Holly Darani 
Calculators out and deep breaths… let’s talk money, honey!
Does the word "wedding budget" make you want to break out in hives? (We see you, and we’ve got you.)
Planning a wedding is all champagne and cake tastings until the first invoice lands in your inbox and you realise your budget might not go as far as planned.
We know 2026 is a whole new world for budgeting for weddings. Prices have increased, trends have changed, and the pressure to have an "Instagram-worthy" day is higher than ever.
But don’t panic!
We are going to tackle how you can budget for the perfect wedding together, ensuring you get the stunning day you deserve without starting married life in the red.
Based on over 100 weddings in 2024, 2025 and 2026, we thought we’d show you the typical wedding costs we see across the UK.
This example is based on 80-100 guests, Friday or Saturday wedding, in summer. Which is peak time for weddings in the UK.
| Category | Typical cost range (UK, 2026) | Typical share of total budget | What’s included (so you don’t get caught out) |
| Venue hire | £3,500–£8,500 | 15–30% | Hire fee, spaces, sometimes basic furniture. Watch for minimum spends and in-house supplier rules. |
| Catering (wedding breakfast) | £6,500–£14,000 | 25–45% | 3-course meal + staffing; often priced per head. Service charges may be separate. |
| Canapés | £600–£1,800 | 2–6% | Reception bites; easy to underestimate when quoted “per head.” |
| Evening food | £900–£2,500 | 3–9% | Buffets, street food, pizza, etc. Can be a guest-happiness hero. |
| Drinks package | £1,800–£4,500 | 6–16% | Welcome drink + table wine + toast drink. Corkage and bar rules vary by venue. |
| Bar contribution (optional) | £800–£3,000 | 0–10% | Tab behind the bar, or a set amount covered. Many couples cap this for control. |
| Service charge/ corkage/staffing extras | £500–£2,500 | 2–9% | The “invisible” venue costs: corkage, staffing uplifts, late license, glass hire. |
| Photographer | £1,600–£3,500 | 6–12% | Full day coverage. Add-ons: second shooter, albums, travel, overtime. |
| Videographer (optional) | £1,400–£3,500 | 0–12% | Highlights + ceremony speeches. Often adds emotional value long-term. |
| Florals | £1,200–£3,500 | 4–13% | Bouquets, buttonholes, ceremony pieces, centrepieces. Install/setup may be separate. |
| Décor / styling hire | £1,800-£2,400 | 1–7% | Signage, plinths, charger plates, chair upgrades, arches, draping. |
| Candles & finishing touches | £150–£800 | 1–3% | The “wow factor” boosters that add up fast in small purchases. |
| Entertainment (band or DJ) | DJ £450–£1,200 / Band £1,500–£3,500 | 4–12% | One of the biggest vibe-drivers. Add PA, lighting, travel, and overtime if needed. |
| Ceremony & legal fees | £450–£900 | 2–4% | Notice + registrar/council fees. Costs vary by location and ceremony type. |
| Outfits (dress/suit) | £1,200–£4,500 | 5–16% | Dress + suit(s) + shoes/accessories. Alterations are commonly separate. |
| Hair & makeup | £200–£450 (bride) + £60–£110 pp party | 2–7% |
Holly tells us: "The biggest mistake I see couples make is guessing. They look at Pinterest and guess what things cost, rather than getting quoted first. In 2026, transparency is everything. You need to build a budget based on reality, not wishful thinking. A budget gives you the freedom to say 'yes' to what matters because you’ve already said 'no' to what doesn’t."
Before you open Excel or look at a single venue, you need to sit down with your partner and have a heart-to-heart. (Pour a glass of wine for this part!).
If you try to make every single element of your wedding a "10 out of 10," you will blow your budget in the first month. Or you’ll end up continuing to stretch your budget until it becomes stressful and unmanageable.
Neither outcomes are ideal for newly engaged couples.
Instead, identify your non-negotiables. Pick three areas that truly mean the most to you as a couple.
These three categories get the lion's share of your budget. Everything else is where you can compromise.
Wedding decor is the main thing couples want to get perfect. The venue, no matter how expensive, will only look as good as the styling, the intimacy and the theme.
By anchoring your budget to your values, you avoid the "shiny object syndrome" that plagues so many couples. When you’re tempted to spend too much money on ‘small touches’ that only you’ll notice, it brings you back to reality.
We always tell people budgeting for a wedding to sleep on any purchasing decision first… don’t impulse buy!
The price tag you see on a vendor's website is rarely the final price you pay. One of the biggest pain points Holly Darani highlights for 2026 planning is the rise of service charges, wedding venue restrictions, and administrative costs.
To avoid a mid-planning meltdown, you must build a "buffer" into your initial calculations. We aren't talking about a rainy-day fund; we are talking about a specific line item for the invisible costs.
If, for example, you’re planning for a £10,000 wedding, allow for at least £1,000 - £1,750 in additional costs you didn’t think of.
This includes postage for invites, alteration fees for your dress or suit (which can run into the hundreds), vendor meals, and overtime charges if the party goes late.
If you budget exactly down to the last penny based on quotes, you will go over budget.
Instead, treat these hidden costs as inevitable. When you look at a venue quote, mentally add 15-20% on top of the food and beverage minimum to account for anything you might’ve forgotten to ask your wedding venue.
(If you’d like a free consultation with me to talk through your wedding budget, I’d love to chat.)
We need to talk about the guest list. (I know, I know, it’s awkward).
But the single fastest way to impact your wedding budget is your headcount. Every person you invite isn't just a meal; they are a chair rental, a slice of cake, a favor, a napkin, and a drink in the welcome drinks package.
In 2026, we are seeing more intimate weddings with better spends per head. If you are struggling to make the numbers work, you have two choices:
Holly Darani advises that cutting the list is usually the better option for guest satisfaction.
Sit down and categorise your list into "must haves" (immediate family, best friends) and "nice to haves" (colleagues, cousins you haven't seen since 2015).
If your wedding budget is tight, be ruthless with the second list.
Top Tip: Use the "Dinner Party Test." Ask yourself: "Would I honestly invite this person over to my house for dinner and pay for their meal on a random Tuesday?" If the answer is no, they probably don't need to be at your wedding.
Money talks are awkward, especially if your family is helping contribute to paying for your wedding.
Here’s a few, easy-to-use scripts you can put together to alleviate the stress and nerves of talking about your wedding costs with family, friends and vendors.
Use this when you need to know if family is chipping in, without sounding entitled.
"Hey [Mum/Dad], we are starting to put together the spreadsheets for the wedding! We want to be really responsible with our budgeting so we don't start our marriage in debt.
We’re planning to cover the costs ourselves, but we wanted to check in to see if you were planning on contributing anything specific to the day? There is absolutely no pressure, and we’re not asking for anything, but if you were thinking about contributing, please let us know!
Anything will help!”
Use this when a quote comes in way higher than expected.
"Hi [Vendor Name], thank you so much for this proposal!
We absolutely love your work and the vision you have for the day. To be transparent, this quote is currently sitting outside of our allocated budget for this category. Are there any elements of this package we could scale back or remove to bring the number closer to [Your Price]? We’d love to make this work if possible!"
As a wedding decorator, I’m always happy to work with a couple’s budget. It’s always worthwhile checking to see if you can reduce what you’re having to lower the cost!
It’s never too late to pivot! Holly Darani of Events By Beau suggests doing a "mid-planning audit." Pause all spending immediately. Look at your remaining contracts. Can you reduce the photography hours from 10 to 8? Can you switch the open bar to beer and wine only? Be honest with your vendors—they want to help you!
Please don’t get any sort of wedding loan. Starting a marriage with high-interest debt adds unnecessary stress. If you can't afford it in cash now, you can't afford it. Future you will thank you for being frugal (and sensible) now.
Not always! (Surprise!) By the time you buy the materials, tools, and pay for your own mistakes (trial and error adds up), plus the value of your time, DIY can often break even with hiring a wedding decorator.
Listen, planning a wedding budget isn't the romantic part of the engagement. It’s not the part where you pop confetti or cry over a veil.
But it is the foundation that lets you enjoy those moments without a cloud of worry hanging over your head.
You are building a life together, and this is your first big project as a team. Be kind to each other, be realistic, and remember: at the end of the day, you’ll be married to your favourite person.
That’s free.
