How does your wedding costs compare to these averages?
These prices could shock you. It highlights the importance of purchasing wedding cancellation insurance to cover these costs.
In this article we rank the ten most popular wedding expenses and how much each cost on average.
What does the average wedding cost?
According to a national wedding survey, the average price of hosting a wedding in the UK was £18,400 in 2022. This was an increase on previous years, which makes sense as venue hire and material costs are increasing alongside the cost of living.
However it’s important to bear in mind that the price of a wedding varies drastically. Depending on what type of wedding you are planning, many areas can see savings. What’s important is that all these areas are at risk of cancellation.
Whether it rains, or there’s a flood, or some unimaginable disaster happens, or perhaps there is a local terror attack or security threat – Your wedding is always at risk of cancellation from the very moment you make your first booking.
To highlight the importance of cancellation insurance and liability insurance for weddings, we’ve performed a Wedding Budget Breakdown and listed the average wedding costs for popular UK wedding purchases:
What To Include on Your Wedding Budget Planning Checklist:
Here’s a wedding budget breakdown of the ten most popular wedding expenses, ordered by price…
1. Venue – £7,500
The cost hiring a wedding venue in the UK can vary greatly depending on it’s type and location. A wedding venue can cost anywhere between £2,000 to £15,000 and beyond.
2. Catering – £3,000
Catering costs in the UK are calculated per person; the more guests, the higher the costs. However depending on the menu, costs can range from £50 to £150 per person or higher. Often catering is a service provided by a third-party company, and therefore needs to be covered by your insurance.
3. Decorations – £2,500
The cost of decorations can vary widely depending on the complexity and expense. Colour is important and high end options can go well above two thousand pounds. Indeed, the venue may provide you with options. Remember to include flowers in your budget which are typically an additional fee.
4. Photography – £2,500
Wedding photography costs should remain just over the thousand pound mark, however for multiple days and for additional shoots, photography costs can quickly soar. Ensure your photographer has their own insurance, such as liability insurance, just in case an accident happens.
5. Wedding Attire – £2,500
Wedding dress costs need to be budgeted alongside the cost of bridesmaid dresses, suits for the groom and groomsmen – or for a less traditional wedding, even further costs. Again price can vary, nevertheless, this remains one of the most important costs to cover with insurance; applying for both bought or hired attire.
6. Entertainment – £1,000
DJ, live band, party games, there are various ways you can entertain your guests throughout the night. The average cost of a band for a full evening is around a thousand pounds. However you may require more than one type of musicians, perhaps for the procession or for the late evening. Big party games can also be hired for not too much of an expense.
Whether it’s a popular band or a regular wedding entertainer, ensure they have their performers insurance in place.
7. Wedding Coordinator – £1,000
A necessary or unnecessary service depending on how busy or disorganised you are. Wedding coordinator can take a lot of stress out of planning a wedding, however they can cost a pretty penny. Service prices usually start at around a thousand pounds; alternatively you can plan the wedding yourself.
Wedding coordinators may prefer to charge a percentage and won’t always purchase insurance, so make sure you purchase wedding insurance before acquiring their services.
8. Wedding Cake – £300
The archetypal wedding cake is a necessary expense. Get an expert bake done, buy a ready to go cake or save some money and bake one yourself. Insurance will cover catering and wedding cake makers specifically for weddings should have their own insurance.
9. Invitations – £200
Sending save-the-dates to at least fifty different addresses will be costly. Stationary items can range from £100 to £1000 depending on the design and printing method you want.
10. Insurance – £25
By far the cheapest necessary expense for your wedding, and yet arguably the most important. Many venues will require adequate liability insurance to protect yourself in case of accidents or injuries that may occur during the event.
Wedding insurance can provide coverage in case you need to cancel or postpone your wedding due to unexpected circumstances such as illness, injury, or extreme weather conditions. It can help you recover some or all of the costs you have already incurred or reschedule your wedding without incurring additional expenses.
Additional Expenses
Anything specific to your event or something you’ve always wanted is good to include in your wedding budget planning. It could be transportation, gifts, license fees, unique services, or religious inclusions. To achieve your dream wedding, the costs can quickly stack up.
It’s a lot to lose…
Why Wedding Insurance is important:
It’s important to review the coverage details, terms, and conditions of wedding insurance policies carefully and choose a policy that best fits your needs and budget. Wedding insurance can vary in coverage levels and cost, so it’s essential to understand what is covered and what is not, and work with a reputable insurance provider to ensure you have appropriate coverage for your specific wedding requirements.
Unsure about the price of wedding insurance? Hesitant on if Insure Our Event is right for your wedding?
Take two minutes to fill in our easy, non-commitment, quote form and see how simple it is to purchase insurance for a coronation party.
