Lancashire County Council has announced prices for registry office weddings in the port are set to go up – some ceremonies by 275 per cent.

The biggest hike is for a Saturday morning wedding, which will rise from £40 to £150.

It will remain £150 for a Saturday afternoon wedding but Fleetwood's bridal experts have warned it could see bargain hunters heading for Blackpool, where the charge is just £43.50 from Monday to Saturday.

County council bosses have blamed the price increases on people wanting more from their weddings, but the owner of a port bridal shop said it was tough on people trying to economise on their weddings.

Linda Welsh, of the Bridal Cottage on North Albert Street added: "Saturday is a very popular day.

"It's unfair and it's a bad time to be putting money up because people are watching their pennies.

"They are going to a registry office to save on cost it has been really easy for them because of the nice surroundings at the library."

Fleetwood weddings take place in a pleasant ceremony room which was refurbished for the purpose five years ago.

Mrs Welsh added: "It's better in Fleetwood than going all the way to Blackpool. If you went to Blackpool you would still have the expense of a car.

"I try to help the majority of people as much as I can, especially if they are local.

"You sympathise because a lot of people have been made redundant or put on short-time and you have to take these things into consideration."

The increased charges will come into force on April 1.

Costs for Monday to Thursday will remain at £40 but Friday will go up from £40 to £60.

There will be a new Sunday and bank holiday service costing £200.

Steve Lloyd, head of registration services at the county council said: "The traditional conveyor-belt style register office wedding, only incorporating the declaratory and contracting words and lasting around 15 minutes, is no longer acceptable.

"Therefore, we have to arrange for an increased level of staffing to accommodate rising expectations.

"We have also noted there is a high and constantly rising demand for ceremonies on a Friday. This means that staffing resources are often stretched and we have to rely on casual staff to provide support, resulting in increased staffing costs.

"Staff costs on a Saturday and Sunday are currently at enhanced overtime rates.

"The price rises are modest and will enable the registration service to recover its costs. The charges for getting married either in a registration office or in an approved premises remain very competitive."