Fancy a sun-drenched beach in Mauritius or a gorgeous castle in France? A new survey by SN Travel, in conjunction with Virgin Atlantic, reveals the cheapest and most expensive places to get married around the globe
Weddings, as we all know, are an expensive business, but a survey by SN Travel, in conjunction with Virgin Atlantic, has lifted the lid on relative costs around the world and the data and infographics make fascinating reading for anyone contemplating a dreamy destination wedding, or trying to decide where to get married in England.
The Cost of a Wedding Around the World survey was compiled using open data from wedding and travel sites, ranging from Hitched to TripAdvisor, with statistics gathered, verified independently then calculated on average. The survey considered key elements: venue; photography; videography; DJ/band; florist and officiant. Also in the mix were hair and make-up, crunched at local prices. Extras – covering elements such as wedding attire for the bridal party, stationery and rings – are shown as a fixed cost and are calculated at the same rate for every location featured in the survey (SN Travel estimates ‘extras’ as £9,500 across the board, assuming purchase in the UK prior to the wedding).
“In Mauritius you can expect to pay just over £500 for your venue, as opposed to over £9,000 in France”
Unsurprisingly, Europe is more expensive as a location to get married – France and Italy topping the rankings, with the UK following close behind. The cheapest nation to get hitched is Mauritius, with Sri Lanka coming in at number two. Of course, there are other costs associated with a destination wedding overseas that are not factored into this snapshot – notably flights and accommodation for you and your wedding party. That said, as SN Travel points out, if you pick a destination wedding you are very likely to be jetting off to combine the ceremony with a dream honeymoon.
“There’s wide variation in wedding costs across English counties – around £16,000 in Tyne & Wear and almost £24,000 in Greater London”
Of course, destination weddings don’t just happen abroad and the SN Travel survey also explores the cost across the English regions. As you would perhaps expect, Greater London is the most expensive place to get married. Tyne & Wear, which includes the vibrant city of Newcastle, is the cheapest and is followed by Rutland and North Yorkshire – both of which offer stunning scenery and some fine country houses. Interestingly, after Greater London and the City of London, the most expensive English wedding location is Somerset, which the survey calculated at over £20,000 in venue and supplier costs.
While the survey provides a snapshot, and with lots of ‘wiggle room’ for couples who manage their budget wisely, it offers useful insights – especially if you are still at the ‘which glorious beach or romantic English property?’ stage of your planning journey.
About SN Travel
SN Travel is a London-based travel agency specialising in Caribbean and long haul destinations. It also plans special occasion trips, including weddings and honeymoons. Find out more about The Cost of Weddings Abroad survey undertaken in association with Virgin Atlantic at sntravel.co.uk
