What UK weddings actually cost
The headline averages published each year are close to useless for planning, because they average a register office lunch for 20 with a country house weekend for 150. What travels between weddings is not the total, it is the shape.
| Category | Share | £15,000 wedding | £25,000 wedding | £35,000 wedding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue, food and drink | 48% | £7,200 | £12,000 | £16,800 |
| Photo and video | 11% | £1,650 | £2,750 | £3,850 |
| Attire, beauty and alterations | 9% | £1,350 | £2,250 | £3,150 |
| Flowers, decor and rentals | 9% | £1,350 | £2,250 | £3,150 |
| Music and entertainment | 8% | £1,200 | £2,000 | £2,800 |
| Stationery, signage and postage | 3% | £450 | £750 | £1,050 |
| Transport and accommodation | 4% | £600 | £1,000 | £1,400 |
| Contingency | 8% | £1,200 | £2,000 | £2,800 |
The UK-specific costs people forget
| Cost | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Giving notice at the register office | £35–£47 per person | Required for almost all weddings, paid at least 29 days before |
| Registrar attendance at an approved venue | £400–£600 | Separate from the venue fee, and priced by the local authority, not the venue |
| Marriage certificate copies | £12.50 each | Order two; you will need one for name changes and one to keep |
| VAT | 20% | Most supplier quotes to consumers include it, but venue quotes sometimes do not. Always ask |
| Service charge | 10–15% of food and drink | Frequently excluded from the per-head figure |
| Corkage | £10–£20 per bottle | Only relevant if you supply drinks, and often enough to make it not worth doing |
Where the money moves fastest
Three levers change a UK wedding budget more than anything else, and none of them is the guest list.
The day of the week. A Friday or Sunday is commonly 20–30% below the Saturday rate at the same venue, and a midweek date more again. This is the single largest saving available without changing anything a guest would notice.
The season. November to March, excluding December, is materially cheaper and considerably easier to book. The trade-off is daylight: a 4pm December ceremony means photographs in the dark.
Dry hire versus package. A dry hire venue looks cheaper and often is not, once catering, staff, hire and coordination are added. It is a real saving only if you genuinely have the time and the people to run it.
Put your own total through the split
The calculator uses these exact percentages.
Common questions
How much does a UK wedding cost?
Published averages are unhelpful because they mix a 20-guest register office lunch with a 150-guest country house weekend. What is consistent is the shape: about 48% on venue, food and drink, 11% on photography and video, and 8% held back as contingency.
What are the legal costs of getting married in the UK?
Giving notice is £35–£47 per person, a registrar attending an approved venue is typically £400–£600 and is set by the local authority rather than the venue, and certificate copies are £12.50 each.
Is a weekday wedding cheaper in the UK?
Substantially. Friday and Sunday are commonly 20–30% below the Saturday rate at the same venue, and midweek more again. It is the largest saving available that no guest will notice.
Is dry hire cheaper than a wedding package?
Sometimes, but less often than it appears. Once catering, staffing, furniture hire, glassware and coordination are added back, a dry hire venue frequently lands close to a package. It saves money reliably only if you have the time to manage it.