The average Australian wedding costs $36,000. According to a Moneysmart survey, 82% of couples dipped into their savings to pay for their wedding. 60% of surveyed couples got a loan and 18% used their credit card.
The Average Australian Wedding Budget
In Easy Weddings' recent survey of 3,500+ engaged and recently married (2020-22) couples, the average spend for an Australian wedding was $34,715.
The bride's family often pays for the majority of the wedding, including the ceremony, reception, and any other associated costs. In contrast, the groom's side of the family is expected to pay for the wedding's rehearsal dinner and honeymoon.
According to tradition, the bride and her family should cover the majority of expenses including the bride's dress, venue hire, cake, decorations and other services, while the groom's main responsibilities are to pay for the engagement ring, honeymoon and the flowers for the bride.
Wedding planner Kathy Apostolidis says the average Sydney wedding cost is $70,000. Wedding planner Kathy Apostolidis estimated the average Sydney wedding to cost about $70,000 — almost double the national average — even orchestrating an incredible $500,000 wedding this year.
On average the typical cash gift is around $150, she says. Still, though, Hill says there are some exceptions. “Some people don't think that's [giving money] a great idea,” Hill said. And Hill has also seen a “relaxing of the rules.” “Brides and grooms understand that some guests are financially-strapped,” she said.
Standard weddings with costs up to $30,000. Premium weddings that cost as much as $95,000. Luxury weddings with costs of up to $500,000. Ultra-luxury weddings with overall costs of $500,000 or more.
Not only does the bride's family pay for the wedding day outfit and accessories (veil, shoes, jewelry and more), but they're also responsible for the bride's wardrobe for all of the pre-wedding events (the shower, bach party, rehearsal dinner and honeymoon).
According to a recent survey by The Knot, on average, parents contribute to 51% of the wedding budget, while couples cover the remaining 49% percent.
What Does the Groom's Family Pay For, Traditionally? The groom's family is responsible for corsages and boutonnieres for immediate members of both families, the lodging of the groom's attendants (if you have offered to help pay for this expense), and sometimes the costs of the rehearsal dinner.
Of course, it would be amazing to give your daughter thousands and thousands of dollars as a wedding gift, but not at the risk of making your own financial situation dire. Depending on their relationship with the bride, wedding guests typically give between $50 – $150 when making a monetary gift.
Dresses and Suits
The bride and groom are responsible for paying for what they will wear on the wedding day. Oftentimes the bride's mom will help pay for her dress and accessories. The groom should handle any costs associated with their suit.
Splitting wedding costs equally between the couple and their families is becoming more common across the board: The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study found that couples pay approximately 49% of their wedding costs, with their families covering the rest at 51%.
The average wedding gift amount hovers right around $100, which is a great place to start, and you can increase or decrease that based on how close you are. If you're very close or related to the couple (and have the wiggle room in your budget), you may choose to spend more—about $150 per guest (or $200 from a couple).
They suggest the following breakdown: coworkers or distant relatives should spend 50 to 75 dollars. Friends or relatives, 75 to 100 dollars. For close friends, family, or if you are in the wedding party, you should spend 100 to 150 dollars—or more.
The average cost of wedding cakes in Australia can range around $500 to $600. For those who live in Victoria and Western Australia may have to pay a bit more than the average price. For Melbourne, the cost of a wedding cake can be around $325 to $900.
Ultimately, the way you decide who pays for the wedding is up to you, your partner, and your families. You might be aware that the bride's family is expected to cover the majority of the wedding day costs, while the groom's family pays for a variety of extra activities, like the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon.
A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage.
Who Buys the Wedding Bands? Tradition has it that each person pays for the other person's ring. So in a traditional wedding, the groom or his family would pay for the bride's ring, and the bride or her family would pay for the groom's ring.
No one is obligated to pay for your wedding, but often parents offer to contribute. Don't let money matters heat up old debates between your parents. Keep things civil and respectful, and accept the funding graciously! Use common sense to keep the peace between your parents.
The month of love, February of 2023 is filled with auspicious wedding dates with even a muhurat falling on Valentine's Day.
Typically, the most expensive aspects of a wedding are the ceremony and reception venue. This depends on whether the venue comes with food and servers or not, and of course, the location of the venues. Many brides will pay tens of thousands of dollars for the venues.
That all depends on whether the gift is off the registry, an experience, or cash. Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.
Princess Diana and Prince Charles
Denoted the "wedding of the century," the People's Princess and her groom said "I do" in 1981 in true royal fashion...with a $48 million bill, that is. Which, after inflation, would probably cost closer to $110 million today, according to Business Insider (that's a lot of zeroes).