Planning a wedding? It’s time to get saving. The average cost of a wedding in the UK is now almost £15,000, according to a new report – and that’s excluding the rings and honeymoon.
The 2019 Global Wedding Report, which surveyed 20,000 couples in 14 countries who married in 2018, found the UK was the fifth most expensive place to get married. The US, with average costs of more than £22,400, was the priciest.
The cheapest place to get married was Colombia, where couples pay just over £2,500 to tie the knot. So if you’re looking to save a few bob, you might be better off getting married abroad – even with the cost of flights.
The findings were part of a deep dive into wedding trends and traditions from wedding sites The Knot, WeddingWire and Bodas.net.
The average price of weddings around the world, excluding rings, other jewellery and the honeymoon, were:
1. United States, £22,419
2. Spain, £17,970
3. Italy, £17,275
4. Canada, £16,814
5. United Kingdom, £14,740
6. France, £13,513
7. Portugal, £12,822
8. Mexico, £6,602
9. Peru, £5,911
10. Chile, £5,681
11. Brazil, £5,067
12. Argentina, £2,840
13. Colombia, £2,533.
A major cost factor is how many guests you invite. In European countries, the average wedding has roughly 100 to 130 guests, the survey found.
The Americans, however, see significant variation – from 91 guests in Colombia to 159 in Brazil and 185 in Mexico. Meanwhile, Indian weddings are typically a multi-day gathering, and the average guest count for the largest event exceeds 500 people.