The Average Cost Of A Wedding Around The World
The United States is far from the only country where couples spend extravagantly on their nuptials. The data below from WeddingWire shows the average price of a wedding around the world in U.S. dollars, using currency conversion rates as of March 2019.
The United States is the most expensive on the list by a wide margin in terms of average cost, but couples across the globe have a keen interest in making their wedding special and are willing to pay a relatively high price in order to do so.
You Opted For Special Upgrades
While planning your big day, you and your partner might start to feel like celebrities. So when your caterer asks you if youd like to upgrade your package to include a top-shelf bar, how can you say no? And when your lighting company suggests some really cool texture lighting that wasnt in your initial wedding budget, it can be hard to resist. But sometimes you just have to say no for the benefit of your budget. Learning how to say no to your vendors is perhaps more important than saying yes. Special upgrades can sound really cool, but if your budget is far from Kardashian-level, we recommend keeping things simple.
How Much Is The Average Uk Wedding
Before the pandemic struck, the average cost of a wedding in the UK was £16,005 according to Bridebook. When you factor in the engagement ring and the honeymoon, the figure rises to £20,731.
Over half of couples spend between £10,000 £25,000 on their wedding day.
Think about what that money could get you instead:
- Starting a new business
- Buying a new car
While drawing up a budget for the wedding day is a useful thing to do, 40% of the couples surveyed overspent, with most of the money going on:
According to the National Wedding Survey, more than half of couples needed to visit the Bank of Mum and Dad to pay for the wedding dress, wedding venue and more of their plans.
- Find out more: 10 money-saving challenges and 20 simple ways to save money
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How Much Does An Average Wedding Cost
Theres a lot to think about when it comes to planning a wedding photographer, catering, flowers, dress, to name a few. But what does the average wedding cost in the UK?
Well, the latest figures show that the average person is going to end up spending £31,974 on their big day. A survey of 2,800 couples, by Hitched and You and Your Wedding, also showed that its venue hire that comes out as one of the biggest costs, closely followed by the honeymoon.
What Are The Expectations In Other Cultures
Expectations of how much money to give vary vastly between different cultures and you’re best to ask someone in the know, e.g. a friend in the wedding party or a relative of the engaged couple.
For example, at Japanese weddings, money is a very common gift. A friend of the couple may give £200 in Yen, while relatives may give three times this amount. The money is put in an envelope called Goshugi-bukuro and your name and the amount is written on the front.
In China, money is almost always given to the couple in red envelopes as a gift. Typically guests work out the amount to give based on how much the wedding meal would have cost, so the fancier the meal and venue, the more money is given.
At Nigerian weddings, it’s tradition for there to be a ‘money dance’ where the couple are sprayed with money as they boogie on down. In addition, guests will fill envelopes with money or a cheque and give it to the couple. The amount you are expected to give really depends on your relationship to the couple, so we’d advise you to ask ahead of time and prepare your gift plus money to spray.
Indian weddings will typically have no wedding registry and a ‘no boxed gifts’ rule – cash or a cheque in an envelope is given instead. In Indian culture, they avoid gift amounts ending in 0 and typically would give £51, for example, as it starts the couple off on accumulating their next £50.
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Should I Buy A Gift If I Cant Attend The Wedding
“Emily Post has always attested to the fact that you should always send a gift if invited unless youve truly been out of touch for a considerable length of time,” says Carlson. “Id like to think, however, that there is absolutely an understanding that if you decline the invitation and are not in a financial position to send a gift, then you dont, and thats OK. Instead, send your warm wishes with a handwritten note.”
If youre a close friend of the couple, its probably best to send a wedding gift. If, on the other hand, your distant cousin invited 300 people to her wedding and you feel like you were invite number 299, a sweet note of congratulations on the RSVP card is sufficient. If you do decide to send a gift, feel free to spend less than you might spend if you were attendingthat $30 wine opener is still a lovely token of congratulations that the couple will surely appreciate.
It’s Ok If A Large Wedding Is A Legitimate Priority
As you and your partner discuss your goals and values, you may decide that a large, expensive wedding is important to both of youand that’s fine! Its okay to prioritize your wedding over short-term goals, as long as youre both on the same page.
Not everyone dreams of buying a house or having children. You may have inexpensive tastes, so you want to splurge on your wedding. Hone in on whats important to you, regardless of what others think you should do.
The importance of weddings may get inflated during the planning process, but they are a major event in a person’s life. As long as you’re sure a big wedding is what you truly want, and you aren’t simply getting carried away by the excitement of planning, then you should feel confident spending what you need to make your dreams come true.
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Earn More To Afford The Wedding Of Your Dreams
Despite what society tells you, theres no right or wrong price for your wedding. You might have a wedding in the high six figures, or you might just have a wedding that ends up costing a couple thousand. Both are perfectly fine. What matters most is that youre realistic about what youre going to spend so you know what to save.
If you want a wedding that might cost a little bit more than youre able to save for right now though, there is a solution: Earn more money.
You can only save so much money at the end of the day. However, theres no limit to how much you can earn.
Thats why my team and I have worked hard to create a guide to help you invest in yourself today: The Ultimate Guide to Making Money.
In it, Ive included my best strategies to:
- Create multiple income streams so you always have a consistent source of revenue.
- Start your own side hustle so youre earning money for any financial goal .
- Increase your income by thousands of dollars a year through earning raises and freelancing.
How Much Does A Wedding Planner Cost
With so many moving parts to make up a perfect wedding, many couples turn to a professional for help planning it all. An estimated 30% of couples hire a wedding planner to take care of some or all of the logistics, according to Wedding Wire.
While the average cost of this professional help comes at a price of around $1,500, the price tag depends what type of assistance your planner provides.
Couples have the option of choosing
- a full-service planner
- a day-of coordinator
- a wedding-weekend or destination-wedding coordinator or
- a professional who offers a-la-carte services and assists with only a specific aspect of wedding preparations.
Obviously, the less assistance a planner provides, the lower the price will be.
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You Added Custom Or Personalized Elements To Your Wedding
Weddings these days are all about personalizationcouples want their big day to be uniquely their own, and that often means including customized or personalized elements. Unfortunately, these custom or personalized details usually come with a higher price tag. Instead of customizing every element of your wedding, pick one or two details you can personalize, such as a special sign or a fun cake topper, instead of opting for specially-dyed napkins to match your color scheme or over-the-top welcome bags. Your vendors will ensure that your wedding feels uniquely tailored to your style, without blowing your budget.
How Can You Budget For All Of This
Weddings have an incredibly long list of expenses. Before you start spending money, review this list and number the expenses in order of priority. What’s the number-one thing on this list? The dress? The photographer? The honeymoon? What’s the number two thing on your list? And what are you willing to give up to ensure that you can save enough money to pay for your top priorities?
Both partners should separately number this list in order of priority. Then compare notes to see how the priorities align.
Budgeting is, at its heart, the art of aligning your expenses with your priorities. The only way you’ll be able to do this is by articulating which expenses take the number-one position and deciding what you’re willing to give up to afford it.
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Millennials Tend To Spend More On Their Wedding
The average millennial tends to spend more than older Gen Xers on a wedding. In fact, in 2019, the average cost of a millennial wedding is $31,000, while a Gen X couple only spends an average of $21,000. Why this disparity? Well, millennials tend to invite more people and include such amenities as an open bar and late-night snacks than their older counterparts.
How Much Money Do You Give At A Wedding
How much to give at weddings is always a source of debate amongst wedding guests. Well, how much money you should give at a wedding depends on your relationship and your attending status. But the minimum check thats allowed is $50. Dont go below it.
For a colleague or acquaintance, $50 to $75 is acceptable. You can work within that range at your discretion. For family or someone close to you, $75 to $100 and even as high as $150 is perfect. Then if youre going as a couple, its routine to double the amount or keep it at $200.
Accepting to attend a wedding means youve committed to doing your best for the couple. This will reflect when buying the wedding gift. But as you shop, there are few things to consider. Etiquette that keeps you in line.
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Should I Purchase A Gift For A Wedding I Didnt Attend That Was Either Cancelled Or Downsized For Reasons Relating To The Pandemic
As the pandemic is truly unprecedented, theres not really a rule of thumb for these situations. This also means the couple has no expectations for a gift, either. Was the cancelled wedding far enough along that you received information on their wedding registry? If so, it would be a nice gesture to send a gift. The couple may not be treating you to dinner and drinks, but sending a little something is a sweet way to celebrate their love. If theres a chance the wedding may be postponed, its ok to wait for further details from the couple. What if the couple opted to host a micro-wedding with immediate family only? In this case, chances are, theres no wedding registry or expectation of a wedding gift but if your budget allows, its recommended to mail them a little something. A handwritten note and a thoughtful gift will go a long way.
To jump start your search, here are a few ideas to consider based on various wedding gift amounts.
How Can I Keep My Wedding Cheap
Here are seven ways to keep wedding costs down and help you stay on budget!
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How Much Should I Spend On My Wedding Dress
Every bride wants something different. What do youwant your dress to say about you? Some will want the prestige of top enddesigner brands such as a Vera Wang, others will want a very particular stylewhich might only be available if youre getting the dress made yourself or youmay want the unique impact of a vintage heirloom piece.
Bridal magazines can be great for inspiration, butoften only feature dresses which are more expensive than the average bride canafford. Ask friends and family, as they will have opinions to give you on whatthey might have spent.
Every bride is unique including you, so dont wastetoo much time comparing yourself to others. Assess your budget yes, but moreimportantly assess how important your dress is to your special day and allocatefunds accordingly.
What Is A Reasonable Budget For A Wedding
To get an idea of a reasonable budget for a wedding lets lay out some of the areas that drain most of your budget.
These are 10 of the top wedding spends, according to the wedding website hitched:
Venue hire £5,406Entertainment/music £1,005Video £968
Looking at the list, you can get a clearer picture on what you think is a reasonable cost of a wedding.
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How Much To Give For A Wedding If Theres An Engagement Party Too
How much to give for a wedding is synonymous with your availability for the wedding. It is well-advised that you split your budget for the wedding gift into 25% / 75%. 25% on engagement gifts and the remaining 75% on gifts for the main wedding. Something like wine, a box of chocolates or a box of cupcakes will do.
If you will not be available for the main wedding and the couple means a lot to you, follow Diane Gottsmans principle. Browse through their engagement gift ideas and pick something thats equivalent to the amount you would spend on a wedding gift.
