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Why getting engaged now means a long wait

Average couples who get engaged wait three years until they tie the knot, to give them time to save up an average £20,000 for the wedding

Couples who get engaged this summer are in for a seriously long wait before they can head down the aisle - as saving up for their dream wedding will take years.

According to new research, the average time couples are engaged is now three years, up from 11 months a decade ago, as couples scrape together £20K to pay for their celebration.



In a survey by vouchercodespro.co.uk, couples who got married in 2003 were compared to those who tied the knot in the last year, revealing how much more expensive weddings have become.

When asked to tot up the cost of everything involved in getting married, from engagement parties, hen and stag events, honeymoon costs and of course the big day itself, the average couple married in the 2010s spent £19,700. In 2003, the average was just £9,500.


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Three quarters of these admitted that they'd have preferred a shorter engagement but the costs meant they had to take longer to save up.

“It is no secret that we are now waiting until later on in our lives to settle down and get married, but it seems that even that is becoming increasingly hard considering the average couple won’t get much change from twenty grand nowadays for a wedding!” said George Charles, spokesperson for www.vouchercodespro.co.uk.



“The results of our study really do highlight the pressure that young couples are under these days to have the dream ‘fairytale wedding’ that can better friends’ and family members’ previous attempts. 

"After analysing the findings, I can’t help but wonder if, instead of a tradition focused on promising to devote your life to one person for eternity, a wedding is now considered to be a very expensive party or popularity contest.”

Tell us how much you wedding cost over on Twitter (if you dare!).