Getting married could soon get cheaper

Getting married can be hugely expensive, but a planned change in the law could help couples save thousands of pounds.

The government has announced plans to reform marriage law in England and Wales, so couples can marry in more locations, such as beaches and heritage sites like castles.

This will make it more straightforward for people to have legally binding religious ceremonies, as well as let non-religious groups, such as humanists, to conduct legally recognised ceremonies for the first time.

New law could help couples spend less

It’s hoped that the changes will give couples more choice in how they married, and make the process simpler, fairer and less expensive.

At the moment, we don’t know when the new law will be introduced, as a consultation on the details is to be carried out next year.

But it suggests good news could be on the horizon for couples who want more freedom and flexibility, and not feel they have to pay over the odds to tie the knot.

How much does a wedding in the UK cost?

Last year, the average wedding in the UK cost £23,250 last year, according to Hitched.

That’s 12% higher than it was in 2023 and 34% up on 2021.

Figures also show that:

• one in two couples spend £20,000 or more
• one in four spend at least £30,000
• one in ten spend £40,000 or more

It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning for your big day, rather than closely looking at your bank account.

And of course, inflation has pushed up prices across the board.

So it’s perhaps no surprise that over half of couples (51%) admit to going over budget on their big day.

But budget isn’t always people’s main priority.

In fact, 14% didn’t have a budget at all.

However, financial realities are a still an issue for many couples planning a wedding.

For example, almost half of couples who got married in 2024 said the economy had affected their budget, and more than half included more DIY elements than they initially planned to.

What are people spending money on?

According to Hitched data, hiring a venue cost an average of £8,000 last year.

This was followed by:

• catering - £4,500
• photography - £1,500
• dress - £1,200
• entertainment - £1,000
• flowers - £800
• hair and make-up - £400

And that’s not even counting the honeymoon.

On average, couples are spending an average of £4,255 on a honeymoon, and one in ten are forking out more than £9,000.

If you’re engaged and planning a wedding, you don’t want to risk starting married life in debt and worrying about money.

So it’s important to think carefully about what you’re spending and where possible savings can be made.

We’ve put together some handy tips on how to keep the cost of a wedding down to help you get started.