Britons say "I do" … to pre-wedding weight loss

– More than 4 in 10 Brits want to lose an average of 8lb (3.65kg) before their wedding day – women want to lose twice as much as men

– 12% would hope to lose a minimum of 2 stone (13kg)

– One in 10 Brits would spend more than a year making pre-wedding lifestyle changes such as weight loss or beauty treatments

Getting in shape for the big day is a priority for Brits, as 44% intend to lose weight before walking down the aisle, with an average pre-wedding weight loss of 8lb (3.65kg). Women intend to lose twice as much as men – 11lb/ 4.58kg compared to 5lb/ 2.25kg respectively.

However the research from Greenbee Wedding Insurance, part of the John Lewis Partnership, reveals that more than one in 10 (12%) of those surveyed would like to lose a minimum of 2 stone (13kg) before getting wed.

Brides-to-be are most likely to want to lose weight, with 17% of women saying they intend to lose 2 stone (13kg) or more before the big day, compared to just 6% of men who are keen to lose a similar amount. Over a third of women (35%) want to lose at least one stone, double the amount of men (16%).

Across the UK, Scots are the keenest to shed the pounds before they walk down the aisle, 11lb (5.08kg) on average – with one in five (20%) stating they want to lose more than 2 stone (13kg), almost double that of those in Wales & South West (11%).

Yet  it appears a significant amount of people are happy with how they look, as 58% of men and 36% of women surveyed have no intention of losing any weight.

The clock is ticking on the countdown to looking good for the big day

Making lifestyle changes in preparation for the big day – such as working on pre-wedding weight loss or beauty treatments – are begun by 1 in 10 (10%) more than a year in advance.

An eighth (13%) of women would spend over a year getting ready for their big day, double that of grooms-to-be (6%) – with over half of men (52%) saying they wouldn’t make any lifestyle changes.

Scots appear to be the most image conscious in the UK. As well as intending to lose the most weight, they also expect to spend the most time – 8.01 months on average – on wedding preparations, with an eighth (13%) expecting to start making lifestyle changes more than a year in advance of the big day. Those living in the South East and London seem to be the most relaxed when it comes to making lifestyle changes, starting their wedding preparations on average just over 6 months in advance.

John Brady, head of commercial, greenbee.com: “Looking good on one of the most important days of life is understandably very important. However while losing the pounds in weight may be a key aim for many brides- and grooms-to-be, looking after the pounds in your pockets and protecting your big day with wedding insurance should also be a key priority.

“With the average Greenbee Wedding Insurance premium being as little as £129.16 – less than one per cent of the cost of the average wedding – it’s certainly a small price to pay for peace of mind.”