After years of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” culture, a new wave of UK wedding suppliers is ditching the secrecy – and it’s changing everything
When Sarah Mitchell started planning her wedding last year, she quickly discovered something frustrating: nobody would tell her how much anything cost.
“I’d fill out enquiry forms, wait days for a response, and then get asked to come in for a ‘consultation’ before they’d even hint at pricing,” says the 32-year-old from Manchester. “I don’t have time to tour six venues I can’t afford. Just put your prices on your bloody website.”
She’s not alone. A recent discussion on r/UKweddings—one of the UK’s largest wedding planning communities with over 45,000 members—revealed a striking pattern: the number one complaint from couples isn’t about Instagram-obsessed photographers or pushy sales tactics. It’s about transparency.
Or rather, the complete lack of it.
The Price List Problem
“No prices on websites and I’m gone,” wrote one frustrated bride-to-be in the discussion thread, a sentiment that received dozens of upvotes from fellow planners. “I also HATE this nonsense where they call their prices an ‘investment’. Mate, if I invested money I’d be looking to make more money.”
The frustration is palpable across the thread. Couples report:
- Venue websites with hundreds of styled photos but zero pricing information
- Hair and makeup artists who only communicate through Instagram DMs
- Caterers who insist on in-person meetings before discussing budgets
- Suppliers who show products “double the price” without warning after being given a clear budget
“There’s no point in me making a special trip to tour a venue that is double my budget,” another commenter explained. “What I don’t need is tons of pics of someone else’s bouquet on a bed or dress hanging in a window. I need actual information.”
Why Vendors Hide Their Prices
The wedding industry has long operated on a consultation-first model. The logic? Get couples through the door, wow them with possibilities, and they’ll stretch their budget.
But this approach is backfiring spectacularly with modern couples who value their time – and despise feeling manipulated.
“I appreciate budget flexibility within a contract,” wrote one practical planner. “Our caterers assume 90 people – if we have fewer guests, that unused budget goes to better canapés or an upgraded evening meal. That makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is refusing to tell me your starting price.”
The discussion revealed that many couples now immediately skip vendors without transparent pricing, regardless of their portfolio quality. In an era where you can comparison-shop for everything from cars to kitchen appliances online, expecting couples to schedule multiple in-person consultations before learning basic costs feels deliberately obstructive.
The Instagram Industrial Complex
Beyond pricing opacity, the thread surfaced another major complaint: vendors treating weddings as marketing opportunities rather than celebrations.
“I was shocked at how many vendors prioritise Instagram over ANYTHING else,” wrote one bride. “I constantly had ‘so I styled [random local influencer]’s wedding’ or ‘this upgrade looks great on Instagram feeds’ and the like.”
Multiple commenters reported vendors with entire paragraphs on their websites about tagging requirements and social media obligations. One supplier even spent “most of her time nagging me to ‘share the experience’ on Instagram ‘for her community'” rather than providing decent service.
“It’s because they’re treating people’s weddings like a promotional event for themselves,” one commenter observed. “Like they think the event is about them and not the couple getting married.”
For couples without Instagram accounts – or those who simply value privacy – this creates an uncomfortable dynamic. “I have no desire to setup an Instagram account, so I immediately resigned from using them,” explained one bride-to-be. “Please have a regular website of some kind, at least a regular e-mail address to use.”
What Couples Actually Want (It’s Not Complicated)
Reading through hundreds of comments, a clear picture emerges of what modern couples prioritise – and it’s remarkably straightforward:
Transparency: Clear pricing, honest communication, and upfront information about what’s included and what costs extra.
Practicality: “Are you gonna be there if shit hits the fan and I have no idea what to do?” one commenter asked. This matters more than styled photoshoots.
Respect for dietary requirements: The vegan cauliflower “steak” debate raged through multiple comment threads. “Cauliflower steak is not a main,” stated one frustrated planner. “Where’s the protein?”
Inclusion without assumptions: LGBTQ+ couples reported venues and vendors who couldn’t comprehend two brides or two grooms, despite same-sex marriage being legal in the UK for over a decade.
Recognition that grooms exist: Multiple commenters noted vendors who assumed only the bride cared about details. “My husband was more particular about a lot of the details than I was,” one bride explained.
The Vendors Getting It Right
Not all suppliers are stuck in the old model. The thread highlighted several positive experiences:
One couple praised their dress boutique owner who offered to coordinate two dresses without either bride seeing the other’s choice – a thoughtful, practical solution that showed the vendor had actually considered their specific situation.
Another mentioned a venue that displayed a pride flag on their website with the message “we love that you’re in love. Let’s have a wedding” – and had already built relationships with LGBTQ+-friendly preferred vendors.
Some forward-thinking businesses are embracing radical transparency. Wedding insurance provider Save The Date, for example, displays their starting price (from £14.49) prominently on their homepage – no consultation required. Their straightforward approach of “no confusing jargon, just protection for your big day” resonates with couples exhausted by industry gatekeeping.
“I really valued vendors who were up front about their pricing and what they can/can’t do,” one commenter noted. “We actually decided against our second choice venue as the manager wouldn’t go into details of pricing or availability until we went in person.”
The Real Misconception
Here’s what the industry gets wrong: they assume couples with higher budgets don’t care about transparency, practicality, or value for money.
As one commenter astutely observed: “Even people with high budget weddings will ask for a price. Unless you’re a millionaire, people want to know the price of something. Heck, lots of people stay rich by paying very little when they can and being extremely stingy!”
The biggest misconception isn’t about style preferences or budget levels – it’s about respect. Couples want to be treated as informed consumers making significant financial decisions, not as walking ATMs who need to be dazzled into overspending.
What Needs to Change
The path forward is surprisingly simple:
- Put your prices on your website. Even if it’s a starting price or range. Couples can handle it.
- Stop treating weddings as content opportunities for your portfolio. The day is about the couple, not your Instagram engagement rate.
- Respect people’s time. If someone gives you a £10,000 budget, don’t show them £20,000 options and act surprised when they’re frustrated.
- Understand dietary requirements properly. It’s 2025. Vegan and gluten-free options should be substantial, not afterthoughts.
- Don’t make assumptions. About sexuality, gender roles, budget flexibility, style preferences, or anything else. Ask questions. Listen to answers.
As one commenter perfectly summarized: “All I wanted was practicality. Are you gonna be there if shit hits the fan and I have no idea what to do because I have not done this before?”
That’s not a high bar. It’s just basic customer service.
The wedding vendors who understand this – who lead with transparency, respect their clients’ intelligence, and focus on service rather than social media – are the ones building genuine reputations and sustainable businesses.
The rest are just frustrating couples on Reddit.
