Wedding budget in France : what studies really reveal about the average cost

Between €13,500 and over €19,000: depending on the study consulted, the French wedding budget shows a gap that makes engaged couples dizzy. Two recent surveys, carried out among couples who organized their ceremony, nevertheless sketch the same reality: the catering expense dwarfs everything else, and half of couples exceed their initial budget.

Two studies, two orders of magnitude

The 2026 Report on the wedding sector in France, based on 1,304 couples married in 2025, places the average budget at €19,293, i.e. €215 per guest for a reception gathering an average of 90 people — an amount slightly down 3% compared to 2024, but with a cost per guest up 4%. Another estimate, built on a base of 100 guests, brings the average bill to €13,500, i.e. €135 per person. The gap is explained mainly by the type of services chosen: a simple, small-scale wedding and a wedding with a reception venue, high-end caterer and full entertainment do not weigh the same on the bank account.

Catering, the main expense

Whatever the study, the findings converge: catering absorbs the largest share of the budget, between 35 and 40% of the total, i.e. €6,000 to €8,000 for 80 guests. The other items are distributed fairly consistently from one source to another:

• Venue rental: €1,000 to €5,000
• Catering: €4,000 to €7,000
• Wedding dress: €800 to €3,000
• Groom's suit: €500 to €600
• Photographer: €1,000 to €3,000
• DJ or musical entertainment: €1,000 to €1,400
• Flowers and floral decoration: €50 to €300
• Wedding rings: €100 to €1,500

One in two couples exceed their initial budget

According to the 2026 Report, 51% of couples exceed their projected budget, which leads industry professionals to recommend a safety margin of 10 to 15% when setting the overall budget. Regional disparities also weigh in: Nouvelle-Aquitaine tops the list of the most expensive regions (€21,641), followed by Île-de-France (€20,794) and the PACA region (€20,333), amounts driven notably by the cost of reception venues and strong demand on spring and summer weekends.

The date, the main lever for savings

Autumn stands out as the most sought-after season to get married, driven by light and tones that lend themselves well to decoration, but also by wider availability among suppliers than in summer. Saturday remains the most requested day — therefore the most expensive and the first to be booked — while round dates like 10/10/26 or 12/12/26 attract special demand. For a sought-after venue on a peak-season Saturday, professionals advise booking 12 to 18 months in advance, first checking the availability of the town hall, the reception venue and key suppliers before announcing the date to guests.

To lighten the bill without giving up the essentials, several levers recur in both studies: getting married on a weekday or outside peak season, taking advantage of sales or second-hand for the dress, booking the venue directly with the caterer rather than separately, negotiating reduced rates for children and suppliers, or preparing the playlist and photobooth yourself. These choices often fall under practical life management similar to that of another major household budget project, where it's better to anticipate financing through your banking budget than to discover overruns afterwards — a pitfall that our practical tips also help avoid over the course of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average budget for a wedding in France?

Studies vary between around €13,500 for 100 guests and €19,293 as the national average across all reception sizes, with a cost per guest generally between €135 and €215.

What is the largest expense item in a wedding?

Catering and food generally account for 35 to 40% of the total budget, ahead of venue rental, the wedding dress and the photographer.

How to reduce a wedding budget without sacrificing quality?

Getting married outside peak season or on a weekday, booking the venue with the caterer, opting for a dress on sale or second-hand and negotiating child rates are the levers most cited by industry professionals.

Sources

• My Little Money — How much does a wedding cost in France in 2026
• Mariée.fr — The average wedding budget in France
• 1001 Salles — Choosing a memorable wedding date: tips and trends

This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence. Editorial policy