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Paying for a wedding really can break the bank, and expenses may vary by tens of thousands, depending on size, location, and taste.
Regardless of price, your wedding day should be the happiest day of your life, but planning the money side of things can be a big stressor, especially when you go over budget.
To try and reassure those going through this right now, we asked a whole bunch of recent brides to spill the beans — anonymously, of course — on their every wedding-related expense, from the dress to the table vases...
Click through to find out how this week's couple spent £15,000.
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The Basics
Jobs: We are both PhD students
Ages: 25
Location: We live in Birmingham, but got married in the Cotswolds as we both grew up in the area.
Combined salary as a couple: £31,000 funding for our PhDs. This is tax-free.
Number of bridesmaids: 4
Number of groomsmen: 4
I was determined to spend as little as possible. Our combined salary was quite low, and although we had financial help from both sets of parents, I didn’t want to spend lots on only one day. So I was on the lookout for deals for everything.
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The Essentials: £3,080
Marriage licence: We got married in a church (£500) with bellringers (£100) and a choir (£330)
Engagement ring: £1,500
Wedding bands: £650 for both. As we live in Birmingham, we obviously went to the jewellery quarter! We had our wedding bands made by an independent jeweller to our designs. My mother-in-law gifted us the platinum from her engagement ring towards the rings, which brought the cost down. It is also of sentimental value that we have her ring in both of ours.
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Hen & Stag: £0
Hen party: We went to Yorkshire for the weekend and did a high ropes climbing course and a night out. My part was paid for by my friends so I paid nothing!
Stag party: They had a meal out in Birmingham paid for by my father-in-law on the Friday night. The following day they travelled to Leeds for paintballing and an Otley Run (a famous pub crawl popular with students). In total he had 16 friends and family on the stag party. Neither of us is aware how much the stag party cost because the groom's part was covered by his friends.
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Reception: £9,697
We chose a converted barn because it was close to the church and a couple of grand cheaper than other options as it was just starting out at the time. We loved the rustic barn feel and luckily it was a sunny day, which meant we could use the gorgeous outside space.
Venue hire: £3,600. Included chairs, tables, and dance floor. We had access to the venue the day before and the day after for decoration and clean up.
Wedding breakfast: £3,750 for 100 people. I used to work for the catering company so they gave me a good deal. This included canapés and a three-course meal.
Evening food: Free! Family and friends made sausage rolls, samosas, brownies, etc.
Bar tab: £870
Cake: Free! My bridesmaid made us the cake as a wedding present.
Prosecco for toasting: Included in bar tab.
Decor in the venue: £100. Centrepieces were jam jars with ribbons and flowers, on rounds of wood which came from a felled tree in my parents’ garden. I collected jam jars for months beforehand to get a good variety (a great tip for getting the label off is to use peanut butter). We also had candles and fairy lights for outside.
Band: £1,097
DJ: Provided by band.
Transport for bride and groom: Free. We used my mother-in-law's convertible Audi with a ribbon tied to the bonnet.
Transport for guests: £280 for minibuses from the venue to hotels.
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Flowers: £630
Table flowers: £100, from the flower market in Birmingham.
Church/registry office flowers: £280
Confetti: Free. My grandmother, cousins, mum and I all collected rose petals and dried them ourselves to make confetti. My grandmother made organza bags to hand out to guests.
Bouquets: £250 for five bouquets.
Buttonholes: We made buttonholes ourselves (it’s very easy to do – would recommend to all).
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Dress: £1,520
I didn't have any dress in mind before I went shopping. I was petrified to be honest. But I found my perfect dress on the first try.
Dress: £1,300
Shoes: £40
Veil: Free – I used my mother’s veil.
Accessories: Free – I borrowed a tiara and earrings from my cousin, who wore them for her wedding seven years (to the day!) before.
Bridal party hair: Free – my bridesmaids did their own, and mine was done by my very competent bridesmaid.
Bridal party makeup: Again, we did our own (or rather, my competent bridesmaid did mine!). Although I did spend £150 in Bobbi Brown to get some nice makeup, but this lasted me for months afterwards.
Bridesmaid dresses: £20 each – eBay bargain!
Groom's suit: £100
Groom's shoes: He used his own.
Groom's accessories: He used cufflinks given by me to him on his 21st birthday.
Groomsmen's suits: £100 each – but they paid for their own.
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Other: £552
Invitations and postage: £102. My bridesmaid’s dad is a graphic designer so designed the invites, name cards, orders of service, and thank you cards at cost price.
Photography: £450. We had a truly excellent photographer, who we got half price as she was offering a new year deal on Gumtree.
Video: My grandmother videoed, and I edited it.
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The Breakdown
Essentials: £3,080
Hen & Stag: £0
Reception: £9,697
Flowers: £630
Dress: £1,520
Other: £552
Total: £15,479
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