The price of saying "I do"

Following a proposal of marriage which will leave you breathless, expect a bill for the wedding which will also take your breath away. You don't have to be a Hollywood star to build up epic-sized costs for your big day. On average, you should expect to pay around £15,000 - an amount which is increasing by at least 8% every year. Research from internet bank Cahoot says the average grand total is closer to £25,000 which works out at a cost of £61 per minute for your wedding day. No wonder you have to take your other half for richer and for poorer.

The big costs such as the reception and dress are obvious but it's the dozens of special touches which soak up cash. In general, anything with the word 'wedding' attached to it can instantly cost up to 25% more. The following list should help you throw ideas - rather than money - around like confetti.

The wedding planner

Many couples find it invaluable to have one or two people taking care of everything. Expect to pay a fee starting from £1,000 or commission of around 15% of the total wedding cost. Alternatively, enlist the help of one or two trusted friends – not parents or bridesmaids who will have other roles.

Stationery

Expect to pay more than £100 for 50 professionally printed invitations. Alternatively, view and order invitations online, or get creative and print them yourself from your computer. Don't forget to include costs for envelopes and postage in your budget. If you need an order of service, menus, place cards, table plans and RSVP cards, these can be produced on computer or handwritten on blank cards available from high street stores.

Her dress, his suit

Make at least one appointment with the bridal room of a big store and enjoy finding the style of dress which suits you best, with the help of expert staff. Then discuss your ideas with a local dressmaker and make a replica at a fraction of the price. Expect to pay from £500 for a simple gown. Lead-times for dresses often run from 5 months so make sure you leave enough time to shop around. Many department or high street stores such as Monsoon now have ready-to-wear bridal gowns for around half that amount. The groom can hire a classic morning suit with shirt, shoes and all accessories for around £70 and there are often special deals for group hire.

The reception

This is what will eat up most of your money. Most venues charge per head and so you need to be focused with your guest list. Nobody expects a six-course silver service lunch now. Anything goes from a buffet at home with everyone pitching in, to a gathering at your favourite bistro or even your local pub. Average costs for 60 people including Bucks Fizz, a three course meal, 40 bottles of wine, Champagne for the toasts, a finger buffet in the evening and the first round of drinks at the bar will not leave you much change from £5,000. You may have to add room charges of £1,000 or more onto this. In most reception venues, the house alcohol is always more expensive than if you supply your own. But ask about corkage fees and make sure they will provide glasses, coolers and a suitable storage area for advance deliveries. If the reception site insists on providing the alcohol, a beer and wine reception is cheaper than a full bar. It is a good idea to have someone acting as master of ceremonies and introducing speakers. A professional toastmaster could set you back in excess of £300. Inviting a friend or relative - who is not an usher - to take up the role makes it more personal. DJs charge upwards of £150 at weekends. Look for generic adult rates as opposed to 'wedding' rates. Alternatively, ask friends to DJ for you. Equipment hire starts from £50 but check it is insured.

The flowers and cake

Choose flowers that are in season. Anything unusual or out of season will cost lots more. With weddings, pretty much anything that doesn't move - and a few things that do - can be decorated with flowers. A basic professional bridal bouquet will start at around £50. A typical price range for a two-tier cake is £200-300. You may also need to add delivery and set-up costs to that of around 45p per mile. Marks and Spencer's celebration cakes start from £9 per tier. Add fresh flowers to decorate.

Photographs and transport

A professional photographer could set you back around £800 and that is before you buy additional prints. Arrange for a friend or family member to play photographer for the day. Ask guests to send you copies of their prints. You can opt for anything from a motorbike to a horse-drawn carriage when it comes to transport. A classic car with chauffeur will cost around £350.

The Honeymoon

The sky's the limit with honeymoons, with some couples spending an average of nearly £3,000 for a dream stay in the Caribbean or Indian Ocean. If you can't afford a big honeymoon straight away, you can still have a romantic wedding night in a top hotel. Double rooms at Claridges in London start from around £250 a night.

Just a piece of paper…

Of course, there are certain costs that can't be cut. A registry office marriage includes registrar's costs of £94.00. Religious buildings and churches cost from £100-300. And perhaps the most import item of all is the cheapest. Your marriage certificate will set you back £3.50.

If the unthinkable happens

Wedding insurance aims to cover the cost of cancelling or rearranging a wedding. Policies cost between £40 and £80 and will pay out if your wedding is cancelled because the bride or groom or a close relative dies unexpectedly, falls ill or is otherwise unavoidably absent or if the reception venue closes down. In addition, most wedding insurers will cover the cost of cake, flowers or car hire if any of these fail to materialise. No policy will cover against a change of heart, or calling it off because you've run out of money.

And finally

It all sounds like a lot of money for one day but marriage is on the rise for second year in a row. There was a rise of nearly 5% in the number of weddings in 2003 with 267,700 couples tying the knot in England and Wales according the Office of National Statistics. This was a big improvement on 2001 when the number of weddings dropped to a 104-year low.