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Average UK Wedding Cost 2026: £20,604–£21,990
The average UK wedding cost is between £20,604 and £21,990 in 2026. Bridebook reports £20,604 from more than 7,000 couples, while Hitched reports £21,990 from more than 2,000 people who married in 2025. Both figures exclude the engagement ring and honeymoon. Treat them as planning benchmarks, not spending targets.
Key Takeaways
- Bridebook reports an average UK wedding cost of £20,604 in 2026
- Hitched reports £21,990, based on couples who married in 2025
- Both headline figures exclude the engagement ring and honeymoon
- The £1,386 difference reflects separate surveys, samples and reporting periods
- Venue and catering take the largest share of the typical wedding budget
- Your guest count, location and date matter more than the national average
The average UK wedding costs £20,604 to £21,990 in 2026, according to the two largest published industry reports. Bridebook’s figure is £20,604. Hitched reports £21,990. Both exclude the engagement ring and honeymoon.
That range is a useful benchmark, but it is not a target. A smaller guest list, a weekday date or a different location can move your total by thousands of pounds.
Bridebook and Hitched compared
The reports answer the same broad question, but they do not use the same group of respondents.
| Report | Average cost | Sample | What the headline excludes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridebook UK Wedding Report 2026 | £20,604 | More than 7,000 married and planning couples | Engagement ring and honeymoon |
| Hitched average wedding cost 2026 | £21,990 | More than 2,000 people who married in 2025 | Engagement ring and honeymoon |
The difference is £1,386, or about 6.7% of Bridebook’s average. Hitched describes its number as the average cost of weddings held in 2025 and reported in 2026. Bridebook publishes its number as part of its 2026 report and draws on a broader group of married and actively planning couples.
Neither report publishes enough matched detail to assign the whole gap to one factor. It would be misleading to say that one figure includes the honeymoon or engagement ring: both sources explicitly exclude them.
What does the average wedding cost include?
The headline totals cover the main wedding-day expenses. These normally include:
- venue hire and catering
- photography and videography
- wedding outfits
- flowers and decorations
- music and entertainment
- stationery and transport
Bridebook’s 2026 breakdown puts venue hire at £6,040 on average, excluding catering. It reports average reception catering of £5,406 and evening catering of £2,002. These category figures describe spending among its respondents and should not be added together as a standard package price.
Photography averages £1,484 in Bridebook’s report. Videography averages £1,514, while the average wedding dress is £1,532. Actual quotes will vary by region, date, experience and the service supplied.
How guest numbers change the budget
Guest count is one of the strongest cost drivers because it affects food, drink, furniture, stationery and venue size.
Bridebook gives the following 2026 estimates:
| Day guests | Estimated wedding cost |
|---|---|
| 50 | £15,162 |
| 70 | £21,791 |
| 100 | £22,510 |
| 120 or more | £26,000 |
Hitched reports an average cost per guest of £272. Bridebook reports about £278. Fixed costs mean a smaller wedding will not always be cheaper on a per-person basis, even when the total is lower.
Start with the people you genuinely want there. Then price the venue and catering against that number before booking anything else.
How location affects wedding costs
London is the most expensive area in both reports, although the published totals differ. Hitched gives a London average of £24,662. Bridebook reports £26,986.
Hitched also reports:
- South East England: £23,589
- East of England: £23,350
- Scotland: £22,123
These are survey averages rather than quotes. A registry-office ceremony and restaurant reception in London may cost less than a large country-house wedding elsewhere.
How to use the figures in your own budget
Use the national range as an early sense check. Then replace it with real costs.
- Set your guest count. Ask for venue and catering prices based on the same number of day and evening guests.
- Separate optional costs. Keep the engagement ring, honeymoon, hen or stag plans and guest travel outside the wedding-day total.
- Compare like with like. Check whether quotes include VAT, staffing, furniture, corkage and evening food.
- Keep a contingency. Hold back part of the budget for alterations, delivery charges and final guest changes.
- Record quoted and final costs. A supplier quote is more useful than a national average once your plans take shape.
The practical starting point is not “How do we spend £21,000?” It is “What can we comfortably afford without borrowing, and which parts matter most to us?”
Research notes
This page was checked on 27 August 2026 against the current public pages from Bridebook and Hitched. We report each publisher’s figures within its stated scope and do not combine the two datasets into a new Weddings Hub average.
The Bridebook source states that its £20,604 figure covers the wedding day and excludes the honeymoon and engagement ring. It describes data from more than 7,000 couples. The Hitched source states that its £21,990 figure comes from more than 2,000 people who married in 2025 and also excludes the honeymoon and engagement ring.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the average UK wedding cost in 2026?
Published averages range from £20,604 at Bridebook to £21,990 at Hitched.
Does the average include the engagement ring?
No. Both Bridebook and Hitched exclude the engagement ring from their headline figures.
Does the average include the honeymoon?
No. Both reports treat honeymoon spending as a separate cost.
Why do Bridebook and Hitched report different averages?
They use separate samples, reporting periods and survey methods.
How much does a wedding cost per guest?
Hitched reports £272 per guest, while Bridebook reports about £278.
Where are UK weddings most expensive?
Both reports place London above the national average.