UK weddings average around £20,000–£24,000 — a house-deposit-sized sum assembled £300 at a time. Whatever your number, the same percentage skeleton keeps it honest.
The Typical Split
- Venue + catering + drinks: 45–50% — the immovable giant; guest count drives it almost linearly
- Photography/videography: 10% — the only purchase that appreciates with time
- Attire and rings: 10%
- Flowers and styling: 8%
- Music and entertainment: 6%
- Stationery, cake, transport, favours: 8%
- Contingency: 10% — not optional; every wedding finds it
The Forgotten Line Items
Supplier meals (often contractual), corkage, service charges, next-day cleanup, dress alterations (£150–£400 on top), postage for invitations, and tips. Couples routinely land £1,500–£2,500 over budget purely on items that never had a line.
Cutting Without Crying
Guest count is the master lever — each head carries £80–£150 of catering plus a chair, a favour and a slice of cake. After that: off-peak dates (Fri/Sun or winter saves 20–30% on identical venues), bar limits instead of open bars, and ruthless honesty about what guests actually remember — which research and every married couple agree is food, music and speeches, not chair sashes.