Brides are increasingly shunning summer weddings and getting married during winter instead to cut costs amid the economic gloom, figures suggest.

Register office data shows that thousands more people are tying the knot between October and March than in previous years, to save money on hosting receptions.

Companies offering wedding services are also reporting booming business as couples take advantage of prices thousands of pounds cheaper than during the peak summer months.

The number of couples getting married in winter has risen by up to 15 percent in some areas, with winter weddings now accounting for more than 30 percent of all marriages in Britain.

The trend is even said to be having an impact on wedding attire, with more designers offering coats, shawls and different coloured dresses from the traditional white and ivory gowns bought by most brides.

Belinda Hanks, editor of Confetti, the online bridal store and magazine, said: “One of the main factors behind this has been pressure on budgets.

“With the economy the way it is, couples are realising that if they go for a winter wedding they can get a much better deal.”

“You can shave down your budget by around a quarter if you marry in winter through savings on venue hire and catering – you’re talking about thousands of pounds.

“This has been a growing trend over the last couple of years.”

The site has seen a 25 percent rise in the number of brides preparing for winter weddings.

According to the most up to date marriage data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the number of marriages in the winter months has increased by around seven percent in two years.

In 2006 there were 25,880 marriages in the March quarter and 41,150 in the December quarter. This rose to 27,610 and 44,015 respectively for the same three-month periods in 2008.

More recent figures from local authorities suggests that the trend has continued to accelerate with thousands more weddings scheduled for the next three months.

(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)