Even the price of supermarket essentials such as vegetables and dairy products have increased amid the cost of living crisis, which means many people are tightening their purse strings and cutting frivolous spending habits – except when it comes to weddings.
According to Bridebook.com's 2024 Wedding Report, which consulted almost 6,000 UK couples who got married and engaged in 2023, brides and grooms are still willing to up their budgets to get their dream wedding. In fact, spending in 2024 is set to be the highest yet, increasing by over £1,500 year-on-year to £20,775 for the big day alone, with the total reaching a whopping £25,952 when factoring in the engagement ring and honeymoon.
So why are we willing to pay the equivalent of a house deposit in one day?
Hamish Shephard, founder of Bridebook.com, said: "Weddings remain a major milestone in people’s lives, which explains why today’s couples are going all-out, rather than scaling back. It's not just about spending more; it's about spending wisely. We’re seeing see a trend among couples, especially Gen Z ones, towards embracing sustainable and cost-effective alternatives, and finding creative ways to curate their dream weddings without compromising on their vision”.
But this doesn't mean scaling back on spending altogether. Instead, Gen Zs are reportedly expecting to spend £4k more on their weddings, perhaps due to social media pressures, Hamish said.
"There seems to be a prevailing desire among Gen Z in particular to create the grandest celebration possible, perhaps driven by societal expectations and the influence of social media," he said, adding: "The pressure to share these significant life moments on social platforms may contribute to the inclination to go above and beyond in making it a truly memorable event."
© iStockCosts could be what's driving some of the other biggest wedding trends in 2024, including the move away from popular dates (such as Saturdays in spring) and popular locations (such as London.)
The data found that only 41 per cent of Londoners marry in London, while 96 per cent of Scots, 86 per cent of Irish and 80 per cent of Welsh couples marry locally. "London weddings are the most expensive (£36,778: 77 per cent above the national average), which may encourage budget-conscious couples to explore more affordable options outside of the capital," Hamish explained.
By comparison, couples spend up to 25 per cent less in Wales, and even 15 per cent (or £3k) less with a wedding outside the UK.
Regardless of location, there has been a shift away from spring weddings – which were previously very popular – and toward autumn months such as October. According to Bridebook, weddings between August and October rose by one-third – unsurprising considering October weddings are 13 per cent cheaper than average – while weddings between March and May fell by 7 per cent year-on-year.
© AlamyFran Everist, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hedsor House, said: "At Hedsor House, we’ve found that couples are increasingly favouring autumn weddings, with their beautiful colour and cost-effectiveness. As the weather in the UK is changing, we’ve noticed pleasant ‘Indian Summers’ in October are often the norm."
While Saturday weddings continue to be popular, accounting for 48 per cent, there have been more couples choosing Fridays (18 per cent) and even Thursdays.
"Initial contact and enquiries from wedding couples would suggest that the majority are looking for that ideal Saturday wedding. However, after discussions surrounding budget and availability, we are noticing a shift in couples’ decisions," said Chloe Nelson, Wedding and Sales Coordinator at Wellington Barn.
Speaking of the increasing popularity of Thursday weddings, which sees the venue offer a package deal catering for up to 50 guests, she said: "We don’t have any Thursdays available from April to October in 2024 and in 2023 we completed 27 Thursday weddings."
So perhaps hosting your big day on a Thursday in October in Wales could be on the cards? If costs have anything to do with it, you won't be the only one considering it.
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