A quarter of Irish people spend between €20,000 and €50,000 on their wedding day, new figures have found. 

The research carried out by online savings platform Raisin Bank also found that the average spend on a wedding in the past five years is €10,000. 

30% of couples spend between €10,000 and €19,999, while 8% fork out less than €1,000. 

On Lunchtime Live, wedding planner Lyndsey Moynagh said the sums only come as a shock to people who are newly engaged. 

“They’re not too long realising once they send out a few emails to some of their favourite venues to try and get their package prices,” she said. 

“Then maybe seeing what their minimum numbers are as well - that’s a very quick piece of maths done at the start that might be a bit of a harsh reality check.” 

A bride walking down the aisle. Picture by: Aleksei Gorodenkov / Alamy.

Ms Moynagh added that she was surprised that the average spend on a wedding was only €10,000. 

“I would say when I started out at this even 15 years ago, the averages were more inline with €18 to €23,000,” she said. 

“I would say COVID has a lot to do with that; weddings were massively downsized in the last five year period. 

“I think that’s really unrealistic and unhelpful information… It only sets people up for a huge disappointment when they go to cost [an average] wedding that we all see and go to regularly.” 

A couple after their wedding in Italy. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Ms Moynagh continued that even couples who want a small, low cost wedding often end up parting with large sums of cash. 

“You have to remember, most reputable venues will have a minimum number, particularly on a Friday or a Saturday,” she said. 

“So, if they have a larger capacity, it’s very likely that they will expect - or you will be paying - for a minimum of 100 to 150 guests on a Friday or a Saturday, whether they’re invited or not. 

“Then they’ll have their various packages; so you’re kind of buying in at a certain price point before you do anything else like dress shopping, photographers, DJ, hair, make up. 

“It all starts to add up pretty quickly.”

Main image: A couple cutting their wedding cake. Picture by: Alamy.com.