Getting married could be about to get much cheaper

Does the cost of a wedding put you off tying the knot? Well, changes are on the way that could make it far less expensive.

The government wants to give couples more choice over where they can get married.

That means they’d have the freedom to legally marry almost anywhere, such as at home, on a cruise ship or on a beach.

This could, in turn, make getting hitched far more affordable to many people.

So can we get married anywhere we like?

Although the changes open up lots of new options to couples, there will be some limits.

Under the new rules, couples wouldn’t be allowed to legally marry if the ceremony is “gimmick-based” or trivialises “the significance of marriage as a legal act”.

So couples can’t, for example, get married in settings that require participants to focus on another activity during the ceremony, such as skydiving, rollercoasters and white-water rafting.

Couples also can’t legally marry in “locations characterised by unavoidable interruption or distraction”, such as a stadium during a live sporting event or a nightclub on a regular night.

Meanwhile, officiants will have to meet strict requirements to be able to conduct weddings. 

Different faiths and beliefs will be treated the same

The government also wants to make sure wedding laws don’t treat certain faith and belief groups differently.

So, for example, interfaith couples could celebrate both of their faiths and traditions in a single legally recognised ceremony.

“They say you can’t put a price on love,” said deputy prime minister David Lammy.

“But too often, the cost of weddings puts this commitment out of reach.

“That’s why I’m reforming archaic rules, so couples have more freedom to say ‘I do’ on their own terms, while strengthening safeguards to protect the meaning and permanence of marriage.”

How much does the average wedding cost?

According to government figures, the average wedding in England costs more than £20,000, with venue hire alone typically costing around £6,000.

And that’s before you factor in other costs such as catering, the flowers and the wedding dress.

So it's no surprise that the sheer expense is putting a huge number of people off getting married.

In fact, half of unmarried men and one in three unmarried women in relationships cite costs as a reason for not exchanging vows.

Stick to your wedding budget

The proposed changes to wedding laws are unlikely to come into force until next year at the earliest.

So if you’re tying the knot before then, what can you do to make sure you don’t start married life with a huge financial hangover.

The answer is to set a realistic budget and stick to it.

Before booking anything, decide how much you can afford without relying on credit or sacrificing other financial priorities and goals.

Once you’ve worked out how much you want to spend, split your total into clear categories, such as the venue, catering, outfits and flowers. 

It’ll then be much easier to see where your money is going and where you might be spending too much.

For more money saving tips, check out our list of 8 ways to keep the cost of your wedding down.