Average Wedding Costs still rising

Not even the increase in the number of high profile celebrate weddings in recent years has been able to stop the steady decline in UK couples not wanting to tie the knot.

And who can blame them with the average cost of weddings going up and up. One aspect alone, the wedding dress, has soared by a whopping 32 per cent, according to research carried out by market analyst Mintel. Your average wedding dress now costs £826, up £201 from the price in 2000.

But this troubling news has not discouraged those set on marrying. As a growing number of couples are seduced by the ease with which they can take out a low cost loan, rather than taking their time and save for their big day.

Maybe it’s time UK sport stadiums opened their door to mass weddings, as was the case last week in La Paz, Bolivia.

Nearly 200 Bolivian couples, between the ages of 18 and 77, took part in a mass wedding ceremony in a sports stadium. The event was organised by the television station, Canal 4.

Many of the couples had been together for years, but could not afford to tie the knot. While each of the couples stood in line to say their vows in the Civil Ceremony their families watched on from the stands.

Reuters-UK quoted a spokesman for Canal 4 when asked about the ceremony: "It was a combination of love and legality, but above all it was about romance, especially when they said 'I do' and kissed."