What Is The Average Honeymoon Cost In The UK?

Anyone planning a wedding usually has a budget that they would like to stick to and tend to not go over (it’s easy to go overboard, trust us we know). In 2021 so far, the average cost of a wedding overall, and the budget you should have available, comes in at around £30,000. But don’t stress if that budget doesn’t seem within your reach. Of course there are many other fantastic options to choose from in order to save some cash and spend less on your big day!

Of that budget, around £4,500 is usually spent on the honeymoon. So as you can imagine, you have quite a lot of room to play with if you’re willing to spend that much! Granted, many couples tend to go abroad for their romantic getaway, which of course will cost that little bit more with flights included (and sometimes food). So, if you’re planning to go on a stay-cation as newlyweds, you can expect that price to be significantly less!

In the UK, the average cost of a wedding has risen by almost £1000 since last year, from approximately £15,171 to £16,001 in 2021. And we can only imagine that to be due to couples wanting to go all out after the hard times we’ve been through in the past couple of years! And this price includes all of the major wedding costs you would expect to pay PLUS some added extras – so don’t be put off by that either!

If you are working with a slightly smaller wedding budget, it’s always great to do some wedding DIY with your family and friends to cut down on decoration costs. Or perhaps you would consider having a wedding in the week or outside of wedding season to save some cash as venues don’t tend to charge as much outside of the peak season! There’s always an option and you shouldn’t feel put off if your budget doesn’t quite add up – most venues will try and lower the price to accommodate your budget as much as they possibly can, so keep that in mind!

Now this is what you’ve really come here for. Of course, depending on where you choose to stay, prices may vary. But it goes without saying that stay-cations and locations where you can catch a domestic flight (e.g. Edinburgh, Belfast etc.) are cheaper, although equally as beautiful. As much as we’d all love to plan a honeymoon in Hawaii (some will and that’s amazing), for many couples, that just isn’t feasible. So planning a honeymoon in the UK could be the way forward. At the end of the day, no matter where you end up, as long as you and your partner get to spend some well-deserved quality time together, that’s the most important part!

According to statistics, the average couple spends around £4,500 on their honeymoon, the lesser bracket spending around £1,250 and the higher percentile spending up to £10,000. If you’re planning a longer trip away to the US and beyond, do expect to pay closer to the higher end of the budget. And as we’ve already mentioned, you could spend less or more depending on where, when or how long you decide to go. Just as a general rule to go by, holidays do tend to be cheaper and quieter outside of the peak season (June – August), so perhaps you’d consider travelling outside of peak time if you are worried about costs! Maybe you will choose one of our top honeymoon destinations for 2021.

You’ll be happy to know that there are a whole host of fantastic places to travel to for your honeymoon, both in the UK and abroad. And of course, at lots of different price points! But we thought it would be best to tell you our favourite affordable locations, with gorgeous scenery, delicious restaurants and bustling towns and cities to explore – you’ll be spoilt for choice!

In the UK:

• The Cotswolds – With beautiful places to visit such as Cheltenham and Gloucester, The Cotswolds offers stunning scenery and great adventures to be had to make for a romantic getaway with your partner.
• The Lake District – One for nature lovers, if hiking, kayaking, and bird watching floats your boat, then The Lake District may be the place for you. Perfect for anyone who loves to camp too!
• Devon – Fancy popping to the beach for a cocktail and some fish and chips with your significant other but don’t want to leave the UK? Then Devon is the perfect honeymoon destination for you – just gorgeous!
• London – Definitely for a couple looking for less of a relaxing honeymoon and prefer the hustle and bustle of city life – but amazing regardless. London never disappoints!
• Edinburgh – Now you don’t have to take a flight to get to Edinburgh, you could drive or take the train, but domestic flights are cheap and make it feel that little bit more special. Such a fantastic city to explore, bustling with heritage and history. Plus great for any paranormal lovers – the ghost tours are a must!
• Belfast – Another city you can take a cheap domestic flight to, and a beautiful one at that. A truly cosmopolitan destination with so many amazing places to explore. And who doesn’t love a good Irish accent – get us to Belfast!

And the list goes on. The UK is a fantastic place to spend your honeymoon with your partner, no matter what your budget may be! Perhaps you will choose one of our top UK honeymoon destinations for 2021.

Abroad:

• Valencia – Located on the East Coast of Spain, beautiful Valencia is the perfect honeymoon getaway for a couple looking for a place in the sun on a budget. And the local cuisine is to die for!
• Croatia – An absolutely gorgeous location, yet massively underrated for some reason. If you’re a fan of golden beaches you’ll fall in love with Croatia.
• Crete – Live out your Mamma Mia fantasy in Crete, one of the most popular and affordable islands in Greece. Yes please!
• Venice – Pizza, pasta, wine and gondolas – need we say more! Venice is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations to date and for good reason!
• Paris (the City of Love) – It’s known as the City of Love for a reason. Paris is an absolutely stunning place to visit – especially if you’re a fan of art history and museums. And so affordable too!

If you are in the higher percentile and are willing to spend that little bit extra to go further (for longer), places like Bora Bora, The Maldives and Bali are absolutely stunning places to visit – and we have guides to each location to help you make the bigger decisions if need be!

By this point, you may be wondering the best way to save up for your big day and how to go about sticking to a budget whilst planning. Thankfully, we’ve put together a list of top tips for saving and staying on budget:

1. Calculate Your Wedding Budget Well In Advance: If you plan and calculate your wedding budget beforehand; including location, venue and guest list, it’s really hard to go wrong. Sounds like a plan to us.
2. Break The Budget Down Into Savings Goals: To make the planning experience even easier so as to save yourself from disappoint, it always helps to break down your budget into savings goals and pay venues and vendors gradually so as to not go over budget.
3. Set Priorities: For many couples, it is easy to go over budget as wedding planning can be very exciting, and often times you don’t realise how much all of the little costs can add up. So get your priorities straight so you know you have the basic necessities sorted. And any added extras can be booked/planned with the remaining budget!
4. Look Out For Weddings Deals and Special Offers: One of the most important top tips to keep in mind whilst planning for your big day! Once you’ve sorted out your location and ideal venue, always check to see if they have any wedding deals or special offers they can give you to help save that extra bit of cash. Most venues offer these discounts and are always happy to help!
5. Research, Research and More Research: So many couples rush into planning their wedding without researching average costs and price points beforehand. But it’s so important to do your research so you know what to expect and compare different venues, vendors, and wedding suppliers so you know you’re getting the best deal for the money you have. You’ll thank us later, we promise!

And these are just a few of our top tips to help you stay on budget, as we know how easy it is to get carried away (we’ve done it ourselves). So keep these in mind whilst planning and we promise they’ll be a big help!