What does a
wedding cost?
There’s no single number — a wedding is the sum of its suppliers. Below are real starting prices for the biggest line items we price today, drawn from listings on Shortlist Wedding. Each is a starting (“from”) figure, not a market-wide average.
This combines the two biggest line items we price from real listings — venue hire and photography only. A full wedding also includes catering, drinks, flowers, attire, music and stationery, which we don’t yet price. Use it to anchor those two costs, not as a final budget.
The line items we price today
Starting hire fee for the space — excludes catering, drinks and the rest.
Starting package price for a wedding photographer — coverage and extras add up from here.
Starting package price for a wedding videographer — hours, films and extras add up from here.
Starting price for wedding flowers — bouquets and personal flowers up to full ceremony florals.
Venue hire cost by city
Photographer cost by city
Videographer cost by city
Wedding costs — your questions
What does a wedding cost in the UK?
It depends heavily on your venue, guest count and the suppliers you book. On Shortlist Wedding, the two biggest line items start from real listing prices: venue hire from £850 (typically around £2,000), and a photographer from £490 (typically around £750). Catering, flowers, attire and music are additional and vary widely.
Is this the total cost of a wedding?
No. These are starting prices for venue hire and photography only — two of the largest line items, but not a full wedding budget. A complete wedding also includes catering, drinks, flowers, attire, music, stationery and more, which we don't yet price from listings. Treat the combined figure as a partial starting point, not a final total.
Where do these figures come from?
Every figure is a starting (“from”) price taken from real supplier listings on Shortlist Wedding — not a market survey or a national average. As we price more categories, this page will add them as honest, listing-based line items.
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