Banking and Financial News

Proposing marriage costs £1,218, cahoot says - 05/02/2008

Excellent! Very Good Good Fair Poor

Why not be the first to rate this article?

People planning to get engaged in 2008 stand to shell out an average of £1,218 for popping the all-important question, cahoot research suggests.

Buying the engagement ring and proposing at a romantic venue add up to cash spent even before the pair have the chance to exchange vows, it found.

The largest expense of proposing is - perhaps surprisingly - not the cost of the engagement ring.

According to cahoot, Britons spend more on the atmosphere and location of the proposal than on precious stones and metals.

An average £743 was spent on whisking a partner off to a special venue, while £573 was the typical cost of treating them to a special experience to mark their engagement.

The engagement ring was the third largest engagement expense, according to the cahoot study, with £347 the typical jewellery spend.

Matthew Timms, cahoot director, said proposals can be an expensive affair.

"Of course we can't guarantee that everyone will say yes, but a bit of careful financial planning should ensure that the proposal runs as smoothly as possible," he commented.

Other engagement expenses noted in the cahoot survey included the cost of a special meal and drinks, transport and overnight stay, flowers and a new outfit.

The average cost of a wedding in the UK is £12,000, according to weddings.co.uk, with London weddings 15 per cent more expensive as a result of inflated reception costs.

© Adfero

Back to Index