Sky News report that the average UK wedding has broken throught the £20,000 barrier for the first time. 

Couples now expect to blow an average of £20,273 tying the knot, nearly 8% more than the £18,781 they spent in 2006.

You & Your Wedding magazine says the reception is the single biggest expense, costing a total of £7,724.

This includes £2,529 hiring a venue, £3,497 on food, £1,242 on drinks and just under £500 on entertainment.

The honeymoon is the second biggest cost, with couples shelling out £3,220 on a romantic getaway.

Grooms can expect to spend more than £1,400 on an engagement ring and a further £900 on wedding rings.

Brides pay an average of £977 for their wedding dress, but that's not the whole of it.

The bill for their appearance on the big day rises to £1,927 once the cost of shoes, veils, jewellery and other items items are factored in.

On top of this, brides expect to spend a further £109 on a going away outfit and £243 on a honeymoon wardrobe.

The groom's outfit costs an average of just £165, but couples still need to find around £251 for attendants' outfits and £313 for bridesmaids' dresses.

The online survey of 1,500 brides-to-be found that couples also spend an average of £839 on a photographer, £400 on a video, £381 on flowers, £308 on transport and £138 on stationary.

:: One in five single women have started saving towards their dream wedding despite the fact that they are not yet engaged, a survey by Norwich Union shows.

About 85% of women said they wanted their big day to be like a celebrity wedding, with a designer wedding dress topping their wish list.

See article http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Sky-News-Archive/Article/20080641318507

In relation to the findings of this survey it shows that couples pay an average of £2,529 for the hire of their wedding venue.  I do believe that in Northern Ireland many couples are fortunate as alot of venues do not charge extra room hire, instead they offer it complimentary within the wedding package.

We are interested to hear if these figures tally up for you.  Have you set yourself a budget of £20,000 or more, or have you discovered ways to save money? 

Share your thoughts on this topic by posting your comments !

Editor@Bookourwedding.com