Your goals
Saving for a wedding
Plan everything with military precision beforehand to give yourself the best chance of the day you both hoped for, and then just relax and let it happen.
Plan everything with military precision beforehand to give yourself the best chance of the day you both hoped for, and then just relax and let it happen. This would include looking after the money that you have or will save and how long you are giving yourself to save. Some say the average cost of a wedding is around £28,000 depending on your choice of venue and numbers.
What to do with your money depends on inflation and current interest rates. The options are:
Capital risk free in a bank’s savings account or cash ISA.
Capital risk free for 1/2/3 years in a fixed term deposit at your bank but it will be locked up for a certain period.
Stocks and shares ISA – higher risk but potentially higher reward and much more investment choice.
Wedding Packages
Booking a venue that offers wedding packages can be a cost-effective option as it often includes catering and drinks in addition to the venue hire. The average cost of this kind of package starts from around £6,000 for a winter mid-week wedding date and increases to £14,000 on average for a summer Saturday wedding. Those that provided a “typical” wedding package price averaged at £9,000.
Dry Hire Venue Costs
If you’re hiring your wedding venue on a ‘dry hire’ basis (i.e., bringing in all the caterers, decor and bar yourself) then your prices will look a little different. The average cost for booking a dry hire wedding venue on Saturdays during the peak season in the UK is around £8,000. However, if you opt for off-peak mid-week dates, you can expect to spend approximately £4,000.
Cost-Per-Head Wedding Packages
Wedding venues that charge couples on a per head basis often provide a comprehensive package that includes venue hire, food, a drinks package, and attentive staffing. For 2026, cost per head packages range from £85–£138, with an average median cost of £112 per person.
Depending on the marquee size and style, the national average “typical” cost is around £4,000 – and this is before the church/choir/celebrant (~£706), wedding planner, and staff.
Information, not advice. This guide is general information to help you understand your options. It is not personal advice and not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment. If you are unsure what is right for your circumstances, consider taking regulated financial advice. The value of investments and any income received from them can fall as well as rise, and investors may receive back less than they originally invested. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.