Wedding Statistics & Facts UK

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, £20,775, and £24,710
• The cost of living crisis impacted the wedding budget for 58% of couples in 2024
• By Month: January was cited as the cheapest month to get married (average £15,712), while June was the most expensive (average £23,989)
• By Day: Tuesday was noted as the day with the lowest average cost (£16,273), and Saturday was the priciest (average £22,290)

Regional Variations (Average Cost):

• 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
• Smaller, more intimate weddings are a continuing trend for 2025
• Regarding guest list sizes in 2024:
  • 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
• Barns were chosen by approximately 15-22% of couples
• Country Houses were also a popular option, chosen by 16% of couples
• A significant majority of couples (between 62-77%) opted to hold both their ceremony and reception at the same venue
• In 2023, 60% of couples booked venues that provided their own catering, which could save over £1,000 compared to external caterers
• For 2024 weddings, 62% of booked venues offered exclusive use

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
• Historically, the most popular months for weddings are August (16% in 2022) and September (14% in 2022)
• There’s a trend towards off-peak dates, with autumn, particularly October (13% in 2022), becoming nearly as popular as summer months
• Search interest for autumn/winter weddings reportedly overtook that for spring/summer, leading into 2024

UK Marriage Statistics: The Bigger Picture (Latest ONS Data for 2023)

In 2023, there were 231,949 marriages and civil partnerships in England and Wales, representing an 8.6% decrease from 2022. This marks a notable decline from the 246,897 marriages recorded in 2022 that the image you shared references. Breaking down the 2023 figures

• 216,901 opposite-sex marriages (93.5% of total partnerships)

• 7,501 same-sex marriages

• 7,547 civil partnerships (6,179 opposite-sex and 1,368 same-sex)

Scotland (2024 – Latest NRSCOTLAND Data)

Scotland has the most recent data available, with 26,955 marriages registered in 2024, which was 202 more than in 2023. This represents a return to pre-pandemic levels. Key details:​

• 1,086 same-sex marriages in 2024

• 796 civil partnerships registered (highest since 2006), with 83% being mixed-sex partnerships

• Humanist ceremonies accounted for 8,142 marriages (30.2%), making it the most popular ceremony type after civil ceremonies

The decline from 2022 likely reflects the normalization of wedding patterns after the post-pandemic surge. Marriage rates in 2023 were 18.1 per 1,000 unmarried men and 16.4 per 1,000 unmarried women, both down approximately 10% from 2022.

Northern Ireland (2024 – Latest NISRA Data)

Northern Ireland recorded 7,251 marriages in 2024, continuing a declining trend:​

• This compares to 8,564 marriages in 2022​

• Notably, humanist marriages have surged dramatically, representing 15% of all marriages in 2024 (1,113 ceremonies), up from just 0.5% when legal recognition began in 2018

UK-Wide Total (2024 Estimate)

While complete UK-wide data for 2024 isn’t yet fully compiled, we can estimate based on available figures:

• England and Wales (2023): 231,949

• Scotland (2024): 26,955

• Northern Ireland (2024): 7,251

Based on the most recent data available for each nation, the UK sees approximately 265,000 marriages and civil partnerships annually

Ceremony Types (England & Wales 2023):

• Civil ceremonies increased to 85.7% (up from 83% in 2022), while religious ceremonies dropped to 14.3% (down from 17% in 2022)

Cohabitation: Still at 90% cohabiting before marriage (matching 2022’s record)

Age at Marriage (England & Wales 2023):

• Median age increased to 34.8 years for men and 33.0 years for women (up from 32.7 and 31.2 mean ages in 2022)

Same-Sex Marriages (England & Wales 2023):

• 7,501 same-sex marriages (slight decline from 2022’s record 7,800)

Themes, Colours & Styles

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

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
• “Wedding Weekenders” or multi-day celebrations are gaining popularity

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 (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/bulletins/marriagesinenglandandwalesprovisional/2023)
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. NR Scotland (https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/vital-events-reference-tables-2024/)
10. NISRA (https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/registrar-general-annual-report-2024-marriages)
11. Library 2 (https://library2.nics.gov.uk/pdf/dof/2023/PDF230105.pdf)
12. Cab Hospitality
13. ELLE UK
14. Rock My Wedding
15. Holmewood Hall