Bridebook Annual Wedding Report: East Midlands is the cheapest place to tie the knot

Drawing insights from over 7,000 UK couples married or engaged during 2024, the report highlights the evolving dynamics of wedding planning, offering a snapshot of spending habits, trends and shifting generational priorities.

The survey found that the average cost of weddings has risen again, with couples now spending an average of £20,822, this has increased by a massive 31% in the past 5 years.

There is a significant variation in average spend by region:

• East Midlands weddings typically cost an average £16,788
• East Midlands is the least expensive region and is roughly £12k less than the most expensive region, London.
• East and West Midland have seen a fall in average costs in 2024, and are now lowest in the country.
• East Midlands couples are some of the savviest in the country with over a third (36%) spending less than £10k on their weddings.
• 14% of couples in London spent over £40k on their weddings, this was the highest percentage of all UK regions

However, the survey results showed that there was a wider range in spending than previous years. Some couples embrace lavish celebrations, with 25% spending over £27k, while others use savvy strategies with 26% spending under £10k.

Couples have been willing to become more flexible in order to find the cheapest venue options and dates. This has allowed couples to still get married with similar lower-end budgets to 2017. Despite this flexibility, 62% of couples went over their budget for their big day.

The average price of weddings in each region are as follows:

The results also showed that couples from the East Midlands are one of 4 regions most likely to have their ceremony in a place of worship, 19% of couples in the area opted for this style of wedding, compared to the national average of 14%.

Across the UK, hotels are the most popular wedding venue, with 24% of couples choosing to tie the knot here. This isn’t the case for Midlanders who opt to relish in the beautiful countryside, with 22% choosing a barn setting as their venue of choice. It was also the region that most wanted an outdoor ceremony at 64%.

Hamish Shephard, Founder of Bridebook, comments: “The growing costs of weddings makes it increasingly more important for couples to plan and budget their finances for their big day. Using budget planning tools can help immensely to make sure that you can achieve your dream wedding, whilst sticking to your achievable finance goals. It also means that providing clear, upfront pricing has never been more important for venues. Couples are making decisions based on transparency and trust, and venues that offer indicative pricing are much more likely to win bookings.”

Shephard concludes: “Bridebook’s 2025 UK Wedding Report reflects a wedding industry at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. Couples are honouring the past while embracing the flexibility and creativity afforded by today’s technology and shifting cultural values. As we look ahead, it’s clear that weddings will continue to evolve in exciting and meaningful ways.”

Bridebook is the world’s number one wedding planning app, empowering couples to plan their perfect day with ease. With a commitment to innovation and personalised experiences, it continues to redefine the wedding planning journey for every couple everywhere. For more insights from the 2025 UK Wedding Report, visit Bridebook.

Hamish Shephard, Founder and CEO of Bridebook, is a leading voice in the wedding industry and qualified wedding planner. With a background that includes co-founding Hello Fresh and transforming Hedsor House into one of the UK’s wedding venues, he founded Bridebook in 2015, which is now the number one wedding planning app. His mission to simplify and bring joy to wedding planning has helped over 2 million couples create their dream weddings.