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The UK Wedding Report 2026
A comprehensive look at the trends, data, and stories defining weddings in 2026. Data from 7000+ UK couples.
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Average age of married couples
Steadily increasing over the last decade
Average guest count
Couples are inviting fewer guests to their main wedding ceremony
Average spend
25% of couples spend under £10k
Most Popular Month
May is a close second
Celebrating the pure moments of joy you help create
Behind every statistic is a love story. Here are a few of the fantastic weddings featured in the report from photographers on Bridebook
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2025 weddings at a glance
Real insights from 7000+ couples
Average Spend
25% spend under £10k,
25% of couples spend over £26k
Day of Week
Saturday weddings
Average Age
years old
20% are 40 or over
Guest Count
wedding guests
21 additional evening guests on average
Peak Month
17% of weddings
Engagement
months average
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"The most memorable weddings weren't the most expensive—they were the most personal."
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Budget-conscious creativity
The average spend remains steady at £20,604, but lower-spending couples are getting strategic to stay within budget.
The £10k Milestone
of couples are marrying for £10k or under
This percentage is consistent with 2017, showing that budget-conscious weddings remain a viable and popular choice. A quarter of couples are proving you don't need to spend big to celebrate meaningfully.
Cost-saving strategies
Choosing January or March instead of peak summer months
The highest proportion of weddings ever took place on both a Wednesday and Thursday (outside of covid)
Restaurants and pubs growing in popularity
Couples are inviting 11% fewer guests to their main wedding reception than in 2024.
The spending spectrum
While 26% of couples spend under £10k, there's also been a 25% increase in spend for mid-to-high-cost weddings since 2021. The market is polarising: couples are either being strategic about costs or investing heavily in premium experiences.
Seasonality
Summer continues to reign, but Autumn is catching up.
Barns lead the way
Venue-seeking couples are most likely to consider Barns and Country Houses, and these venue types are trending ahead in forward bookings. Most couples keep their options open across multiple venue types rather than limiting their search.
Barns in 2026
Barns hosted 21% of weddings in 2025, rising to 28% of bookings to date for 2027
Consider one venue type only
Most venue-seeking couples consider multiple venue types.
Consider castles
But only 4% book them
Venue type bookings over time
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Couples don’t typically “pick a lane” on venue type early - most consider multiple venue types
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The flexibility factor
Modern couples are more flexible than ever, considering multiple days and booking quickly once they find "the one."
Day Preferences
In 2025, couples showed growing flexibility on the day of the week they’d consider.
Booking Speed
In 2025, couples booked venues quickly after first contact: 79% booked within 4 weeks.
Digital Natives
Gen Z and younger Millennials are redefining how couples connect with venues
App-based resources are increasingly more valued
expect to find pricing information online
felt frustrated with venue responses
Communication Expectations
Short Attention Span
Want the complete picture?
Get access to all 150+ pages of data, including regional breakdowns, seasonal trends, and expert recommendations tailored for wedding venues.
Defining 2026
Couples are prioritising flexibility, transparency and value — and choosing celebrations that feel personal and authentic.
OUT WITH THE OLD TRADITIONS
Natural, candid photography
Sustainability and second-hand touches
DJs over live music (especially Gen Z)
Regional breakdown (UK)
In 2025, weddings were slightly less concentrated in Southern England, with a bigger share taking place in Central England and Wales — and fewer couples travelling outside their home region than last year.
2026
In 2025, just 14% of couples married outside their home region (down from 22% in 2024).
Want the complete picture?
Get access to all 150+ pages of data, including regional breakdowns, seasonal trends, and expert recommendations tailored for wedding venues.
Meet our team of experts
Our team of industry experts at Bridebook have mined the data to bring you insight from 7000+ couples married or engaged in 2026
