If you are thinking about getting married then you might be asking yourself how much does it cost to get married? Wedding prices vary dramatically depending on the sort of wedding you have, and in this post I am going to show you how much it costs to get married.
We got married in 2015 and went for a luxury wedding option. Whilst this might be surprising because of our frugal ways, we chose a wedding that we wanted. We saved money where we could, but chose a venue that we loved, as well as food options that we loved. Whilst we don't regret paying for our wedding, we know that our wedding isn't for everyone. With average wedding prices reaching over £20,000 I want to show you that if you want to get married without spending the earth then you can!
How much does a wedding cost?
Wedding prices vary dramatically depending on where and when you get married, as well as wedding clothes, the number of guests you have and the celebration you choose.
The least amount of money that you can pay for a wedding is £154. This is made up of the following costs.
Giving notice – £35 each
Both of you will need to give notice at your local register office, which costs £35 each. This cost rises to £47 each if either one of you is outside of the EU, EEA or Switzerland and either one of you needs a visa to live in the UK, or does not have a Marriage or Civil Partnership Visitor Visa or family visa.
Notices last for one year, and you will need to apply for them at least 30 days before you get married.
The ceremony – from £46
Your wedding ceremony costs will vary depending on the location as well as the day and time. For example if you booked a ceremony at your registration office on a Tuesday morning you are likely to pay the £46, whereas a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday could see this price increase to £250.
The £46 price is usually only for the couple and two witnesses.
If you are having your wedding ceremony at an approved location away from the register office then you can expect to pay £86 at a religious building and between £275-£400 at another approved location. Again this depends on the time and day of the week.
Wedding certificate – £11
A wedding certificate costs £11 with additional copies costing £2. I would definitely recommend adding one or two additional copies into your budget in case you lose one, or to speed up the process of changing your name.
Booking fee – from £27
The booking fee varies between counties and registration offices, however the lowest amount I have found has been £27 (Barnsley).
Other wedding costs
All of the above are set costs to legally get married, and then it is up to you to decide how much money you spend on the other parts of your wedding.
You might also want to consider:
- Wedding invitations
- Wedding venue
- Venue decoration
- Rings
- Food & drinks
- Bride‘s dress
- Wedding dress
- Bridesmaids' dresses
- Groom’s suit
- Groomsmen's suits
- Flowers
- Photographer
- Entertainment
Wedding money saving tips
There are plenty of ways to save money no matter what your wedding budget. Here are some ideas:
- Get married on a weekday instead of a weekend or bank holiday
- Make your own wedding flowers
- Do your own wedding make up
- Save money on your wedding catering with these 15 tips
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