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The average cost of getting married topped £23,000 last year, according to new data from the wedding planning company Hitched.
If you're in the process of arranging your wedding, you might be considering whether it's worth taking out specialist wedding insurance, which covers your financial losses if you need to cancel or reschedule the event.
Here, we outline what wedding insurance does and doesn't include, and offer advice on how much you might need to spend on a policy.
A Hitched survey found that the average cost of a wedding was £23,250 last year. That's up from £20,500 in 2023 and £18,400 in 2022.
According to the survey, 40% of couples spent more than £10,000 on their big day, while 25% paid more than £30,000.
Half of newlyweds said they went over their original budget. One of the most common ways couples dealt with higher costs was by including more 'DIY' elements in their wedding than they'd originally planned.
From venue hire to entertainment and catering, the costs of getting married can quickly rack up.
And if the worst happens and your wedding gets cancelled or disrupted, you may struggle to get your money back.
The Hitched survey shows that 37% of last year's newlyweds took out wedding insurance to protect their big day. Policies commonly cover the following:
As with all types of insurance, it's important to read the small print before you buy, as policies can vary significantly.
For example, insurers may not pay out for cancellation because of bad weather, and weddings abroad may also not fall under standard cover, so you might need to buy an add-on.
Prices will be influenced by factors such as the cost of the wedding and the date you're getting married.
We used the comparison site Go Compare to run an example quote. We said we were spending £23,000 on a ceremony and reception at a venue in the Worcestershire town of Kidderminster on Saturday 2 August.
Premiums started at £95 for a policy with cancellation cover up to £23,000. Choosing a more expensive policy, however, will get you more significant cover.
The priciest product (£119) included £32,000 cancellation cover and, unlike the cheapest option, would pay out if something happened to the wedding rings or if you had to rearrange the event.
Insurers also offered optional add-ons such as marquee cover and public liability cover. The latter protects you financially if you or your guests are found liable for injury to a third party or damage to property.
Before buying, check your existing insurance policies, as you might find you already have some coverage.
If your home insurance policy includes personal possessions cover, your belongings should already be protected from loss, damage or theft. It may also cover you for items you take outside the home. This is normally sold as an add-on when you buy contents insurance, but you can also buy it at a later date.
It's also worth speaking to your insurer to see if it will increase your existing contents insurance coverage for a set time before and after the big day, so that things such as dresses, suits, gifts and decorations are covered.
Our analysis of contents insurance policies in September 2024 found that around two thirds offered increased cover for one month before and one month after the wedding of someone in the household. The boost can be as much as 20%.
This insurer isn't available on Confused.com, but you can get quotes from other insurers and compare the cheapest with our reviews.
Get a quotePlease note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.
When paying wedding suppliers, try to use your credit card if you can.
Anything that costs between £100 and £30,000 and was bought using a credit card is protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means you can claim your money back from your credit card provider if there's a problem with the goods or services.
If you paid by MasterCard or Visa credit card for an item that costs less than £100, or you paid by debit card, you could use chargeback rules to get refunded. Through this process, your provider can try to get your money back from the retailer on your behalf, but it isn't legally obliged to do so.
Despite these protections, just one in five newlyweds used a credit card to pay for their event. This could be because many vendors don't accept credit card payments or prefer to receive the money via bank transfer.
Although standard wedding insurance policies won't apply to weddings abroad, many insurers offer specialist cover.
Even with wedding insurance, travel insurance is still essential to cover the bride, groom and guests before and after the wedding.
And, if you plan to go abroad on your honeymoon, travel insurance is also essential.
