Wedding Statistics & Facts UK

Christopher | May 07 2025

Planning a wedding in the UK? Getting a handle on the latest statistics and trends can help you navigate the planning process. From average costs and guest numbers to popular venue choices and emerging styles, here’s a breakdown of the key facts shaping UK weddings in 2025 and beyond, based on the most recent data available (primarily from 2024 reports).

Average Cost of a UK Wedding (2024/2025 Data)

  • The overall average cost of a UK wedding in 2024 was reported to be between £21,000 and £25,000. Specific figures cited include £23,250 [1], £20,775 [2], and £24,710 [3].
  • The cost of living crisis impacted the wedding budget for 58% of couples in 2024 [4].
  • By Month: January was cited as the cheapest month to get married (average £15,712), while June was the most expensive (average £23,989) [2].
  • By Day: Tuesday was noted as the day with the lowest average cost (£16,273), and Saturday was the priciest (average £22,290) [2]

Regional Variations (Average Cost) [2]:

  • London: Most expensive at £36,778.
  • Wales: Least expensive at £15,529.
  • Scotland: £19,387.
  • South East England: £22,344.
  • South West England: £20,877.

Average Number of Wedding Guests in the UK

  • In 2024, the average number of wedding guests was around 83-89, an increase from 80-81 in 2022/23 [1], [4].
  • Smaller, more intimate weddings are a continuing trend for 2025 [5].
  • Regarding guest list sizes in 2024 [4]:
    • 53% of couples planned to invite 51-100 guests.
    • 27% planned for fewer than 50 guests.
    • Only 5% planned for over 150 guests.

Popular Wedding Venue Types

  • Hotels were the most popular venue choice, selected by 26-29% of couples [1], [4].
  • Barns were chosen by approximately 15-22% of couples [1], [4].
  • Country Houses were also a popular option, chosen by 16% of couples [4].
  • A significant majority of couples (between 62-77%) opted to hold both their ceremony and reception at the same venue [2], [4].
  • In 2023, 60% of couples booked venues that provided their own catering, which could save over £1,000 compared to external caterers [2].
  • For 2024 weddings, 62% of booked venues offered exclusive use [4].

Popular Wedding Dates & Times in the UK

  • Saturday remains the most frequent day for weddings (43.6% of 2022 weddings), though its dominance is decreasing [6].
  • Historically, the most popular months for weddings are August (16% in 2022) and September (14% in 2022), along with July [6], [7].
  • There’s a trend towards off-peak dates, with autumn, particularly October (13% in 2022), becoming nearly as popular as summer months [7].
  • Search interest for autumn/winter weddings reportedly overtook that for spring/summer leading into 2024 [5].

UK Marriage Statistics: The Bigger Picture (Latest ONS Data for 2022)

Official statistics offer context on marriage rates and demographics (ONS Marriages 2021/2022 Bulletin) (note: the latest full data from the Office for National Statistics is for 2022).

  • There were 246,897 marriages in England and Wales in 2022, a 12.3% increase from 2019, indicating a rebound from pandemic-related postponements [6].
  • Marriage rates returned to pre-pandemic levels [6].
  • Ceremony Type: Civil ceremonies accounted for 83% of marriages in 2022, compared to 17% for religious ceremonies [6].
  • Cohabitation: Over 90% of couples who married in 2021/2022 lived together before marriage, the highest percentage since records began [6].
  • Age at Marriage (Median) [6]:
    • For first-time opposite-sex marriages in 2022: 32.7 years for men and 31.2 years for women (highest on record).
    • For same-sex marriages in 2022: 36.2 years for men and 32.6 years for women.
  • Same-Sex Marriages: A record high of 7,800 same-sex marriages took place in 2022, representing 3.2% of all marriages [6].

Themes, Colours & Styles

  • Theme: Rustic charm is a dominant wedding theme, especially for Gen Z [7], [2]. Themed weddings, like fantasy or Disney, are also popular with Gen Z [2].
  • Colours: Green is a leading colour choice, with sage (12%), forest green (7%), and emerald green (7%) being popular for 2025 [7].
  • Fashion Trends:
    • Bows and pearls are prominent [8].
    • Other trends include puff/detachable sleeves [8], shorter hemlines or outfit changes (23% changed outfits in 2024 [1]; also mentioned by [9], [10]), drop/Basque waists [11], coloured wedding dresses [5], and mismatched or gender-neutral bridal parties [8].

New Twists and Other Trends:

  • More women are giving speeches at weddings, with 28% of brides and 24% of maids of honour doing so in 2024 [1].
  • “Wedding Weekenders” or multi-day celebrations are gaining popularity [5], [12], [9], [2].

Conclusion

The UK wedding landscape in 2025 is marked by rising costs, which couples are meeting with creative budgeting strategies. There’s a strong emphasis on personalisation and guest experiences, alongside a blend of cherished traditions and modern, sustainable practices. While these statistics provide a useful guide, remember that the best weddings are those that truly reflect the unique story of the couple. Use these insights as inspiration to plan a celebration that is authentically yours.

If you are in the stage of planning a wedding, don’t forget to check out our wedding reception venues!

Sources

  1. Hitched 2025 Report (https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/the-average-wedding-cost-in-the-uk-revealed/)
  2. Bridebook UK Wedding Report 2024 (https://partners.bridebook.com/uk/uk-wedding-report-2024)
  3. CompareWeddingInsurance.org.uk (https://www.compareweddinginsurance.org.uk/)
  4. WedPro 2024 Report (https://weddingdates-media.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/WedPro+2024+Wedding+Industry+Report+UK.pdf)
  5. Your London Wedding (https://www.yourlondon.wedding/)
  6. ONS Marriages 2021/2022 Bulletin (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/bulletins/marriagesinenglandandwalesprovisional/2021and2022)
  7. Bridebook 2025 Report (https://ugc.production.linktr.ee/f052aa02-ea7d-42a8-8328-158c597c7bc5_2025-UK-Wedding-Report.pdf)
  8. Reddit – r/wedding (https://www.reddit.com/r/wedding/)
  9. Cab Hospitality
  10. ELLE UK
  11. Rock My Wedding
  12. Holmewood Hall
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