British couples taking out £30,000 wedding loans has risen by more than half

But as bridal costs hit an all time high, is it any wonder?

54,000 Brits have applied for wedding loans in 2017 alone (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Despite the rise of high-street bridal collections and the fact that more than half of married Brits regret spending so much on their wedding, it seems that couples in the UK are still willing to splurge when it comes to saying “I do.”

But, with the national average cost of a wedding hitting an all time high at £27,000 – and more than £38,000 in London – it might come as no surprise that more and more young couples are applying for wedding loans.

From venue hire and food, to the bride’s dress and a lavish afterparty, nowadays it’s seemingly normal to blow your budget on one day.

But, we’re not talking about a few thousand pounds here because according to price comparison website MoneySuperMarket, of the 50,000 Brits that have applied for a wedding loan so far this year, one in ten have requested to borrow more than £20,000.

The data, which analysed requests on loans between January and March this and last year, reveals that Brits have collectively asked for £460 million to fund their big day.

While the average amount requested sat at £8,497 – just short of the funds for a deposit on the average home – a small number of couples set their sights on an extravagant day.

Shockingly, the data revealed a 53 per cent increase in £30,000 plus wedding loan applications compared to last year.

Wedding planner and event organiser Katrina Otter says that the trend for this type of extreme bridal borrowing is likely to be fuelled by celebrity weddings.

“As details of the much-anticipated Middleton-Spencer wedding start to emerge, I’ve seen a real surge in interest from my brides.

“I even have one bride who has a florist on hold as she suspects the florist has some involvement in the Middleton-Spencer wedding.”