Hotel chain offers £199 wedding package

A "BARGAIN" wedding costing just £199 has gone on offer for couples unable to afford the average bill of £21,000.

Budget hotel chain Premier Inn is offering the deal, including the bride and groom's outfit, a reception for 20 guests and even a two-night honeymoon.

But guests will have to content themselves with just one alcoholic beverage over the course of the celebration, as will the bride and groom on each night of the honeymoon.

Just ten couples will be able to take advantage of the offer, which is running at five sites within the chain from 1 November to 23 December.

But a spokeswoman insisted the deal would be extended if the hotel received positive feedback from wedding guests.

For their 199, couples will get a wedding dress and groom's suit from Asda, three boxes of confetti, an Asda wedding cake and a buffet reception for up to 20 guests at the hotel.

The honeymoon package includes two nights at a Premier Inn hotel, dinner and breakfast, a bottle of Asda sparkling wine, chocolates and strawberries and rose petals for the bed.

The hotel even supplies a template for the best man's speech.

Premier Inn spokesman Steve Conway said: "A wedding day doesn't need to cost a fortune for it to be special.

"We hope that our bargain wedding package will help couples to have an enjoyable, romantic, stress-free day and a honeymoon that won't break the bank."

The average cost of a wedding was put at 20,273 in a recent survey, which is up by some 5,630 compared to five years ago. New requirements for some weddings include a honeymoon wardrobe, and the cost of gym membership or weight loss treatments.