THE £31K BIG DAY

Scots couples reveal staggering cost of average wedding

The average cost of Scottish weddings is now in excess of £30,000, a survey of happy couples has revealed.

The eye-watering sum is up more than £1000 in one year, breaking through the £30,000 mark for the first time. The Scottish Wedding Census of 500 newlyweds found they had forked out £ 31,167 on average in 2016.

The previous year, the average total was £29,904, according to figures compiled by the Scottish Wedding Directory.

But the cost is on course to double within a decade.

When the Scottish Wedding Census started in 2013, the average spend was just £ 19,500. Exper ts said the latest figure pointedted to a thriving industry in Scotland, now worth closee to £1 billion annually.

Natasha Radmehr, editorr of the Scottish Wedding Directory, said: “A lot of people will balk at the averageage wedding spend being so high, butut it comes as no sur-urprise – weddingsngs these day saar ere bigger than they’vey’ve ever been.

“Everyone wantsnts to put on a properper party, with couples now able to hire photobooths, street food trucks and even fairground carousels.

“There has also been a rise in the popularity of weekendlong weddings, where couples hire a venue for a few days to eke out the celebrations.

“That bumps up the hire cost considerably, but it also makes the wedding a much more memorable experience.”

The survey found the Scottish wedding industry was worth £911 min 2016.

It discovered 75% of

couples agreed a budget but

Incredibly, brides now spend an average of £1394 on their wedding dress with women in Glasgow and the south- west paying £1534.

And some bridesto-be were prepared to work for their dream outfit, with 4% saying they had visited or expected to visit 10 or more boutiques and designers in their hunt for a dress.

More couples – perhaps looking to trim costs – are scheduling their big day in autumn as an alternative to the traditional summer do.

Of the newlyweds surveyed, 38% said they had tied the knot between September and November – the same figure as between June and August.

But couples are sticking to tradition in other areas, with more than two out of five marrying on a Saturday.

Venue choices remain part of a lonlong- term trend with hotels again proving the most popupopular pick (33%). Second was “places of worship” (24%).

Two-thirds of couples had their ceremoceremony and receptiontion in the samesam location.

But one coupleco chose to say their vowvows in one of the oldest warshwarships left in the world, HMS FFrigate Unicorn in Dundee – hopefullyh not a sign of battlebattles in their married life.

Wedding pplanner Kimmie Brown of LituLi said there were still deadeals to be had to drive costs down as long as couples were prepared to work at it – or hire someone to do it for them.

She said: “The main problem with weddings is it’s a first for most and it’s daunting – couples don’t know where to start and don’t have the time.

“Wedding consultants can be invaluable. It’s another cost, but it will ultimately save couples money.

“One top tip is to keep the numbers of guests down. That significantly reduces cost.”