How Much Should a Wedding Cost?

Forget the “average” — it's misleading

You've probably seen headlines claiming the average wedding costs £20,000 or $30,000 or some other number that either terrifies you or makes you feel like you're doing something wrong. The problem with averages is that they're skewed by extremes. A handful of six-figure weddings in London or New York pull the number up for everyone.

The medianis more useful — it tells you what the middle couple actually spends. In the UK, the median wedding cost in 2025 sits around £15,000–£18,000. In the US, it's roughly $25,000–$30,000. But even these numbers vary wildly depending on where you live, how many guests you invite, and what you prioritise.

The biggest factors that affect cost

Three things drive the total more than anything else:

• Guest count — This is the single biggest lever. Every guest adds to catering, drinks, favours, stationery, and seating. Going from 100 to 80 guests can save thousands.
• Location — A wedding in central London or Manhattan costs significantly more than one in the countryside or a smaller city. Venue prices, vendor rates, and even flower costs vary by region.
• Day and season — Saturday weddings in summer are peak pricing. A Friday or Sunday wedding, or one in the off-season (November–March), can save 20–40% on venue and vendor costs.

What does each category actually cost?

Here's a realistic breakdown for a 100-guest wedding in the UK (2025 prices). Scale up or down based on your guest count and location:

• Venue hire — £3,000–£8,000. Ranges from a village hall to a country house. Many venues include catering in this price.
• Catering & drinks — £4,000–£10,000. Budget £50–£100 per head for food and drinks. This is usually the single biggest cost.
• Photography — £1,200–£3,000. A good photographer is worth the investment — these are the memories you keep.
• Videography— £800–£2,500. Optional, but increasingly popular. Many couples say they wish they'd booked one.
• Attire — £1,000–£3,000. Wedding dress or suit, plus alterations, shoes, and accessories.
• Flowers & decor — £500–£2,500. Fresh flowers are expensive. Seasonal blooms and greenery-heavy arrangements can save a lot.
• Music & entertainment — £400–£1,500 for a DJ, £2,000–£4,000 for a live band.
• Hair & makeup— £300–£800. Don't forget the trial run, which is usually charged separately.
• Stationery — £100–£500. Save-the-dates, invitations, place cards, menus. Digital options cut this significantly.
• Wedding rings — £300–£1,500. Often forgotten in initial budgets.
• Transport — £200–£800. Getting you to the venue, plus any guest shuttles.
• Cake — £200–£600. Three-tier cakes from a specialist baker. Supermarket cakes dressed up are a popular budget option.

How to figure out YOUR number

The right wedding budget isn't based on what other people spend. It's based on three things:

• What you've already saved — Be honest about the starting number.
• What you can save between now and the wedding — Look at your actual monthly income and expenses. What can you realistically set aside each month?
• Family contributions — If parents or family are helping, get specific numbers before you start planning around assumptions.

Add those three numbers together. That's your budget. Not what a magazine says you should spend, not what your colleague spent on their wedding — your actual number based on your actual finances.

Budget by guest count

As a rough rule of thumb, here's what different guest counts typically cost for a mid-range UK wedding:

• 30 guests (intimate) — £8,000–£12,000
• 50 guests (small) — £12,000–£18,000
• 80 guests (medium) — £16,000–£25,000
• 120 guests (large) — £22,000–£35,000
• 150+ guests (very large) — £30,000+

These are ballpark figures. You can absolutely have a beautiful 100-guest wedding for £12,000 if you prioritise well, or spend £40,000 on a 50-person wedding if you go premium on everything. The numbers above just give you a starting framework.

Where to save without anyone noticing

• Off-peak dates — Friday or Sunday weddings, winter months, or even a weekday can save 20–40%.
• Seasonal flowers— Ask your florist what's in season. Out-of-season blooms cost significantly more.
• Digital stationery — Save-the-dates by email, digital invitations, and a wedding website instead of printed programmes.
• Venue with in-house catering — Often cheaper than hiring a separate caterer, and less logistical hassle.
• Limit the bar — Prosecco on arrival, wine with dinner, and a cash bar for spirits. Nobody remembers the brand of gin.

Track it properly from day one

The couples who stay on budget are the ones who track their spending from the very first deposit. Not in their heads, not in a notes app — in a proper budget tracker that shows them what they've spent, what's coming up, and how each category is tracking.

That's exactly what ForeverAfter's budget tool does. Set your total budget, break it into categories, and log expenses as you go. If family members are contributing, they can see their own allocations too. It takes about two minutes to set up.

The bottom line

There's no “right” amount to spend on a wedding. What matters is that you spend intentionally — on the things that matter to you — and that you know where your money is going at every step. Start with honest numbers, build in a buffer, and track everything.

If you want a simple way to manage all of this, give ForeverAfter a try. You'll have your budget set up before you finish your coffee.