ADVICE
Money Talks
From financial support from family to going it alone, budget is one of the biggest parts of wedding planning. Here’ s how to settle up before settling down …
Back when your parents, or even grandparents said‘ I do’, the tradition was often that the bride’ s father paid for the wedding. But in 2026, along with saying goodbye to choreographed aisle dances and cake smashes, more couples than ever are footing the bill for the big day themselves. Or, at least most of it.
The pros? In theory, total autonomy over your day – you can invite who you want, tie the knot where you want and have your day, your way.
The downside? It’ s expensive. The average UK wedding now costs £ 22,000 and that’ s a huge amount to save up or find down the back of the sofa.
Meeting in the middle
So what’ s the happy medium?
While many parents aren’ t picking up the whole tab anymore, over half of couples admitted that they still contributed to the bill in some way. From paying for one‘ big’ item like the dress or food to putting money behind the bar, a 2025 Hitched survey found that 61 % of couples used financial gifts or parental support to fund their day.
Rather than this expectation falling to the bride’ s family as per tradition, often parents and family on both sides of the couple will contribute to the wedding fund, offering to pay for certain aspects of the day or giving the couple a sum of money towards their wedding.
Something borrowed
Some parents aren’ t in a financial position to pay for all or part of the wedding day, and instead offer to loan the money to the couple, to be paid back once the big day is over. In a similar way to having an interestfree credit card, this deal might seem great, but it could be too good to be true. While it’ s a lovely gesture, it can add complications to relationships and means you’ re heading into married life with debt you need to pay off.
If you’ re borrowing money then make sure you’ re all on the same page when it comes to how much you’ re being loaned, when it needs to be paid back by, and whether any other expectations come with that loan; for example a say in the guest list or getting up on stage for the first dance( Victoria Beckham, we’ re looking at you …).
22 • wedinkent. co. uk