How much does a wedding really cost in Australia?

Ever wondered about the cost of a wedding venue? Or how much you’ll have to dish out for a wedding cake? You’re not alone. Because while ‘no budget’ is the dream, wedding costs are the reality at some point in every planning journey.

If you’re curious to see how other couples have spent their precious dosh in an era of Covid curveballs, read on. We’ve been getting clued up on how much a wedding costs in Australia, thanks to a bite-sized new infographic from financial broker Savvy.

Drawing on several national surveys*, Savvy pulled focus on the price of a pandemic-era celebration with a state-by-state breakdown of everything from venue hire to wedding cakes. 

The bottom line? The average cost of a wedding in Australia dropped 17.3% between 2019 and 2020 — from $32,940 to $27,228. Sounds about right when you consider the weddings that managed to go ahead in 2020 had to be hyper-flexible or seriously micro. Though thankfully, no less joyful!

Check out some of our favourite celebrations here

In the Sunshine State, the average cost of a wedding clocked in at $20,537. Interestingly, Queensland couples paid the least for their wedding venue, at an average of $8,180. We’d say that’s excellent value for the incredible backdrops and dreamy wedding venues offered in our beautiful backyard. But hey, we’re a little biased.

The average cost of a Queensland wedding dress came in just shy of $2,000. And that cake you’ve been dreaming of? Factor in a sweet average of $545.

Are these figures here to stay? It’s unlikely … although stranger things have happened. With the promise of more weddings and bigger guest lists on the horizon, we’d expect the numbers to rise for 2022/23. An uptick would reflect a return to grand celebrations, crowd-ready dance floors, and all the bells and whistles for those couples who’ve been waiting to party like it’s 2019. 

Cheers to that!

*Savvy sourced data from Easy Weddings/Australian Wedding Industry Report 2021 and Statista/Weddings in Australia