Described as one of the biggest days of your life, your wedding will be an event you never forget.
After all the arrangements, it can quickly become very expensive, but just how much are we spending on average for the big day?
According to a wedding survey conducted by Confetti Magazine, the average Irish couples are spending €25,000 on their big day.
Almost a third of the couples who were asked said they went a little over this amount and another 44 percent said they were the ones footing the bill for their day.
According to the data collected, those all-important memories are costing you a pretty penny. The average spent €1,615 on a photographer, and videographers came in at €1,207.
However, 41 percent of couples said they chose to forgo the videographer and all of them said they regretted not making the investment.
A bride’s average age came in at 31, spending €1,697 on their dress and €434 on accessories, including veils, shoes and jewellery.
While the groom’s bill was significantly less at an average of €697 to suit and boot themselves.
Irish couples tend to put 20 months of hard work into planning their big day and usually have three bridesmaids and three groomsmen, spending roughly €507 on the women’s outfits and €562 on the lads’ attire.
Of course, we cannot forget hair and make-up for the bridal party, they splashed a standard €334 on makeup and €291 on hair.
170 guests are normally invited and the most popular gift in Ireland is cash, with 74 percent of single guest giving €100 as a present, or 62 percent of couples said they would give €200 if they were invited together.
Almost half opted for a hotel reception with a price tag of €12,258, and as you’re usually starving by this point and the hangry sets in, 56 percent of couples made their guest listen to their speeches before the food was served.
Entertainment comes in at a close second, after the grub that wedding guests remember and the newlyweds dished out an average of €470 on ceremony music, €1,969 on their wedding band and €461 on a DJ.
A top tip given by Confetti Magazine is to ask if the wedding bands have an add-on DJ service as this can save you some extra cash.
The attention to detail begins to add up as you cut into the cake, which came in at approximately €410 for couples, whilst the flower bill generally cost €695.
Wedding stationery added up to €359, and the average spend on DIY items and décor was €382. Those who choose a wedding stylist spent an average of €1,364 to hire one.
Almost two-thirds got married in a church and usually spent €690 on the ceremony and getting to the church on time cost most couples €426.
The survey also concluded that newlyweds spend just over €5,000 on their honeymoon and €460 on a hen or stag do, with more than half choosing a different country to celebrate their impending nuptials.
How did your wedding budget compare to the averages?
