the £ 31k big day

Happy but skint couples reveal the cost of the country’s average big day has hit an all-time high T

Couples tell of the astonishing cost of an

average wedding

he 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 pointed to a thriving industry in Scotland, now worth close to £1 billion annually.

Natasha Radmehr, editor of the Scottish Wedding Directory, said: “A lot of people will balk at the average wedding spend being so high, butut it comes as no surprise – weddings these day are bigger than they’ve ever been.

“Everyone wants to put on a proper 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 only slightly more than half (51%) stuck to it.

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 long-term trend with hotels again proving the most popular pick (33%). Second was "places of wor-ship" (24%). Two-thirds of couples had their ceremony and recep-don in the same location. But one couple chose to say their vows in one of the oldest warships left in the world, HMS Frigate Unicorn in Dundee — hopefully not a sign of battles in their mar-ried life. Wedding planner Kimmie Brown of Litu said there were still deals 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.”