Weddings are a special occasion worth spending on. After all, we always hope ours will be a once in a lifetime opportunity filled with love, friendship and devotion. But just what does the average wedding day spend look like today?

People are getting married older – with the average bride and groom now 31 and 33 respectively – and so they generally have more money to put towards the big day – instead of the traditional wedding ceremony in the registry office and the savings put towards the deposit on a house.

Research by bridal magazine Hitch has crunched down the numbers to see how wedding budgets were spent in 2017.

Brides and grooms are now spending an average of £27,161. That was a dramatic rise of £2000 since 2016. With such high numbers spent on what will be the highlight of many couples’ lives protecting the big day has become more important than ever. Here at EmeraldLife we pride ourselves on offering comprehensive wedding insurance from just £49.

Top Wedding Expenses 2017

Wedding venue hire is naturally the most expensive cost at £4,354, even more than the honeymoon that comes in second at £3,630. Some 15% of couples extended the honeymoon with a further mini-break – making our multi-trip travel insurance an even better security.

The wedding catering beat the engagement ring but the final but arguably best value expense in the top five was the booze. 

The Wedding Dress

Nevertheless, don’t think trimming down these costs an easy way to make your wedding cheaper. The top five may not have included the wedding dress but this essential feature cost an average of £1209. That was after searching an average of three shops before deciding. Wedding dresses are obviously very valuable and can be delicate – especially vintage wedding dresses.

But how long do engaged couples spend wedding planning? The 2017 average was 12 months actually planning but couples were engaged for four years before the big day.

Wedding Insurance That Cares

While we all hope the worst never happens, EmeraldLife wedding and travel insurance hopes to be there just in case it does. We cover even the smaller things that might not ruin your day but still add up to a large bill and lasting disappointment. What about your wedding car not showing up or damage to the wedding cake or dress?

We also provide wedding insurance for lost or stolen rings and gifts. Emerald Life is the only insurer that also gives you the expenses to bring a claim against a wedding supplier if they won’t deal with you for discriminatory reasons.

If you’re getting married in the near future, or are one of the generous relatives from whom 51% of couples accept financial help for their wedding, then we hope you will get a quote today and have the time of your life.