How much is the average wedding in 2025 and how to tie the knot for less

Are you planning on getting married this year? Or maybe you’re just curious about how much weddings cost these days?  

As you might expect, modern weddings don’t come cheap but even with the rising cost of living and financial pressures, couples are still investing big in their special day.  

In 2025, the average cost of a wedding will be £25,625, a 3.7% increase from £24,719 in 2024, according to Compare Wedding Insurance. 

And that doesn’t even include the honeymoon. On average, couples are spending another £4,255 on their post-wedding getaway.  

But it’s not all bad news. Price hikes are slower than what we saw immediately after the pandemic. Between 2021 and 2023, weddings costs soared, by 6% from 2021-2022 and 11% from 2022-2023.  

But since then, increases have become more moderate - 2.5% from 2023 to 2024 and 3.7% from 2024 to 2025. 

How are rising living costs affecting wedding budgets?  

Wondering how rising living costs are affecting wedding budgets? Well, nearly half of couples who tied the knot in 2024 said the economy affected their wedding spending. It was a similar story in 2023, according to Hitched’s National Wedding Survey. 

Couples have been getting creative to make their budgets stretch. Around 60% increased their wedding budget during the planning process and 56% added more DIY touches to save money. 

But, while over half of all couples (51%) admitted to going over budget, that’s actually a decrease from the year before. Almost a third (31%) managed to stay within their budget and 14% didn’t even have a budget at all. Lucky them!  

How are couples paying for their weddings? 

• In 2024, 63% of couples received money from friends or family to help pay for their wedding, down from 70% the previous year. 

• 1 in 20 couples used a buy now, pay later service to fund their wedding. 

Other big financial priorities   

Other financial considerations among couples included: 

• saving for a honeymoon – 64% 

• saving for a house - 31%  

• paying off a credit card or debt - 29% 

• saving for family planning - 27% 

• maintaining an ‘emergency fund’ - 22% 

• paying off student loans - 16% 

• saving for retirement - 10% 

If you’re hoping to save some money, picking a cheaper time of year to tie the knot could be a good place to start. 

Weddings in November, January and February can be up to 16% cheaper than average. That could save you around £4,000!  

Weddings from June to September are generally more expensive, with August being around 7% more costly than the average. 

How to plan a wedding for less 

With the average cost of a wedding in 2025 coming in at £25,625, you might be wondering how you could possibly get married for less. Aside from picking a winter wedding, here are a few more tips to keep costs down: 

• Keep your guest list down. 

• Stick to a solid budget (and don’t go over). 

• Look out for wedding venue discounts. 

• Choose a cheaper month or day (Saturdays tend to be pricey). 

• DIY your decorations. 

• Borrow outfits and accessories. 

• Hit the high street for a wedding dress. 

• Buy second-hand where possible. 

• Skip the DJ and let the playlist play. 

• Ask your talented friends for help (they’ll be happy to pitch in!). 

• Buy flowers in bulk. 

• Consider serving soft drinks and juices instead of alcohol.  

With a bit of creativity and careful planning, a dream wedding that won't break the bank is possible.