UK Wedding Costs · Updated November 2026
Average Wedding Cost UK 2026: The Full Breakdown
The average wedding in the UK now costs £20,604, according to Bridebook’s 2026 wedding report. It is a handy headline number, but it hides a lot. A wedding for 50 guests costs far less than one for 120, London sits well above everywhere else, and the biggest bills come from the venue and the food rather than the photographer or the flowers. Below, we split that average up by supplier, guest count and region so you can see where your own money is likely to go.
The Short Answer
How Much Does a Wedding Cost in the UK?
The average UK wedding costs £20,604, which works out at about £278 for each guest. That figure leaves out the honeymoon and the engagement ring. Most couples land somewhere between £10,000 and £30,000, so treat the average as a middle point and not a target.
Prices have also calmed down after a steep climb. The yearly figures show £16,529 in 2022, £19,184 in 2023, £20,775 in 2024 and £20,822 in 2025, then a small dip to £20,604 in 2026. The big jumps of a few years ago have stopped, but costs have not gone back to where they were. Source: Bridebook UK Wedding Report 2026.
Where The Money Goes
Wedding Cost Breakdown: Average Spend by Supplier
These are the average amounts couples spent on each supplier or item in 2026. Not everyone buys everything on the list, so the rows will not add up to the total.
| Supplier or item | Average spend |
|---|---|
| Venue hire (excluding food) | £6,040 |
| Reception catering | £5,406 |
| Evening catering | £2,002 |
| Marquee or tipi (if used) | £4,633 |
| Wedding planner | £1,543 |
| Wedding dress | £1,532 |
| Videographer | £1,514 |
| Photographer | £1,484 |
| Decor | £1,404 |
| Florist | £1,187 |
| Reception music | £1,061 |
| Rings and jewellery | £1,057 |
| Suit or menswear | £859 |
| Ceremony music | £845 |
| Entertainment | £844 |
| Transport | £593 |
| Celebrant | £504 |
| Hair styling | £417 |
| Make-up | £394 |
| Stationery | £378 |
| Cake | £360 |
Venue hire (£6,040), reception food (£5,406) and evening food (£2,002) come to £13,448, which is about 65% of the £20,604 average. The photographer, at £1,484, is about 7%. If you need to save money, the venue and the guest list will move the total far more than any single supplier will. Source: Bridebook UK Wedding Report 2026.
Wedding Photography
What Does a Wedding Photographer Cost?
Bridebook puts the average photographer spend at £1,484. That usually buys a full-day package sold at a flat fee, whether you need all the hours or not. We charge by the hour instead: £320 for 2 hours, £480 for 4 hours and £800 for a full 8 hours, with travel included anywhere in the UK.
Book 8 hours with us and you spend £684 less than that average. Book 4 hours for a ceremony and a short reception and you spend £1,004 less. Every booking includes all your edited, high-resolution photos in a private online gallery with a print licence. We do not offer video, so if you want a film, budget for it separately: the average videographer cost £1,514.
For a closer look, read our guide to what a wedding photographer costs or see the full price list.
Cost By Guest Count
How Much Does a Wedding Cost for 50, 70 or 100 Guests?
Guest numbers are the biggest lever you control. Bridebook’s 2026 figures show how the total changes as the list grows:
| Guests | Average total | Cost per guest |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | £15,162 | £303 |
| 70 | £21,791 | £311 |
| 100 | £22,510 | £225 |
| 120 or more | £26,000 | £217 |
The cost per guest falls as the list grows, because fixed costs such as the venue, photographer and dress are shared between more people. These per-guest figures come from this table, so they differ from the £278 overall average. For context, 41% of receptions have fewer than 60 guests, and the average ceremony has about 74.
Cost By Region
Average Wedding Cost by Region
Where you marry changes the bill as much as how many people you invite. These are the 2026 regional averages:
| Region | Average cost |
|---|---|
| London | £26,986 |
| Scotland | £22,987 |
| South East England | £22,637 |
| South West England | £22,304 |
| West Midlands | £20,006 |
| East of England | £19,794 |
| Wales | £19,175 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £18,769 |
| Northern Ireland | £18,564 |
| North East England | £18,410 |
| East Midlands | £17,981 |
| North West England | £17,342 |
London is the most expensive region at £26,986, which is 31% above the UK average, and the North West is the lowest at £17,342. London suppliers also charge about 30% more than the UK average. Marrying in the capital on a smaller budget? We charge the same whether you marry in Hackney or Hertfordshire, with no travel fees. See our guides to London town hall registry offices and our cheap wedding photographer London page.
Ceremony Fees
How Much Does a Registry Office Wedding Cost?
The legal part of getting married is the cheapest bill of the whole day. In England and Wales you give notice at your local register office, and each partner pays a fee. As an example, Cheshire West and Chester Council lists £46.50 per person for notice, £62 for the ceremony at its register office and £12.50 for each marriage certificate.
For a couple who both give notice, hold the ceremony and buy one certificate, that comes to £167.50. Those fees apply to ceremonies up to 31 March 2027, and councils review them every April, so check the page for your own area before you budget.
A register office ceremony is short, often around half an hour, so many couples follow it with a lunch or a small party and book two to four hours of photography. If you are marrying in London, see our town hall wedding photographer guides.
Saving Money
How To Bring The Cost Down Without It Feeling Cheap
- Start with the guest listFood, drink and venue size all follow guest numbers, and the average works out at £278 a head. Every name you take off the list saves its share of that.
- Pay for the hours you will useA full-day photography package is built for a full-day wedding. If your ceremony and photos take two to four hours, an hourly booking from £320 does the same job for less.
- Look at quieter datesMany venues charge less for weekdays, Sundays and winter dates than for summer Saturdays. Ask for the price on each date you are considering.
- Keep the ceremony simpleA register office ceremony costs about £170 in fees in the example above, against an average of £6,040 for venue hire. That leaves more to spend on the celebration itself.
- Pick your three must-havesDecide what you would miss most and spend there. Decor (£1,404 on average) and stationery (£378) are common places to scale back.
- Ask what is includedCheck whether quotes include VAT, travel, setup, service charges and edited files. A low headline price can end up higher once extras are added.
Our Prices
Wedding Photography From £320
Pick the hours you need: £320 for 2 hours, £400 for 3, £480 for 4, £560 for 5, £640 for 6, £720 for 7, £800 for 8, £880 for 9 or £960 for 10. Travel is free everywhere in the UK.
Every additional hour: £80
Before You Book Anyone
What To Check When A Quote Looks Cheap
A low price is only good value if the photos turn up and look the way you hoped. Whoever you hire, ask for these in writing:
- The total priceIncluding travel, editing and VAT if it applies, so there are no surprises later.
- How many photos you getAnd whether they are edited, full-resolution and yours to print.
- A full wedding, not just highlightsAsk to see a whole gallery from one wedding as well as the best shots.
- Delivery timeWhen you will have the gallery and how long it stays online.
- A backup planWhat happens if the photographer is ill on the day.
Wedding Cost FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
The average UK wedding costs £20,604 in 2026, or about £278 per guest, according to Bridebook. That excludes the honeymoon and the engagement ring. Most couples spend between £10,000 and £30,000.
Bridebook’s 2026 figures put a wedding for 100 guests at about £22,510, which is £225 per guest. For 50 guests the average is £15,162, and for 120 or more it is £26,000.
A wedding for 50 guests averages £15,162, or £303 per guest. A register office ceremony followed by a simple lunch can cost much less. The legal fees in our example come to £167.50 for a couple, before you add food, a venue for the celebration and photography.
The average London wedding costs £26,986, which is 31% above the UK average of £20,604. London suppliers charge about 30% more than the national average.
The venue and the food. Venue hire averages £6,040, reception catering £5,406 and evening catering £2,002. Together they make up about 65% of the average total.
The average photographer spend is £1,484. With us, you pay by the hour: £320 for 2 hours, £480 for 4 hours and £800 for 8 hours. Travel is free, and you get every edited photo. See the full price list.
As an example, one council lists £46.50 per person for notice, £62 for the ceremony and £12.50 per certificate, which comes to £167.50 for a couple with one certificate. Fees differ between councils and change each April, so check your own register office.
They rose quickly between 2022 (£16,529) and 2024 (£20,775), then levelled off. The 2026 average of £20,604 is about 1% lower than the 2025 figure of £20,822.
Yes. Travel is free anywhere in the UK, and Saturdays cost the same as weekdays. See the areas we cover.
More Wedding Cost Guides
Want the photography side in more detail? Read our guide to what a wedding photographer costs, see how many hours of coverage you need or compare London wedding photographer prices.
Marrying in London? Browse our London town hall registry offices guides, the cheap wedding photographer London page or the full list of areas we cover. You can also see our wedding photography prices or browse the gallery.
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