Why, in 2023, do people still get married? Yes, there are tax advantages, legal benefits and, of course, some people have religious reasons or conservative families.
But surely, for most people nowadays, the main point is to celebrate the fact that they have fallen in love.
And yet the average wedding now costs £18,000 (and I’ve been to weddings where the dress alone cost half that).
Can any couple yet to set foot on the property ladder sensibly splurge just under a fifth of the average London deposit on a party?
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’ve spoken to several couples who decided the answer to that question was a resounding ‘no’, choosing to delay and downgrade their planned weddings so as to buy a home sooner — never say Homes & Property can’t rival Mills & Boon for romance.
I’m all for simple, cheap, fuss-free nuptials but I’m not sure I fully endorse putting them off altogether in favour of a boring old mortgage.
If you’ve hit the true love jackpot in this commitment-phobic age of app dating then I say seize the moment and marry, if that’s your bag.
You don’t have to spend a fortune — far better to avoid breaking the bank, whether you’re a homeowner or not.
But must we forgo all the brunches, holidays and, yes, weddings, just to get our names on some title deeds?
The answer may be yes. It’s up to you whether you think that’s a price worth paying.
