A fifth of married couples met at work, study reveals

New data reveals results of annual National Wedding Survey, which looks at the latest trends, insights and costs of weddings across the UK

• The majority of couples who wed in 2021 met online or via a dating app, while almost a fifth met at work, or through a friend of a friend
• Social media played a huge role in wedding planning, from breaking engagement news to friends and family on Instagram, through to sending invitations via WhatsApp
• A whopping 90% of couples planned to have at least a honeymoon, with a third planning an additional mini-moon to celebrate tying the knot

March 2022: The annual National Wedding Survey from Hitched.co.uk reveals that after a difficult period during the pandemic, weddings were back with a bang in 2021. The report has uncovered the latest trends, insights and cost of weddings from couples who tied the knot in 2021, thanks to a survey of more than 2,000 British newlyweds. 

The happy couples

The report revealed that the majority (25%) of couples married in 2021 met via a dating app or website such as Tinder or eHarmony, up 2% since 2019. While digital dating is still on the rise, you can’t beat a real-life meet cute, and almost a fifth (18%) of British newlyweds in 2021 met at their shared place of work. 

Friends-of-friends also played a big part in last year’s weddings, with 14% of couples saying they met through friends, or in a social setting with friends. Less than 1 in 10 couples that married last year were childhood sweethearts, though 12% met at college or university, proving that young love is alive and well.

Social media support

While a phone call was the most popular way (61%) to tell loved ones the good news, more than half (59%) of respondents said they broke the news of the engagement via social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. Worse still, more than a quarter of couples (28%) simply changed the status of their profiles to show that they were now “Engaged” rather than actually telling their friends and families the news. Just over half (53%) waited to tell their loved ones in person, and another 9% were lucky enough to have their family and friends present at the proposal.

It wasn’t just the news of the engagement that was shared virtually, with more than a third of couples saying they also shared the invites to the wedding this way too. While the majority said they followed the traditional route of sending invitations in the mail, or delivered them by hand (27%), a whopping 36% shared the finer details of their big day via WhatsApp, and another 19% via email.

Planning the big day

Planning responsibilities were spread out amongst a number of people, according to the data. While the majority (38%) of the planning rested with the brides, a third of male partners were charged with the responsibility. Parents also assisted in planning the finer details, with more than a fifth of the planning falling to the bride’s family. Not so much the groom’s family, who also assisted with 4% of the overall planning.

Social media again played a huge role in the planning, with 96% of respondents saying they turned to the internet for inspiration or online tools while planning for the big day. Websites Hitched (74%) and Pinterest (70%) saw the most activity from couples, while handmade marketplace Etsy (69%) took third spot.

Guest’s safety was a high priority when planning, with 83% of couples incorporating at least one Covid-19 safety measure into their wedding. More than half (52%) ensured hand sanitiser was available at their venue, and more than a third (36%) insisted the venue staff wear masks for everyone’s safety. Social distancing was encouraged at a quarter of weddings, and almost a fifth ensured guests also wore masks (when not eating) at the event.

Supplier demand

According to the report, photographers were the most-booked suppliers, with 91% of respondents ensuring someone was on hand to capture the big day. Only 84% of couples shelled out for a venue for their weddings, and just under three quarters (72%) of newlyweds said they hired a DJ, live band or musician of some sort for the event. 

Other top suppliers included beauty treatments like hair and makeup (77%), and professional flowers, with 71% spending on top quality florals for their big day. Surprisingly, less than a third spent on suit hire, and even less on a marriage celebrant, with only 18% saying they booked this for their wedding.

Honeymoon insights

Newlyweds in 2021 proved they were keen to travel again, with 90% of respondents saying they planned to take a honeymoon (32%) or a honeymoon and a mini-moon (30%) post-wedding. The most popular destination? The beach, of course! Almost half of respondents (42%) planned to head to the sun to sip cocktails and relax, while another 39% said a luxury vacation was on the cards. 

Zoe Burke, Editor of Hitched, commented, “This year’s National Wedding Survey has given us wonderful insight into what the average wedding in 2021 looked like. 2021 saw the restrictions on weddings being lifted, so it’s no surprise that couples wanted to spend more and make the most of their chance to celebrate with loved ones after so long apart.

“Not only did we see couples willing to invest more in key details like their venue and photography, but we also saw them place guest experience at the top of their list of priorities, showing that when weddings came back, they came back for everyone.

“For those looking for ways to personalise their wedding, or for tips on budgeting, the Hitched app is the perfect place to start, with plenty of helpful advice and a dedicated budget planning tool that can be synced to your wedding checklist and used on the go.”

For more information about the average UK wedding in 2021, see our breakdown here: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/average-uk-wedding/