If you have begun planning your very own wedding, you have probably asked: how much does an Irish wedding cost?
In fact, we recommend asking this question when you set out to create your wedding budget. Having an idea of what other people have spent on their wedding will help you to craft a budget of your own. Your budget will be unique to you, based on your preferences and priorities, but it’s a helpful step to see what others have spent.
Want to know more? Take a peek at our research below!
How much does an Irish wedding cost?
According to the latest weddingsonline survey, the average wedding budget: €33,083 (excluding honeymoon).
A few notable stats from the survey:
53% of couples went over budget
37% took out a loan
31% got help from their parents
Only 9% chose their suppliers based on the lowest price
Average spend in each category
It’s one thing to know what the average overall wedding budget is, but how have couples divvied up the costs? The breakdown below will tell you the average spend in each category.
Important note: average spend is just that; average. Some couples will spend less on things that aren’t as important to them and will spend more on things that are a top priority. Keep this in mind when crafting your own budget! For example, if flowers are very important to you, you will want to budget more than the £921 spent on average.
Engagement Rings: €3173
Wedding Rings: €1468
Band: €2492
DJ: €694
Photographer: €2094
Videographer: €1760
Wedding Dress: €2042
Ceremony Music: €569
Drinks Reception Entertainment: €640
Evening Entertainment: €1025
Celebrant or other Officiant: €489 (this figure includes priests and HSE registrars at varying costs / voluntary contributions)
Makeup (bride only): €158
Makeup (per bridesmaid): €100
Hairstyling (per bride): €123
Hairstyling (per bridesmaid): €74
Wedding Planner: €1844
Bridesmaid Dresses (per bridesmaid): €300
Beauty Treatments (teeth, botox, tanning): €605
Accessories: €336
Price per suit: €319
Average number of suits bought: 4
Photobooth / Selfie mirror: €545
Wedding Car: €618
Wedding Cake: €454
Décor (Ceremony): €521 (this figure may include flowers)
Décor (Venue): €712 (this figure may include flowers)
Flowers: €921 (some flower spend may be included in decor)
Invites: €291
Foodie Treats: €407
Ceremony booklets (per booklet): €5
Hen & Stag (per person): €248
Why are weddings so expensive?
If you’re looking at these figures and wondering why everything feels very expensive, please take a moment to listen to an episode of the Wedding Wednesdays podcast. In this episode, our editor and host, Kelly Hartmann, sat down with the HIGM – Help! I’m Getting Married queens, Caroline and Elaine. Together, they explained why some things are cheaper on the High Street and more expensive once the word ‘wedding’ has been shared. It’s insightful and will help you to understand wedding prices.
Listen here: Why Are Weddings So Expensive?
