Credit crunch 'causing couples to put wedding plans on hold'

An increasing number of young couples are opting to put their wedding plans on hold as the economic crisis continues to put pressure on family budgets, it has been claimed.

With the average UK wedding bill now totalling more than £20,000, many people are delaying their big day as they seek to become more financially secure during the downturn, the Sun reports.

A poll by wedding website confetti.co.uk revealed that the average couple spends as much as £630 on hen and stag parties, as well as £4,900 on food and drink and a further £5,500 on the perfect honeymoon.

While most people still "actively want to get married", director of family and education at the Civitas think tank Anastasia de Waal said the credit crunch is putting many people off.

"This is not a case of people not wanting to marry but about it being increasingly out of their reach," she commented.

The latest research by Hotels.com might provide some welcome relief for those planning a stag weekend away in the coming months, with the average price of a room in Europe down by ten per cent in the final three months of last year.