Compare wedding loans across 50+ Australian lenders. Finance venues, catering, attire, photography and honeymoons from $5,000 to $50,000+, with terms from 1 to 7 years. Wedding loans from Emu Money let you finance a wedding from $5,000 to $50,000+, with terms from 1 to 7 years. Compare secured and unsecured personal loans for venues, catering, attire, photography and honeymoons across 50+ lenders in a single application. Funds are typically available within 24 to 48 hours, with same-day decisions from some lenders. Last updated August 2026 Why compare wedding loans with Emu Money? One application compares wedding loan offers across 50+ lenders, so you can fund your day without draining savings or relying on high-interest credit cards. Borrow $5,000 to $50,000+ Fund a single vendor deposit or your entire wedding budget. The average Australian wedding costs around $38,000, so most couples borrow the gap between savings and total cost. Terms from 1 to 7 years Shorter terms cost less in total interest. Longer terms lower your monthly repayment. Choose the balance that suits your budget after the wedding. Same-day decisions Complete applications can be assessed the same day, with funds available within 24 to 48 hours so you can lock in deposits ahead of vendor deadlines. Secured or unsecured Secure the loan against an asset for a sharper rate and higher borrowing power, or go unsecured for a faster, simpler application. Covers every wedding cost Venue, catering, photography, attire, entertainment, transport and honeymoon can all sit inside the one loan and the one repayment. 50+ lender panel Banks and non-bank lenders compared in one place. One application surfaces the best available rate for your credit profile and income. How to get a wedding loan Four steps from application to funded, so you can start paying vendors and locking in deposits. Work out your gap Add up your total wedding budget, subtract savings and any contributions from family, and use the remainder as your target loan amount. Compare matched offers from 50+ lenders Enter your loan amount and we match you against our lender panel. You see rates, terms and repayments side by side with no impact on your credit score. Choose your loan and get approved Pick the rate and term that fits your budget. Provide ID and proof of income. Same-day decisions are available for complete applications. Get funded and pay your vendors Funds deposited to your bank account within 24 to 48 hours. Pay venues, caterers and suppliers directly and lock in your deposits. Backed by over 50+ lenders Giving you the best chance of being approved. Compare wedding loans from 50+ lenders One application. Multiple offers. See your personalised rate in minutes and lock in vendor deposits sooner. How wedding loans work in Australia A wedding loan is a personal loan used to pay for wedding-related costs. There is no separate "wedding loan" product category regulated differently from a standard personal loan under Australian credit law. What makes it a wedding loan is the purpose you nominate when applying. The funds go to your bank account, not to a vendor directly, so you pay venues, caterers and suppliers yourself, on your own timeline. Repayments are fixed monthly instalments over 1 to 7 years, with most couples choosing a 3 to 5 year term. Most wedding loans are unsecured, meaning no collateral is required. Your approval and rate depend on your credit score, income and existing debts. Secured wedding loans, using a car or term deposit as security, are available and typically offer sharper rates and higher borrowing limits, but they put the secured asset at risk if you fall behind on repayments. Because vendor deposits are often due 6 to 12 months before the wedding itself, many couples take out the loan well ahead of the big day rather than waiting until costs are finalised. If you're still working out your total budget, our guide on how to budget for a wedding in Australia walks through the category breakdown before you decide how much to borrow. Average wedding costs in Australia The average Australian wedding costs around $38,000, though couples typically start planning with a budget closer to $29,000 and overshoot by roughly 23% as the day approaches. Costs vary widely by guest count, location and how many vendors you engage, with intimate celebrations landing near $18,000 and larger events with a full vendor lineup reaching $80,000 or more. Venue, catering and beverages are usually the largest single line item. A 100-guest sit-down reception with a drinks package typically runs $18,000 to $30,000 on its own, with most venues charging $180 to $300 per head for food, drinks and space combined. Photography and videography together average around $6,700, with photography alone averaging $3,567 for ceremony coverage plus three to four hours at the reception. Attire, décor, entertainment and transport make up the remainder of a typical budget. For a full category-by-category breakdown, including state-by-state variation of nearly $17,000 between the most and least expensive states, see how much a wedding costs in Australia . Average wedding costs by category Secured vs unsecured wedding loans An unsecured wedding loan doesn't require you to put up an asset as collateral. Approval is based on your income, credit history and existing debts. Unsecured loans are quicker to arrange and lower risk, since the lender can't repossess anything if you miss a payment, but rates tend to sit a little higher than secured options. A secured wedding loan uses an asset, typically a car or term deposit, as security. This generally unlocks a lower rate and a higher borrowing limit, because the lender has recourse if you default. The trade-off is that your asset is on the line for the life of the loan, even though the funds are being spent on a wedding rather than the asset itself. Most couples choose unsecured loans for amounts under $20,000, where the rate difference is small relative to the added risk of tying an asset to a discretionary expense. Secured loans make more sense for larger borrowing, above $25,000 to $30,000, where the rate saving compounds over a longer term. Secured vs unsecured wedding loans Interest rates and what affects your rate Wedding loan rates are priced the same way as any personal loan: based on your credit score, income, existing debts and whether the loan is secured. Rather than a single headline rate, expect a range, with stronger credit profiles accessing the lower end and applicants with limited or impaired credit history sitting higher. The biggest single factor is your credit score. Applicants with a strong credit history and stable income access the sharpest rates on our panel. Below-average credit narrows the panel but doesn't rule you out. See wedding loans with bad credit for what to expect at each credit tier and how much more a lower score typically costs in interest. Loan term also affects the total cost, though not the advertised rate. On a $30,000 loan at 11.99% p.a., a 3-year term costs $995 a month with $5,820 in total interest, a 5-year term costs $667 a month with $10,020 in total interest, and a 7-year term costs $528 a month with $14,472 in total interest. Choosing the shortest term you can comfortably afford keeps the total cost down. Securing the loan against an asset, applying with a co-borrower, and reducing existing debts before you apply can all improve the rate you're offered. Read your comparison rate, not just the advertised rate, since it includes most fees and gives a truer picture of total cost. Wedding loan vs credit card vs buy now pay later A personal loan gives you a fixed rate, a fixed term and a predictable repayment for the life of the loan. You know the total interest cost before you borrow, and repayments don't change if the vendor deadline shifts. Credit cards offer flexibility for smaller, staggered purchases, but standard purchase rates are typically much higher than a personal loan rate, and carrying a balance for a year or more on wedding-sized spending gets expensive quickly. Cards can work well for the deposits that happen to fall within an interest-free period, but not as a primary funding method for a five-figure wedding budget. Buy now pay later services split individual vendor payments into instalments, usually over six weeks to six months, with no interest if you pay on time. They suit smaller purchases like attire or favours, but most BNPL providers cap limits well below what a wedding costs overall, and late fees plus the impact on future BNPL and credit applications add up if repayments slip. Wedding loan vs credit card vs BNPL How to decide how much to borrow Start with your full wedding budget, broken down by category, then subtract savings and any family contributions. The remaining gap is your target loan amount. Borrowing more than the gap costs you interest on money you didn't need. Borrowing less means scrambling for a top-up close to the date. As a guide, couples typically spend around 40 to 45% of their budget on venue and catering, with the remainder split across photography, attire, entertainment, décor, transport and the honeymoon. Our wedding budgeting guide sets out the percentage breakdown in full, so you can sanity-check your own numbers against typical proportions. If an engagement ring is still ahead of you, budget for it separately. The average Australian engagement ring costs $6,000 to $6,800, and folding it into the same loan as the wedding itself increases the amount you need to service. See how much an engagement ring should cost for a full breakdown by ring style and stone type. Aim to keep the repayment on whatever you borrow comfortably under 10 to 15% of your take-home pay. A loan you can service without strain leaves room for the unexpected costs that almost every wedding budget picks up along the way. Tips for keeping wedding costs manageable Set your budget before you start booking vendors, not after. Couples who lock in a number early and work backwards from it tend to overshoot by less than those who book the venue first and add up the rest later. Get at least three quotes for every major vendor category, venue, catering, photography and entertainment. Prices vary significantly between suppliers offering comparable quality, and the spread is often wider than couples expect going in. Consider an off-peak date or day. Friday and Sunday weddings, and dates outside the October-to-April peak season, can bring meaningful savings on venue hire in particular. Review your guest list against your per-head catering cost before finalising numbers. Since venues typically charge $180 to $300 per head, trimming the list by 20 guests can free up $3,600 to $6,000 to redirect elsewhere in the budget. If you're financing part of the day, only borrow the gap between your budget and your savings, not the full cost. And if your credit history isn't strong, our guide to wedding loans with bad credit covers practical steps to improve your position before you apply. Types of wedding loans

Pick a structure that suits your budget and vendor timeline: Unsecured Personal Loan A personal loan that doesn't require collateral, based on your creditworthiness and ability to repay, offering flexibility for various purposes. No collateral required - no risk to personal assets Quick approval and funding process Flexible use of funds for any purpose Higher interest rates than secured loans Stricter credit requirements Lower maximum loan amounts available People who need flexible funding for any purpose without risking their assets. Ideal for debt consolidation, home improvements, holidays, and old or exotic vehicles. Secured Personal Loan A personal loan secured against an asset offering lower rates than unsecured options. Use the funds for any purpose while benefiting from competitive secured rates. Lower interest rates due to asset security Higher loan amounts available Flexible use of funds for any purpose Longer repayment terms possible Asset serves as security - risk of loss Comprehensive insurance may be required Longer approval process due to security valuation Asset restrictions during loan term Borrowers with valuable assets who want lower rates for debt consolidation, home improvements, or major purchases while keeping costs down. Fixed Rate Personal Loan An unsecured personal loan with fixed interest rate providing predictable monthly payments. Perfect for consolidating debt or funding personal goals. Fixed interest rate provides payment certainty No assets required as security Predictable budgeting with set repayments Quick approval and funding process Higher rates than secured loan options Stricter credit requirements than variable loans Cannot benefit from interest rate decreases Lower maximum amounts than secured loans Borrowers who want payment certainty and protection against rate rises for debt consolidation, home improvements, or planned expenses. Variable Rate Personal Loan An unsecured personal loan with variable interest rates that can fluctuate with market conditions. Potentially benefit from rate decreases on your personal financing. Can benefit from interest rate decreases Often lower initial rates than fixed loans More flexible loan features available No assets required as security Monthly payments can increase with rising rates Uncertainty in budgeting due to rate fluctuations Higher rates than secured loan alternatives Risk of significant payment increases Borrowers comfortable with payment variability who want to benefit from potential rate decreases without putting assets at risk. Estimate your wedding loan repayments See what your repayments would look like before you apply. Enter a loan amount, term, and rate to get an instant estimate with a full amortisation schedule. Comparison rate included Full amortisation schedule Instant results, no sign-up Adjustable rates and terms Wedding Loan Guides & Resources In-depth guides covering wedding budgeting, average costs, engagement rings and financing options for every credit profile. How Much Does a Wedding Cost in Australia in 2026? Average wedding costs by category and by state, what you get at every budget level, and how most couples pay for their wedding. How to Budget for a Wedding in Australia A percentage-based budget breakdown for every wedding category, five ways to cut costs, and how to fund the gap between savings and total spend. Wedding Loans with Bad Credit: Your Options in Australia What counts as bad credit for a wedding loan, your options at each credit tier, and steps to improve your chances before applying. How Much Should an Engagement Ring Cost in Australia? Average engagement ring costs in Australia, natural vs lab-grown diamonds, and how to set a ring budget against the two months' salary rule. How James and Mia locked in their beachfront venue 11 months early Challenge: James and Mia, a couple in their early thirties from Sydney, had their hearts set on a waterfront reception venue. The venue required a $9,000 deposit 11 months before the wedding, with catering and styling deposits of a further $6,000 due 3 months later. Their total wedding budget was $42,000, but their combined savings at the time sat at $18,000, leaving a $24,000 gap they weren't set to close until closer to the date. Solution: Rather than putting deposits on a credit card at 21.99% or delaying and risking the venue, they compared wedding loan offers through Emu Money. They chose an unsecured personal loan of $24,000 at 9.49% over 3 years, with a $250 establishment fee. Their repayments came to $769 a month, with total interest of $3,684 over the 3-year term, a saving of roughly $2,900 compared with carrying the same balance on their existing credit card at 21.99% over the same period. Approval came through the same day they applied, using two recent payslips and a driver's licence, and funds landed in their account within 30 hours. They paid the venue and catering deposits directly and had the rest of the loan sitting ready for photography and attire as those vendors were booked. Because the rate and repayment were fixed from day one, they could budget the rest of their savings toward the honeymoon without recalculating every time a new vendor quote came in. Frequently asked questions Common questions about wedding loans in Australia. These helpful FAQs will help you find the answers you need. If you can't find what you're looking for, you can request a callback below. Last updated August 2026 This page is general information only and is not financial advice. Terms, rates, and eligibility criteria are indicative and subject to lender assessment. Not what you're looking for? We can also help you with: