Wedding fever cools as couples wait to say 'I do' Lauren Heenan and Justine Kelly are getting married in Seville after saving for 23 months for their big day. THE race down the aisle has slowed to a dawdle, with engaged couples now waiting almost two years to tie the knot. Australia's biggest wedding survey has found that the typical time between the proposal and wedding has stretched to 21 months. And money is a key factor, with more and more couples footing the entire bill for their big day. The survey of 2100 couples found the average wedding bill has hit $36,700 - despite initial budget predictions of $19,295. About 43 per cent of couples pay for their weddings by themselves, while almost 48 per cent are helped out by their parents. The nationwide survey, conducted by easyweddings.com.au, also found that less than a quarter of couples chose a religious ceremony. And there is a trend for smaller weddings, with the average number of guests dropping from 105 to 95 in the past year. Matt Butterworth, managing director of easyweddings.com.au, said the average length of engagement had increased from 15-18 months in previous surveys. "Twenty-one months is a little higher than we'd expect, but that's likely because so many couples already have a life together and other priorities, so they don't really feel the need to rush," he said. Melbourne couple Lauren Heenan, 28, and Justin Kelly, 27, will have been engaged for 23 months when they marry on November 9.The parents of Emilie, age 2, used the time to save up. Originally budgeting for about $25,000, the pair have managed to cut the bill to $15,000. "We refused to get a personal loan or use credit cards for our wedding," Ms Heenan said. We did things like cut down on our guest list. The survey also found that 88 per cent of married couples plan a honeymoon, with Hawaii, Thailand, Fiji and Europe the most popular overseas destinations. January, June and July were the least popular months to marry, while March, October and November were the most popular.