Average Cost of UK wedding

MandM90

We're spending 11kish including honeymoon (10k paid/waiting in the wedding account to be paid out for various things but still no hen do etc. and sure there'll be more we haven't thought of)

We never dreamed we'd spend so much, but after talking last year we realised it was what we wanted. Some people think it's a bit crazy we went from a 2k budget to a 10k but we've saved it all ourselves so I think it's really our business what we do with it!

I realised I did care about the venue/day a lot more than I previously thought and I have a massive family and we wanted all our friends to be there. We aren't getting financial help from family but my mum is in the process of helping us buy a house so I probably wouldn't even accept if she offered.

If we'd only spent 2k/3k it would have had to be tiny because I really wanted the big designer dress, posh nosh etc. We did work it out that multiplying our guests about 8 fold and having so many extra things was worth multiplying the budget 5 fold if that makes sense...

If we'd have had to take out a loan though I'd NEVER have done it, and I've seen loads of lovely low budget weddings so I wouldn't rule them out.

Also I don't think 20k is too bad if you've got it to spare. I know plenty of people who have gone wayyyyy over that!

RainbowDrops

shellsuit wrote: »

I agree with that

If you can afford it and it makes you both happy then go for it.

Exactly, see it in the persepective of the poster. If they can comfortably save the cost of the wedding in 4-5 months, then they are being very sensible about the amount they are spending.

People should live within their means. Being MSE shouldn't mean that people with good wages should still go mega budget on everything.

MandM90

sammy_wheeler wrote: »

eric i have to say that is a pile of rubbish!
you do know the marriage is the important thing not wasting money!
thats all im going to say about it

But to some people it isn't wasting money. Some venues are REALLY expensive and people may think that having it in a particular place (for instance where their parents married or the most beautiful venue they've ever seen with a lake or amazing architecture etc etc) is dearly important to them. If people can afford it and don't get into debt I don't think it should even cause problems, and if they get their perfect day it'll be a lovely memory.

Some people on this earth would think that 1k is an obscene amount of money as it could change a lot of lives, but few of us turn up to the registry office in our jeans and have no reception.

It's nice to save money, but we all have different ideas about what's important and I don't think erin spending a lot implies she cares any less about her marriage...especially if they can afford it.

Dekazer

Gotta agree with posters saying that MSE is about using your budget sensibly, not spending too much for anything, and managing what you spend well. All the posters here earn different amounts, have different outgoings and can afford different amounts.

Our approach to budgeting was to prioritise what we definitely wanted (loads and loads of guests, free food and drink for all) and identify what we didn't really need (e.g. mega expensive dress, posh cars) and set our budget accordingly.

I think that these days the most MSE approach to getting married is to do it without getting into debt. The idea of spending money you don't have on a party makes me shudder. Much better to put any extra cash into investments or at least something you'll have for a long time, like a home...

minerva_windsong

I'm not married yet, but I'm already saving with a view to paying for it in the future, because I already know that even with what I can do to save money elsewhere the venue will cost a bomb (from conversations the OH and I have had it has to be big enough for 120+ people and it has to be an historic building to compromise him wanting a church and me having Catholic guilt about that) and that I want to do it knowing I've got the money in the bank and not putting it on cards or anything like that.

Like others have said, it's your money and your priorities, therefore as long as you can afford it spend it on what you like.

Derivative

Just depends on the person.

I would say if you have to actively save just for the marriage, it costs too much. But then, it's my opinion that the concept of marriage is outdated, if I were to get married it would be for tax benefits only. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me my partner loves me.

Spending 20k on marriage... I hope the mortgage is paid off and your pension sorted.

ajmoney

Our budget has changed quite a bit on the way. Initially 12 in total abroad and we were paying for the wedding and everyone's flights ourselves. I wanted more control over planning the wedding which we possibly wouldn't have had, even though it was our dream location. Decided to get married here instead for probably the same money. Initially budgetted £4kish excluding honeymoon and outfits but we have had some generous donations so our final budget is a maximum of £12.6k if everyone turns up and our honeymoon is about £4.5k in total. It seems a lot of money compared to everyone else's but we are happy with the day we have planned. We normally go on at least 3 holidays a year which would total the honeymoon cost and we have been to some lovely places, we wanted to go somewhere neither of us have been and it really is a holiday of a lifetime. Wedding cost wise it could have been a lot more. We have mated rates for the band, the vicar is doing the service for free, I have a huge discount for hairdressing and aside from that we aren't doing anything ourselves. It could have been cheaper but we have exactly what we want. Parents have donated £6.5k in total and we always said our maximum budget was £3.5k each for the wedding, at this rate we could come in under that

shellsuit

EdgEy wrote: »

Just depends on the person.

I would say if you have to actively save just for the marriage, it costs too much. But then, it's my opinion that the concept of marriage is outdated, if I were to get married it would be for tax benefits only. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me my partner loves me.

Spending 20k on marriage... I hope the mortgage is paid off and your pension sorted.

What tax benefits?

And from what you've said, if you have to save for anything, it costs too much.

I didn't need a piece of paper to tell me my husband loved me either, but now I'm his next of kin and he is mine which is very important to us.

Mrs_Moore_To_Be

Shell I think they mean this:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/married-allow.htm

shellsuit

Mrs_Moore_To_Be wrote: »

Shell I think they mean this:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/married-allow.htm

I know about that, but I thought it was done with and ended years ago?

ETA : Just had a read and only people of a certain age can claim it.

So unless edgey is 70 odd, they wouldn't be able to claim it if they ever did marry.





Who can claim Married Couple’s Allowance?

If you were married before 5 December 2005

If you are married and living together and at least one spouse was born before 6 April 1935, the husband can claim Married Couple’s Allowance. We reduce your tax bill by 10 per cent of the Married Couple’s Allowance to which you're entitled. The actual amount depends on the husband's income.
If one of you dies, or if you divorce or separate, you'll get Married Couple’s Allowance for the whole of that tax year.
If you married on or after 5 December 2005 or are in a civil partnership

If you are married or in a civil partnership and living together and at least one spouse or partner was born before 6 April 1935, the person with the higher income can claim Married Couple’s Allowance.
We reduce the claimant's tax bill by 10 per cent of the Married Couple’s Allowance to which he or she is entitled. The actual amount depends on the income of the spouse or civil partner with the higher income.