Is the average cost of UK weddings (£14k) realistic? - Wedding Forum

Mark · #1 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 01:15 PM

Vote and discuss

Lady Rools · #2 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 03:48 PM

I'm in the 'I have no idea' camp..i think if this includes engagement rings, honeymoon etc then its a bit more realistic that if you just think 'wedding'. I've been engaged for four years this christmas so the expensive of the ring can't really be included

Mark · #3 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 03:59 PM

I'm in the 'too expensive' but, but then we had somewhat of a lowkey affair...

Still, I wouldn't mind the change out of 14k though

claire · #4 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 04:19 PM

ours cost £14.500 including the honeymoon which was 4k alone so i would say its about average but i suppose it just depends on how big a do you have etc to be honest i nearly had a heart attack when we realised the total cost and if it wasnt for our wedding cost being split 3 ways with us,my parents & inlaws we could never have afforded it.

love
claire
xx

Heather · #5 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 04:44 PM

Compared to what our wedding cost that is FAR too high!

Then again though we only had a small civil ceremony in the same hotel as our "wedding breakfast" (25 guests, Matt & me!)

H

bron · #6 (**permalink**) 15-11-2003, 05:24 PM

it does sound about the national average but is absolutely ridiculous. Who are the people who kep that average that high

Scotia Rover · #7 (**permalink**) 16-11-2003, 11:15 AM

I said too high. Mine cost about £4K and was just as nice I think as it would have been with a bigger budget. As soon as you say the 'wedding' word the prices triple!
Laura

KM · #8 (**permalink**) 16-11-2003, 02:18 PM

I'm scared at the cost, but having done a budget planner for my forthcoming wedding, it is in the £13k plus end. I am just useless though at trying to cut the costs and where to cut the costs...

Its a very expensive occassion, but I think no matter how much or how little you spend, it will still be the best day of your life..

Heather · #9 (**permalink**) 16-11-2003, 03:08 PM

On our wedding (including our Honeymoon) I think we must have spent about 3K max (and the that's the absolute maximum, possibly was not much more than 2K)

It really was the most fantastic day, and exactly what we wanted, I have been told by some people that we can't have had the perfect day for "That little a cost" but we did, it was everything we wanted in our wedding day, Family & close friends and us making a commitment to each other.

In a way I would agree that the 14k average is realisitic, but I wouldn't say that's a good thing!
Sometimes there's a "social" pressure to have the "BIG" wedding.......

H

Ang · #10 (**permalink**) 16-11-2003, 03:37 PM

Last time I got married it cost £15k (that was with me negotiating discounts and making all the stationery) and I feel way too much money was spent on just one day especially when the marriage didn't last a year.

This time nowhere near as much money is going to be spent on the wedding firstly because we haven't got that sort of money to spend and secondly because all that matters to us is we marry each other. If it was first marriage for both of us and we had some help financially maybe we'd consider going for the big do but it's not and we haven't.

A friend of mine recently got married and did it for less than £2k and said it was the best day of her life. She had a small registry office do and a buffet at the local pub while they all watched the football. She said to me afterwards that she'd have got married in a toilet if it meant marrying the man she loved.

£14k is realistic and when you're talking weddings it's easy to spend - too easy I think the way some companies up the price - but the end result is the same no matter what you spend.

Ang xxx

Dawnie · #11 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 05:12 AM

Our wedding was just above 14k and that was in 2001 (including honeymoon)!!!

Personally however I wouldn't have changed a thing. We had everything we wanted on our special day and our marriage is for life so I don't consider it a bad investment for our future together.

bron · #12 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bron
Who are the people who kep that average that high

I meant as there are people who spend ten plus grand less there must be people who spend that much more to make the average 24k on a wedding ahhh

Bianca · #13 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 05:55 AM

Ours was a fair bit more than that to be honest, but it really didnt have to be (dont think the honeymoon helped!). However, we had the day of our dreams and wouldnt change anything if we had to do it again.

I think where you live also has a big effect on price, i wouldnt want to get married in London for example

I'd imagine it would be quite expensive.

Ang · #14 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 06:00 AM

A friend of mine lives in London but is getting married in Scotland. She's been getting quotes from both London and Scotland and Scotland is far cheaper. It pays to shop around if you can.

Ang xxx

AngelaW · #15 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 06:40 AM

Ours was a fair bit more than 14k too... worth every penny though!

Lo · #16 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 04:07 PM

I've said "Yes, about right" as when I sat down with my budget planner £14K was the final figure (I got married in 2001)

Anyhow, with a little bit of planning and lots of investigating various local companies and suppliers, the final cost of our wedding was £11K.

We saved money by having a "lesser" honeymoon, but it wasn't any less romantic or not what we wanted. We decided to do self-catering, which was fantastic, as in Greece the food in local restaurants was delicious

We also saved on things like photographer, flowers and cake, as local companies do the same quality as "big name" brands, but at a fraction of the price

So, be smart, plan ahead and shop around, and negotiate

Lo ccc

stack · #17 (**permalink**) 17-11-2003, 07:59 PM

i think this is about right phil and i were on a budget still not sure as we didnt make one we paid for things in bits and bobs but its about 7 ish i think

:confused:

so if we hadn't stuck to a budget then maybe about 14k will add it up but ive got a calculator and its at 7 just now and not added a lot in .

Kezzer · #18 (**permalink**) 18-11-2003, 06:43 AM

I think it's probably a decent enough average, if it includes the honeymoon too.
We're getting married in London & it IS ridiculously expensive. We have got rid of everything we don't really need (flowers on tables, transport e.t.c.) & are getting freebies from loads of wonderful friends & family (photographer, DJ, video, cakes, invitations). Our biggest expense is the food & drink really, my friend got married in Wales & had a 4 course meal for 100, we're having a 3 course for 50 (the minimum number the venue will have) and it's the same cost.
I also know someone who got spliced last year & it cost them 25k!!!

Teresa · #19 (**permalink**) 18-11-2003, 08:10 AM

I think it probably is about right if you include everything. Personally I think it is far to much money to spend on one day. If you can afford it then fine but for us to have a day like that we would either have to save for years or borrow the money and get in to debt and we don't want to do either.

I think we are quite lucky as we have lots of people helping us. Both sets of parents are helping to pay for things and we have friends and family doing things too like the cake, cars and photos. This is saving us a fortune really.

I think that whatever you decide to do you will have the day of your dreams and whether its 4 grand or 14 doesn't matter as long as you have what you want.

stack · #20 (**permalink**) 20-11-2003, 12:25 PM

we managed to get most of ours as presents but if we'd have had to pay it all ourselves we'd never had as bit a meal etc we've got 70 for a 3 course including buffet wine etc it cost £2000

approx £18 per head for food which is reasonable for a night out for one 3 course meal.