June 9, 2026 — 2:00pmIn Australia, an estimated 124,000 weddings are on the horizon for 2026. Their average cost? Now $38,252, which is up 8 per cent from last year. (This is a mean average, based on an average guest count of 85.)These are the latest figures from an annual industry report produced by wedding planning website Easy Weddings, capturing insights from 4200 recently engaged and married couples and 540 wedding suppliers.Forty six per cent of a couple’s budget is dedicated to paying for a reception venue.iStockDarcy Allen is the general manager at Easy Weddings. Before that, she worked in wedding sales for several hotel groups and venues, before running her own wedding planning business.“The guest number average this year was certainly the most interesting insight for me,” Allen says. “This is the 11th edition of this report. Pre-COVID, guest numbers were always steady at 100 to 110. It dropped to 89 in 2023, 88 in 2024 and last year even further to 85.”With cost of living and inflation factored in, couples are adapting in a few ways. For one, they’re generally taking longer to plan a wedding. “The average engagement length has blown out to 24 months. Pre-COVID, 18 months was the norm,” she says.“It’s a busy, heavy financial period of life. Couples are usually buying their first home, planning their wedding, maybe starting a family. They’re waiting longer to get married to save more. We’re seeing people having fewer guests and prioritising giving them a better experience.”We’re seeing more couples use sustainable, recycled materials. Or things they can reuse.Easy Weddings manager Darcy AllenAllen also highlights behaviours related to day-of-the-week choice. “Midweek weddings have stuck around post-COVID, they weren’t really a thing before then.” Allen notes people were pushed to have midweek weddings post-COVID due to the “tsunami” of weddings that were postponed or delayed.Saturdays are still the most popular day of the week, followed by Fridays. For the first time, Thursdays have overtaken Sundays, which used to be a more affordable option, “but now with surcharges and casual staffing rates, it doesn’t make sense to discount Sundays any more”.For couples looking to make their wedding dollar go further, Allen says you can still land a dream venue if you have a midweek or off-peak date – or both. Like a Thursday in May, as opposed to a Saturday in February. Suppliers will usually not only discount these dates but value-add.Speaking of suppliers, most people are still opting for a reception venue, with 46 per cent of a couple’s budget being dedicated to these. The average cost of Australian wedding venues (with 85 guests), which usually includes a food and beverage package, is $17,518.That equates to an average of $206 spent per person for the reception venue. What is included in that venue fee varies. For example, it might or might not include audiovisual service costs or security guard fees.If couples do set wedding budgets, on average they’re spending 23 per cent more than intended:58 per cent of couples spent or are set to spend between $10,000 and $39,00025 per cent between $40,000-$59,000And 17 per cent over $60,000Back to being savvy. When it comes to decor, you can add elements other than flowers, including fabric table runners and candles. “We’re seeing more couples use sustainable, recycled materials. Or things they can reuse,” Allen says. Reselling decor items is another idea.In terms of flowers, ask your florist about how they can be reused on the day.“For example, ask if your ceremony flowers can be broken down and used for something else. Also ask about what’s in season, to make things more cost-effective,” she says.When it comes to dresses, look out for a designer or store’s sample sales: “You can usually get last year’s styles for a significantly reduced cost.”And among the highest costs, food. “Some venues might include a full three-course menu in their package pricing. If you were to opt out of the dessert cost and serve a wedding cake, that would reduce the cost.” The average cost of a cake is now $645.But ultimately, if you are hoping to feed people adequately, the biggest contributor to the budget – the number of people you invite – can be a difficult one to change.Expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up for our Real Money newsletter.From our partners