The cost of a honeymoon
01 July 2026 - by Rebecca Brace
You can’t put a price on love, but when it comes to a honeymoon, well, it’s a little more complicated. We polled 2,000 married UK adults to discover how they funded (and felt about) their romantic getaway.
The honeymoon phase
For millions of Brits, marriage remains one of life’s most cherished milestones. A 2024 study by Opinium for Emirates revealed that UK adults spent £30 billion in honeymoons over a decade. And on average, couples are spending £5,833 (Bridebook, 2026) on their post-wedding holiday.
But amid a cost of living crisis and other spending priorities, are Brits still in love with honeymoons?
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The price of paradise
They say money makes the world go round, and it’s certainly funding our round-the-world trips.
Factoring in travel, accommodation, activities and spending money, newlyweds told us they spent £3,417 on average on their honeymoon.
What was the total estimated cost of your honeymoon?
| Under £500 |
8% |
| £500 - £1,499 | 16% |
| £1,500 – £2,999 | 19% |
| £3,000 – £4,999 | 20% |
| £5,000 – £7,999 | 11% |
| £8,000 – £11,999 | 5% |
| £12,000 or more | 0% |
| Prefer not to say | 3% |
| No honeymoon | 17% |
Younger millennials (aged 25-34) were the highest honeymoon spenders – £4,644.92 on average. Regionally, residents in Greater London forked out the most (£4,801.91) on their unforgettable trip.
Honeymoon headaches
We all know that planning a wedding requires careful budgeting. But when the honeymoon bills rack up, some newlyweds go from ‘I do’ to ‘I don’t believe it!’
Did your honeymoon cost more, less, or about what you originally budgeted for?
| Over budget (net) | 24% |
| Significantly over budget | 3% |
| Slightly over budget | 21% |
| About on budget | 45% |
| Slightly under budget | 4% |
| Significantly under budget | 1% |
| Under budget (net) | 5% |
| We did not set a budget | 8% |
Our survey found that couples were nearly five times more likely to go over budget (24%) than under budget (5%).
In particular, younger newlyweds have been feeling the pinch. 52% of Gen Z (18-24) respondents told us they exceeded their budget, compared to 14% of those aged over 55.
Londoners were the most likely to overspend, with 33% (net) going over budget.
Home is where the heart is?
Marriage is magical, but when the honeymoon is over, the wedding cheque is replaced by a reality check.
What, if any, financial priorities were important to you after getting married?
| Buying a home | 48% |
| Saving money / building an emergency fund | 44% |
| Starting a family | 40% |
| Travel / having a dream honeymoon | 25% |
| Paying off wedding/honeymoon debt | 14% |
| N/A (none in particular) | 12% |
In our survey, men placed a slightly higher priority on buying a home than women (51% vs 46%). Men also prioritised saving money (46% vs 42% for women).
Additionally, Gen Z were the most likely age group to prioritise buying a home (53%) while regionally, residents in Northern Ireland (62%) and Greater London (55%) were keenest to get on the housing ladder.
And for those who got hitched more recently, the challenges were greater still. In our survey, wedding and honeymoon debt resolution was a major focus for couples married under a year (28%), dropping to 9% for those married over 20 years.
When romance meets finance
Of course, countless newlyweds who booked a honeymoon will have no regrets. Nevertheless the trade-off is real.
What, if anything, did paying for your honeymoon mean delaying?
| Home improvements | 16% |
| Building emergency savings | 14% |
| Saving for a house deposit | 14% |
| Paying off debt | 12% |
| Starting a family | 10% |
| Retirements savings | 7% |
| Taking out financial protection products | 6.5% |
Overall, 38% of people told us they delayed ‘nothing in particular’ in order to pay for the honeymoon, while 17% didn’t take a honeymoon at all.
But among those who put off some of their spending, young millennials (25-34) were the most likely to delay spending on home improvements (31%), building emergency savings (27%), saving for a house deposit (25%) and starting a family (21%).
Meanwhile, those married over 20 years faced the fewest trade-offs, with 55% delaying “nothing in particular”.
In sickness and in health
For many couples, marriage is a symbolic milestone which brings some of our spending habits into focus. Life insurance – which couples can take out as a single or joint policy – is no exception.
At the time of your marriage, which, if any, of the following types of protection did you have?
| Life insurance | 45% |
| N/A (no protection in particular) | 42% |
| Income protection | 20% |
| Critical illness cover | 17% |
| Decreasing life insurance | 7% |
Are cost pressures driving married millennials to think about their financial future? We found that younger married couples (25-34) reported the highest rates of life insurance life (56%) and income protection (41%).
And while a honeymoon is the ultimate escape, accidents can happen – even during a holiday.
Little over one-third of honeymooners (35%) travelled with life insurance in place.
- The South West was the region that was most likely (42%) to have no financial protection.
- Men reported higher protection rates than women across all categories, including life insurance (38% vs 33%), income protection (18% vs 13%), and critical illness cover (16% vs 14%).