According to Francesca Moore, spokesperson for Hitched, many consumers have "become very materialistic" in regards to tying the knot, with the total costs of getting married, holding a reception and going on honeymoon reaching thousands of pounds. The wedding planning service representative added that although the credit crunch might see some couples delay a ceremony or honeymoon to help save more money, those who are determined to get married will find that "one way or another it will happen". Overall, the average wedding was indicated to cost around 17,800 pounds, with many ceremonies noted as being worth between 17,000 and 18,000 pounds.

However, upon planning a wedding, consumers were urged to ensure that one of the first things that they do is to draw up a budget. In doing so, it was suggested that couples will be able to recognise what areas their money will go towards and how much they can afford for costs such as rings, venue hire and wedding dresses.

Ms Moore said: "With so many different options for weddings, the possibilities really are endless and brides and grooms can plan and save for their perfect day for years in order to make it exactly what they want. With celebrity influence and a plethora of options for different parts of the wedding such as the dress, cake and venue, people are willing to wait months or maybe years to make their day perfect and unique for them."

For those looking for a competitive way to finance both the wedding and honeymoon of their dreams, a personal loan might prove to be of assistance.

In addition, all those who are currently looking to get married were urged to take out a wedding insurance policy. By selecting such cover, it was claimed consumers may be able to protect themselves from unforeseen events such as the loss of rings or the venue cancelling. Pointing out that "no one can predict what might happen on the big day", Ms Moore claimed that in comparison to other expenses related to getting married such insurance is "actually a minimal spend with probably the highest value".

For those loved-up consumers who are looking to fund the wedding of their dreams, taking out a personal loan might prove to be of assistance. By getting a loan, it may be possible that borrowers can meet various marriage expenses, ranging from rings and venue hire to going on honeymoon and purchasing a wedding dress, quickly and effectively. In addition, the monetary assistance that a cheap personal loan provides could help couples to generate enough income to purchase a comprehensive wedding insurance policy.

Applying for a loan might be of additional help after a recent study by Alliance & Leicester Personal Loans revealed that Britons are underestimating the cost of getting married. Figures released by the firm showed that people think that the average wedding ceremony costs 1,759 pounds, although in reality it is about 1,000 pounds above this figure. Meanwhile, a honeymoon is thought to be worth 4,788 pounds. However, this actually comes to 7,725 pounds. Overall, consumers are shown to be underestimating the total cost of getting wed by over 3,000 pounds. Richard Al-Dabbagh, head of personal loans for the firm, pointed out that due to such miscalculations a cheap loan can be a "sensible way" to finance getting hitched.