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Planning a wedding is more labour-intensive than ever, according to a study.

A survey of 2,000 married Brits found two in five think the process of bringing the elements of a wedding together is now more time-consuming than it would have been 20 years ago.

And 39 per cent said organising their wedding felt like taking on a second job.

It also emerged the average couple will dedicate more than nine hours to the laborious task of whittling down the guest list.

Six hours will be dedicated to picking the perfect flower arrangement for the venue, and 11 hours will be spent traipsing from bridal shop to bridal shop to try on dresses.

And a further eight hours will be spent researching and speaking to caterers who might be suitable for the big day, and nine hours deciding where to go for the honeymoon.

A spokesperson for Virgin Holidays, which commissioned the study, added: “Pulling all the threads of a wedding together can feel like an impossible task, and it’s no wonder brides- and grooms-to be to feel daunted by the prospect.”

When asked to think about the aspects of the wedding they started to worry about earliest in the process, most married Brits tackled securing the venue first.

The wedding dress, the rings and sending out the invites were also key priorities which married Brits tried to sort sharpish.

Arranging the party favours, hair and make-up and decorations were the tasks most likely to be left until the last minute.

Finalising the guest list was considered the most stressful aspect of the process followed by finding the perfect wedding dress and organising the catering.

And 88 per cent said they took an active role in organising their wedding.

The average couple start making arrangements nearly nine months before they take those fateful steps down the aisle, the OnePoll study found.

Though one in five wish they had more time to get their big day absolutely right, including whether to choose a celebrant, registrar or vicar.

Yvonne Bakouris, who has been a wedding planner at Virgin Holidays for 20 years, said: “Pinterest and Instagram have changed the wedding planning process immensely – and made destination weddings seem much more appealing for the average person.

“Twenty years ago having a destination wedding was fairly unusual, but now 14 per cent of British weddings are held abroad.

“That is both a blessing and a curse for us in the industry – people are going onto these sites and social media looking for ideas for weddings, and seeing larger, bolder, more challenging events.

“The challenge is ensuring you find a wedding that’s right for you.

”Not everyone wants the perfect fairytale wedding at Walt Disney World where budget is no barrier – most are happy with an intimate affair at a local wedding spot.”

The Virgin Holidays spokesperson added: ”While it’s unsurprising to hear the majority of couples wade in with the arrangements, hiring a third party can be a simple way to keep those doubts and worries in check throughout the process.”

MOST TIME-CONSUMING ASPECTS OF ORGANISING A WEDDING
Picking the wedding dress – 11h 17m
Deciding the guest list – 9h 12m
Booking the honeymoon – 9h 01m
Arranging the catering – 8h 06m
Choosing the accommodation – 7h 52m
Arranging travel – 6m 59m
Picking the venue – 8m 55m
Picking the flowers – 6m 05m

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