“How much does a wedding cost?” is the question underneath almost every wedding search, and the honest answer is that it depends on your guest list, your region and what you decide matters. No one has published a 2027 average yet, so this guide uses the most recent UK figures, from Bridebook's 2026 UK wedding report, and shows you how to turn them into a 2027 plan. Where I give a number, I say where it comes from.
The UK average
Bridebook’s 2026 report, based on about 7,000 couples, puts the average UK wedding at £20,604. That covers the day itself and excludes the honeymoon and the engagement ring. The same series gives £20,822 for 2025 and £20,775 for 2024. In other words, the average has been broadly stable for three years, which is useful when you are planning ahead. Allow for some price movement between now and your date, and treat the figures as a starting point.
London and the regions
London is the most expensive place to marry. Bridebook puts the average London wedding at £26,986 in 2026, about 31% above the UK average, and says supplier prices in London run about 30% above the national average. At the other end, Yorkshire and the Humber is the lowest, with supplier prices around 12% below the national average. If you are comparing quotes, compare within your region, and be wary of any average that does not say where it comes from.
Guest numbers drive the budget
Bridebook reports that the average ceremony has about 74 guests, and that 41% of receptions in 2026 had fewer than 60. Guest numbers shape almost every cost: catering, venue size, drinks, chairs and favours. A small cut in your list often saves more than haggling with five suppliers. If you are hiring a hall and your own caterer, read our dry hire guide. If you are considering a much smaller day, see our guide to private weddings and elopements.
Setting your wedding budget?
Tell us your date, location and the hours you think you need. We will give you an honest quote so photography is planned in from the start.
- Check your date. Send your date and venue through the contact page and we will reply with availability and a quote.
- See where prices start. Weddings from £2,500 (coverage begins at eight hours), engagement sessions from £500, portraits from £150 on the pricing page.
- Look at real days. Browse full weddings in our galleries, or read what couples say.
Where photography fits
Bridebook puts average UK spending on a wedding photographer at £1,484 in 2026, and on videography at £1,514. The photography figure was £1,482 in 2025 and £1,464 in 2024. Those averages include short register office bookings alongside full days, so they are a reference, not a target.
At Cameraboss, wedding photography starts from £2,500, with coverage beginning at eight hours, engagement sessions start from £500 and portraits from £150. That is above the average because the work follows the whole celebration, including cultural ceremonies that run in several parts. The final quote depends on your date, location and the coverage you choose, and the pricing page shows current starting prices. If you want to see how photography budgets break down, read planning a 2027 photography budget, our Leeds costs guide and the guide to reading wedding photography packages.
A simple way to build a 2027 budget
- Set a total and a guest range. Decide the number you are comfortable with before you look at venues.
- Rank your priorities. Choose three things you care about most, such as food, music and photography, and fund them first.
- Get quotes in writing. Compare what is included, not only the headline price.
- Hold back a contingency. Bridebook’s figures are averages, and most couples go over somewhere.
- Book the suppliers who go first. Popular venues and photographers fill early, especially for Saturdays in summer.
Ways to save without losing the day
- Trim the guest list. It affects the largest number of line items.
- Consider a Friday or Sunday. Off-peak dates can be less expensive and easier to book.
- Choose fewer hours of the right coverage. A shorter day with the moments you care about beats a long day with gaps.
- Add a pre-wedding session. An engagement or editorial shoot gives you portraits at a relaxed pace.
What the 2027 trends mean for your budget
Some 2027 trends are budget-friendly and some are not. Dry hire and smaller guest lists can lower costs; custom installations and a wedding weekend can raise them. Our 2027 wedding trends round-up shows which is which, and the wedding photography checklist helps you remember what to ask suppliers.
Costs couples forget
- Hidden venue extras. Corkage, extra hours, cleaning, security and insurance.
- Travel and accommodation. For suppliers and for guests, especially for destination or rural venues.
- Outfit alterations and accessories. Fittings, shoes, jewellery and underlayers add up.
- Stationery and postage. Printing, envelopes and stamps.
- Tips and gratuities. Not compulsory, but worth setting a figure aside.
- Post-wedding products. Albums, prints and frames, which many couples buy after seeing their gallery.
Questions to ask a photographer about cost
- How many hours of coverage does the price include, and what does an extra hour cost?
- Is a second photographer included?
- Are film, an album or prints included, or extra?
- What are the travel and accommodation arrangements?
- What deposit is required, and what are the cancellation and postponement terms?
- How long will delivery take?
Get those answers in writing and compare quotes side by side. Our quote at Cameraboss confirms the coverage, travel and what is included for your date and venue, so there are no surprises later.
A note on using averages
Averages are useful and misleading in equal measure. A national figure blends a registry office lunch with a three-day celebration for 300 people. Use it to check you are not wildly off, then build your own number from the guest list up. If your plan is large and multicultural, expect to land above the average. If it is small and private, you may land well below it. Neither is wrong. What matters is knowing why your number is what it is.
Questions couples ask about UK wedding costs in 2027
What is the average cost of a wedding in the UK?
Bridebook's 2026 report gives £20,604, based on about 7,000 couples. It excludes the honeymoon and engagement ring. There is no published 2027 average yet.
How much does a London wedding cost?
Bridebook puts the average at £26,986 in 2026, about 31% above the UK average.
How much should I spend on a wedding photographer?
Bridebook reports an average of £1,484 for photography in 2026, though the right figure depends on hours and region. Cameraboss wedding photography starts from £2,500 with coverage beginning at eight hours.
How many guests does the average UK wedding have?
Bridebook reports about 74 guests at the average ceremony, and 41% of receptions had fewer than 60 guests in 2026.
When should I book wedding suppliers for 2027?
As soon as you have a date and venue, especially for summer Saturdays. You can send us your date and we will reply with availability.
Ready to start planning your 2027 wedding?
Good photography is easier to plan early. Send us your date and we will help you decide the coverage that fits your budget.
- Check your date. Send your date and venue through the contact page and we will reply with availability and a quote.
- See where prices start. Weddings from £2,500 (coverage begins at eight hours), engagement sessions from £500, portraits from £150 on the pricing page.
- Look at real days. Browse full weddings in our galleries, or read what couples say.
