers something different to couples. With the thousands of options available in the UK alone, prices can vary massively. Whether it's a barn, a country house, a glasshouse, or something more unusual. If the capacity is 40 or 400. Accommodation or not - each venue and each wedding will have a slightly different sum. That's why making sure you've got a list of questions to ask your wedding venue whilst you're touring is very important, indeed. 

Photographers/Videographers - average wedding cost

The average cost for wedding photographers in 2023 is £1,3000.
The average cost for wedding videographers in 2023 is £950. 

Ah, photography/videography. Another incredibly important part of your wedding. Getting those perfect shots that you can keep with you in your home for the rest of your life, keeping the memories living on forever. Gosh, I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. Similarly to venues, finding the right photographer for you and your vibe is very important, and very much worth the investment. Recently, we've had a lot of couples telling us that their best piece of advice would be to get a videographer. Many people are under the misconception that if you've got the photos, you don't need a video, too. But videographers capture the vibe, aura, energy and crucial moments superbly. 

Catering

The average cost for wedding catering is £65 per head, or £5,200 (for 80 guests on average). 

This is one of the harder statistics to come to because the total cost of your catering is entirely dependent on how many guests you have at your wedding. Caterers tend to charge per person, so having a good idea of your guest list early on is a good idea if you want to ensure your catering costs stay accurate. Of course, you can do whatever you want, food-wise. If that means finding some fun ways to serve food and drink to your guests rather than a sit-down meal, then so be it. Whichever way you decide to eat with your guests, make sure you know your guest list well, and that you're asking caterers the right questions. 

Wedding dress/outfits 

The average cost for a wedding dress is £1,400.

Ah, the dress. Whatever your vision or theme, there is a dress (or bridal outfit) out there that will scream your name the minute you see it. And what a beautiful moment that will be. Can we come along? No, that's fine, understood. Choosing your wedding dress, depending on where your priorities lie, is one of the most exciting parts of the planning process - but that doesn't mean it's easy. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a guide to read before wedding dress shopping somewhere... If you're more of a bridal suit kind of person, never fear. They've been growing a lot in popularity - and rightfully so! They're gorgeous, glamorous, and slightly cheaper than some dresses, depending on where you shop. We also hasten to remind you that shopping for your wedding dress secondhand is not only cheaper but fantastic for the planet, too. Queue Recycle My Wedding... 

Flowers 

The average cost for wedding flowers is £700.

Simply put, wedding flowers are difficult to quantify in terms of a price tag. This is because you can buy your own flowers and arrange them yourself, forage for florals in your local area, or spend on a full floral package. As we said earlier, your wedding budget will vary massively compared to someone else's. Getting inspiration from social media is a great way to see what kind of floral arrangements you want. Perhaps you just want dried flower centrepieces? The world is your floral oyster. 

Wedding Cake 

The average cost for a wedding cake is £350.

Let them eat cake! And that we shall. Similarly to flowers, it's difficult to decipher the average cost of a wedding cake, because it depends on the couple. Single-tiered compared to two-tiered, classic cake compared to cheese tower, or even no cake at all - every price will vary. The guest list also comes into play, here. The number of tiers has to reflect how many guests you have. You don't want poor uncle Bob sitting on the side, cakeless. Therefore, make sure to factor in how many people are coming to your wedding before you get your cake. It's just for the best.

Entertainment - average wedding cost

The average cost for wedding entertainment is £1000.

Wedding entertainment can be broken down into segments when it comes to the average wedding cost. That is; non-music entertainment and music entertainment, meaning live bands, DJs, etc. Non-music entertainment such as games and photo booths are going to be considerably cheaper than music. Thinking about wedding music is a task for you and your partner to think about carefully. What do you both want in terms of atmosphere and energy, do you just want a playlist or real-life musicians, and what will your guests enjoy? All of these things have to be considered. Of course, a playlist will be much cheaper than a DJ or a band. But if you and your partner really value live music, then it's a worthwhile investment. 

Wedding Stationery 

The average cost of wedding stationery is £250. 

If you're an avid fan of stationery like myself, then you'll want to allocate a lot of time and thought to choose the right stuff for you. The amount of stationery will vary between weddings, of course. Some people will just want invites, and some will go the whole nine yards and get invites, RSVPs, save-the-dates, programmes, etc. That's why having a checklist for stationery is a good idea. You can prioritise what you and your partner definitely want and what you don't necessarily need - and then search for suppliers from there. There are also the lucky ones amongst us who happen to be crafty themselves and can DIY their stationery. 

Wedding hair and makeup 

The average cost for wedding hair and makeup is £400. 

There's little in life more therapeutic than getting your hair and makeup done. It's a fantastic way to have some calm, collected moments before walking down the aisle. Hair and makeup artists are ever so talented and will ensure your makeup stays in place from the minute you start your big day all the way through to partying into the night. Of course, doing your own hair and makeup is always an option, especially if you're crafty with a makeup brush. But if you'd prefer to take that off your own to-do list, then getting a wonderful hair and makeup artist is a great investment. 

Wedding rings 

The average cost for wedding rings is £1500.

Remember to bear in mind that you'll be wearing your wedding ring for the rest of your life. So quality is an important factor. In the above number, we've included both engagement and wedding rings into the mix. Engagement rings average at around £2000, and wedding rings at about £1000. If your ring isn't that important to you in the grand scheme of your wedding planning, then going for something simple is a great way to save money, too. It's all about allocating correctly. Anyways, here's a little bit of ring-based humour for you, to see us out. The dog just ate my wedding ring. So, the vet said we have a diamond in the ruff. 

The average wedding cost, including wedding venues, wedding dresses, wedding rings and much, much more

The average wedding cost of £18,718 for 2023 is, as we've said, an average. It also does not mean you have to spend that much on your wedding. There is a multitude of ways to save money on your wedding - and we detail some of them in our latest podcast episode. We've also got a roundup of staggeringly beautiful weddings, all for under 10K - proving that you absolutely do not have to break the bank to have the day of your dreams. Allocation, allocation, allocation, my friends. Work out your non-negotiables and areas where you can compromise, and we promise, your planning journey will be made so much easier.