The media may put couples (and guests) under pressure to spend big and may detract from what marriage is really about. Figures from the close of the 2016 wedding season put the average cost of a UK wedding at £27,000 - that rises to £38,000 in London. While the average UK annual income stands at around £27,195, the costs are substantial to most, and unrealistic for many. Considering the latest figures from the ONS show there were 247,372 marriages between opposite sex couples in England and Wales in 2014, and 4,850 same sex couples tied the knot, it is certainly big business. There were also 111,169 divorces in the same year.
