Hotels, restaurants and pubs growing in popularity for weddings amongst today's couples

Author: Matt Simpkin, Commercial Director at Bridebook

According to The UK Wedding Report 2023 by Bridebook, more couples than before are shying away from traditional wedding venues to align with their budget requirements. Hotels were identified as the most popular venue type in 2022 hosting a quarter of all weddings. Weekday weddings are also at their most popular since 2019, with a quarter of couples opting for a Monday-Thursday wedding.

Couples are keen to stay within budget which is the biggest driver for choosing a weekday wedding date. Among 2022 weddings that took place at restaurants, 33% took place Mon - Thurs, which was the highest proportion of weekday weddings across all venue types.

Food and catering options is one of the most important pieces of information for venue-seeking couples. Two-thirds of couples choose venues that include catering. Couples spend an average of £3K+ more for venues that include catering vs those that don't.

Download the full report here – 4,000 couples took part in the research.

Snapshot of The UK Wedding Report's findings:

• 38% of couples who booked a restaurant venue and 49% of couples who booked a hotel venue had a total wedding budget of £10-20k.

• The average cost of a wedding at a restaurant has increased by £1031 year on year.

• With couples' number one concern being to stay within budget, pubs and restaurants are in a competitive position being 30% less expensive than the average venue cost.

• 37% of Mon-Thurs weddings had less than 50 reception guests, suggesting an opportunity for hotels and restaurants who fit the desire for weekday, intimate weddings.

• Wedding spend rose by £2,500 year-on-year, with 2022 representing the highest average wedding costs ever at £19,037.

Young's Pubs, Mercure Hotels and Macdonalds Hotels & Resorts are amongst the growing hospitality partners using Bridebook to secure new wedding bookings, save time, and stay informed on their local market. Visit https://partners.bridebook.com to learn more.