How to Plan a Wedding on a £5,000 Budget
Not everyone has thousands to spend on a wedding, so if you're planning a wedding with a £5,000 budget, this is how to do it
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Wedding planning on a budget can be a strain – and much of that stress is tied up in the cost. Fortunately, we like to think of ourselves as budget experts when it comes to weddings, which is why if you’ve been searching “wedding packages under £5,000 near me” – or simply want some cost-cutting tips – we’re here to help.
Our Hitched National Weddings Survey revealed that the average cost of a wedding currently stands at £23,250. Naturally, this will seem like a small fortune to a lot of couples, but we’re here to prove that the perfect wedding isn’t dependent on how much you’re willing to spend.
To help guide those getting married on a smaller budget, we’ve planned the perfect wedding with a £5k wedding budget. That’s right – a £5k wedding!
From the venue to the dress, our expert tips and affordable vendor recommendations will make your wedding planning experience a whole a lot easier. So, without further ado, here is our 5k wedding budget breakdown…
Planning a Wedding for £5,000
Remember, the below is just a guide to planning a wedding for £5k, designed to help you plan in accordance with a tight wedding budget. If there are elements of your wedding that are more or less important to you as a couple, feel free to allocate your own budget as you see fit.
Prioritise what is important to you – that’s the secret to an incredible big day regardless of budget!
Wedding Venue Hire – £1,000
It may be that you decide to book a complete wedding package with your venue – and there are many which include catering that will come well under your £5,000 budget. However, some couples might choose to hire the venue separately and bring in their own catering.
Pubs, wine bars and restaurant venues are always a great option, but other cheaper venue options include studios, creative spaces and village and community halls. However, if you have your heart set on a venue, it’s always worth asking the team if it can offer a discounted off-peak rate. Here are a few of our favourites to inspire you…
Sheene Mill, Cambridgeshire
For a classic English countryside celebration, Sheene Mill is a quaint waterside inn that can accommodate up to 180 guests but works equally well for more intimate celebrations.
The 16th century mill has tons of character – think exposed beams and original period details – and there are spots for both indoor and outdoor ceremonies. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy romantic photos and outdoor drinks in the company of resident swans!
- Pricing: From £1,000
- Capacity: 180 guests
- Deals: There are plenty of offers to be had for couples getting married on a budget over on this venue’s listing, plus Hitched users can get an exclusive 5% off their booking.
The Usher Gallery, Lincolnshire
For art-loving couples, The Usher Gallery is a chic spot in Lincoln that makes a modern and stylish budget venue choice.
Tie the knot surrounded by some of the UK’s most outstanding sculptures, paintings and creative masterpieces, and have photos taken in the idyllic Temple Gardens post-ceremony.
- Pricing: From £960
- Capacity: 80 guests
The Crossing, London
A hidden gem tucked away in Barnes, south-west London, The Crossing is everything you’d expect from a traditional pub venue: warm, welcoming and with brilliant gastro pub-style food that guests won’t be able to get enough of.
Inside you’ll find scrubbed wooden tables and plush velvet sofas, while the lantern-lit garden terrace is perfect for outdoor reception drinks of up to 70 guests.
- Pricing: From £500
- Capacity: 70 guests
Wedding Catering – £1,500
Without doubt one of your biggest – and most important – wedding spends, when combined with venue hire, the wedding catering will generally come in at around 40-50% of your budget.
Many venues now offer their own in-house catering and will include this (usually for a set number of guests) as part of a package.
However, if you intend on bringing in separate caterers, a budget of £1,500 means you’ll be able to feed 50 guests for £30 per head. This may mean you’ll need to opt for a cost-effective alternative to a traditional wedding breakfast – think afternoon tea, a wedding barbecue or a relaxed buffet.
If you’re set on a three-course meal, you might choose to host a more intimate reception of 30 guests for £50 per head.
Ceremony Fees – £600
It doesn’t matter if you’re having five guests or 500, your ceremony fees will always be somewhere in between £500 and £700 – or more if you choose to get married on a weekend. If you’re having a civil ceremony, this pays for the cost of the registrar and the civil marriage licence, as well as room hire if you choose to marry in a registry office (hack: this may mean you free up some money for your reception).
If you’re getting married in a Church of England church, the compulsory legal fee if you’re marrying in your home parish is a maximum of £567, but you could expect to pay up to £675 if you choose to marry in a church outside of where you live.
Wedding Dress & Accessories – £300
If there is one element of your wedding that can be both affordable and beautiful, it’s your bridal outfit. Thanks to a plethora of brilliant high street collections and online retailers like ASOS, you’ll find plenty of stylish dresses and two-pieces for less than £500.
You could even explore bridal boutiques that host sample sales to find yourself a bargain or consider renting your wedding dress.
Some of our favourite affordable high street bridal collections include those from Phase Eight, Whistles, River Island, Monsoon, ASOS and Nobody’s Child.
When it comes to your shoes, check out the likes of Dune, Monsoon and Office – and why not pick a pair of shoes that you know you’ll wear again? There’s no rule that says your shoes have to be white, after all…
Ask friends or relatives if they have any jewellery or accessories you can wear as your ‘something borrowed’ on the big day, too. Not only will it stretch your budget even further, but it’ll have more sentimental value.
Entertainment – £250
A wedding DJ will usually set you back around £500+ for the whole night – which is way over budget for our £5,000 wedding – but it might be worth shopping around for someone who has capacity to do fewer hours for a smaller sum to kick off the evening events. Note that this might not be possible during peak wedding season, however.
Having a DJ for your first dance – and to encourage everyone onto the dancefloor at the beginning of the night – would be our suggestion. Then, once their set has finished, you can switch to a Spotify playlist totally free of charge.
Need more ideas on how to entertain cheaply? How about a silent disco, some outdoor wedding games (you could loan items from friends and family) or some cheap wedding table icebreakers?
Bridesmaid Dresses – £100
Typically, the average number of bridesmaids is three, which – with a £100 budget – would be an allocation of just over £30 per dress.
Thanks to a range of high street options, it is possible to find dresses this cheaply, but you may need to think outside the box. Would you believe this satin bridesmaid gown is just £24 from George at Asda?
Our favourite high street spots and online retailers for dresses include H&M, ASOS, New Look and Simply Be, but you should also keep your eyes peeled for sales at the likes of Nobody’s Child, Omnes and Coast, which regularly have discounted bridesmaid options.
Of course, you could always consider renting your bridesmaid dresses or asking your girls to buy their own, while choosing to have just one or two bridesmaids will give you even more budget for their 'fits.
Groomswear – £150
You’ll find plenty of options when it comes to finding the perfect wedding suit on a budget, too. If you or your partner are keen to buy a suit rather than hire, browse high street stores like Marks & Spencer, River Island and John Lewis for a great selection of formalwear that comes in at around £150.
If you’re in the market for something more traditional, check out cheap hire options from wedding specialists like Moss, Slaters and Suits You.
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to pay for your best man and/or ushers’ outfits on this budget so keep in mind that if you’re planning on asking them to be part of your wedding party, you may need to check that they are happy to buy their own suit or wear something they currently own.
Hair & Makeup – £100
You have to be really frugal with a £5,000 wedding budget and your hair and makeup is possibly one area where you might end up having to cut back.
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to find professional hair and makeup artists who will be able to do both your hair and makeup for £100, but if you have someone in mind, it’s worth reaching out to them to find out if they can do anything on the morning of your wedding to accommodate your budget – particularly if you’re marrying during an off-peak period.
They might be able to compromise and do just your hair or your makeup, for example.
Otherwise, why not allocate your £100 budget to buying high-quality haircare and makeup that you can practice with in the months before the wedding? There are also pros out there who offer one-to-one and group lessons, which is a fun activity to do with your bridesmaids in the run up to the day.
If you don’t feel confident doing your own hair and makeup, however, it’s definitely worth cutting the budget elsewhere to invest in a professional – we promise it’s not something you’ll regret.
Have your heart set on finding a hair and makeup artist? Here are a couple of our favourite vendors who might be able to help:
Make Me Bridal, Berkshire
Family-run hair and makeup artist platform Make Me Bridal helps brides to find their perfect hair stylist and makeup artist thanks to its little black book of experts from all corners of the UK.
Each artist on the business’s books has been handpicked based on their skill, professionalism and portfolio, so you know you’re in safe hands!
- Pricing: From £80
Fai Archer Hair & Makeup, London
London-based nearlyweds on a budget should look no further than the brilliantly talented Fai Archer.
Greenwich-based Fai has more than 15 years’ experience in bridal hair and makeup and, having worked on TV shows such as Love Island and The X Factor, knows how to help brides shine on their big day.
- Pricing: From £60
Lucille & Co, Oxfordshire
Lucille & Co is an award-winning, female-owned team of 24 freelance makeup artists and hair stylists, and spans the whole of the UK.
Artists can be booked up to 18 months in advance, but it’s also always worth checking in, in case there is any last-minute availability. Plus, Hitched users can get themselves an exclusive 20% off wedding services over £55!
- Pricing: From £40
Wedding Cake – £100
It’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a professionally made, traditional-style wedding cake on such a limited budget – but what will £100 get you?
Well, it’s always worth liaising with a professional to find out. Perhaps you could try a small tower of cupcakes or a chic arrangement of assorted doughnuts.
If you’d prefer something more traditional for your cake-cutting moment, high street and supermarket alternatives will be cheaper than a bespoke cake from a professional cake maker, but they won’t match the personalisation and quality, of course.
Patisserie Valerie, Waitrose and Cutter & Squidge all offer a vast selection of single and two-tier wedding cakes, which start from £95. With some carefully considered ribbon and coordinating flowers, you can easily make these work with your theme.
Photography – £600
Speaking with photographers who offer services at prices you can afford and looking for off-peak deals will help your wedding photography budget go further.
Check out the packages they offer, too: it may be that a photographer can remove some things from a package to make it work for you, or perhaps be present on your wedding day for less time. This isn’t always the case, however, so have a clear discussion up front.
While it can be tempting to scrimp on this area of your wedding (we all know a friend of a friend who’s great with a camera, right?), we promise this is one area you won’t regret hiring a pro for, so spend all that you can on your wedding photography.
Ahead, a few of our favourite affordable wedding photographers with starting prices to accommodate a £5k wedding:
Michael Willatt Photography, London
For relaxed couple shots (without the cliché poses), Michael Willatt is a pro based in south-west London who’s captured hundreds of weddings over the years. His documentary-style photography is a hit with newlyweds all over the UK – and he even offers Hitched users an exclusive 5% off bookings!
- Pricing: From £399
Brian O’Carroll, Buckinghamshire
Always on hand to capture those moments of pure joy, Bucks-based professional Brian O’Carroll’s portfolio is filled with candid shots of happy guests, adoring newlyweds and laughing bridesmaids.
- Pricing: From £445
The Snapper, London
Photographer Harmit – aka The Snapper – lives in Brixton, south London, and has been photographing weddings all over the capital, and across the UK, for more than a decade.
With a background in photojournalism, he knows just how to capture the memories you didn’t know you needed to see. Plus, for every booking he takes, he donates £25 to one of his favourite charities, including WaterAid and The Trussell Trust.
- Pricing: From £375
Wedding Décor – £75
Getting hands-on with your wedding décor is a must when trying to accommodate a 5k wedding budget, so work with your venue as much as possible to find cheap ways to decorate the space.
Some venues will offer decorative elements – such as vessel hire, fairy lights, candles or a backdrop for the top table – as part of their wedding packages, so check what’s included before you buy anything.
Elsewhere, look at what you might be able to DIY if you have the time: bunting, jam jars filled with flowers or tealights and hand-written place cards are all manageable if you’re partial to a bit of crafting. But remember, sometimes the simplest tables look the best, so don’t feel like you need to fill every part of the space with ‘stuff’.
Flowers – £225
If you’re not too concerned with the other décor elements, we highly recommend combining your wedding décor budget with your floral budget to make your flowers go even further.
Talk to your florist about which flowers will be in season when you get married, as well as how to be strategic with your displays. Using ‘fillers’ such as ivy, eucalyptus, herbs and other foliage will not only ensure your arrangements smell amazing, but they’ll look really beautiful and substantial too.
Also consider what you can reuse from your ceremony. Wedding party bouquets, for example, will look great on the top table. Or skip wedding party bouquets and buttonholes altogether (some of the chicest brides we’ve seen carry a bridal handbag down the aisle) to allow the florals at your reception to go further.
If you’re keen to have a bouquet, check out some of these alternative bouquet styles which could prove to be cheaper.
Here are some of our favourite florists that fit nicely in budget for a £5k wedding:
The Fairy Florist, Worcestershire
Renata, aka The Fairy Florist, specialises in wedding flowers for weddings of all sizes – from large whole-family celebrations to intimate ceremonies – and is a huge hit with couples who love that foraged-from-the-garden arrangement style.
All of her designs are foam-free and use UK-grown flowers where possible, so she’s more than happy to work with couples getting married on a budget.
- Pricing: From £65
Leafy Couture, East Yorkshire
Let us count the ways we love the wonderful work from Leafy Couture! Sarah and her team have worked with some of the most amazing wedding venues across the Ribble Valley and Lancashire, including The Tithe Barn, Mitton Hall, Eaves Hall and more.
When it comes to wedding arrangements, there’s no minimum spend required, so every design is bespoke to the couple. Sarah also runs a specialist flower school, too.
- Pricing: From £130
The Willow Blossom Florist, Somerset
The Willow Blossom is managed by Kelly, a celebrated florist based in Somerset who dives into each couple’s colour preferences and wedding ideas before presenting them with a wild and wonderful selection of British-grown flowers.
Be sure to check out her glowing reviews!
- Pricing: From £100
Total: £5,000
Can You Have a Wedding For Under £5,000?
Yes! You absolutely can have a wedding for less than £5,000, but you will have to be strict when it comes to your priorities and possibly make some tough choices when it comes to guest numbers.
The most straightforward and cost-effective way to plan your wedding to a £5k budget is to book a wedding package.
Best £5k Wedding Packages
Interested in booking a wedding package for £5,000 or under? Here are some of the best £5k wedding packages across the UK
Bert’s Rooms & Events Venue, West Yorkshire
Quirky, understated charm is what this wedding venue is all about.
Tucked away in the heart of Clifton Village in West Yorkshire, Bert’s Rooms is a 17th century inn (formally known as The Black Horse) that’s steeped in history. It also has plenty of beautiful period touches that make it a cosy setting for laidback budget celebrations of up to 100 guests – think open fires, timber beams and exposed brickwork.
When it’s time to turn in, the luxury Epernay Room and 12 individually designed rooms within the pretty cottages await.
- Pricing: From £500
- Capacity: 100 guests
- The Package: Couples can tie the knot for less than £5k with this venue’s 2026 Wedding Special Offer. For £4,950, enjoy a wedding of up to 45 guests that includes venue hire, a basic drinks package, three-course wedding breakfast with coffee and homemade petit fours, evening food, honeymoon suite and more!
Folly Farm, Bristol
For a laidback, countryside celebration without boundaries, hit up Folly Farm – an environmentally sustainable wedding venue situated within a 250-acre nature reserve (yet located just 10 miles from the cities of Bristol and Bath).
This hidden gem allows couples to tie the knot surrounded by wildlife and ancient woodlands, with views for miles over the Chew Valley Lake and Mendip Hills. Choose the oak-beamed barn, the Old Dairy or the glass-filled atrium for your ceremony – or say your vows overlooking that view, before heading inside for a party like no other.
- Pricing: Menus from £35
- Capacity: 150 guests
- The Package: Folly Farm’s One Day Wonder package means couples can wed here with up to 50 guests for just £3,750 all in – think venue hire, drinks, three-course wedding breakfast, evening snacks, complimentary fire pit and more.
Cromwell Lodge Hotel, Oxfordshire
A charming, historic pub located in the idyllic town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, Cromwell Lodge Hotel dates right back to the 17th century but is decked out with everything couples need for the perfect modern party post-vows.
There’s a beautiful garden on-site for outdoor drinks and the option of an air-conditioned marquee with pretty draped ceiling, which caters to up to 100 guests for your wedding breakfast and evening party. There’ll be no need for carriages at midnight either, with 25 comfortable guest rooms on site.
- Pricing: from £100
- Capacity: 100 guests
- The Package: Looking for the perfect wedding reception package under £5k? Cromwell Lodge Hotel offers that and then some with its 2026 Wedding Package. The offer is for 50 guests and includes room hire, an afternoon buffet, decorative items such as chair covers and sashes, a DJ, evening food, welcome drinks and honeymoon suite for the newlyweds for just £2,500!
Still working out exactly what your big-day budget will be? Our guide to building a wedding budget will help!
