Weddings can be a very expensive undertaking. And, as well as the couple tying the knot, the cost is also felt by those attending who can expect to spend into the hundreds, according to a new study.
The average cost of attending a wedding is currently around £567 per head, with £116 typically spent on accommodation, research by credit checking company Experian has found. In a survey of 1,000 adults, 24 per cent said they could not afford to accept all of their wedding invitations, with 31 per cent saying they had been forced to decline at least one invitation to wedding or pre-wedding event such as a stag or hen do, The Independent reports.
People are trying to find ways of avoiding paying for accommodation, the study discovered. Some are simply staying up all night so they do not need somewhere to sleep, while others would only go to a wedding if they did not have to stay overnight.
Nearly 60 per cent of those polled agreed it had become more acceptable for guests to pay for their own drinks and food at a wedding reception. More than half agreed that society had put 'unfair' pressure on couples to offer a free bar.
Guests are making wedding presents for couples themselves rather than buying gifts. Cutting back on outgoing costs, such as limiting eating out, is another way people are making sure they have enough money to attend a wedding.
James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, said: “We all look forward to celebrating the union of friends or family, but it can be an expensive occasion for guests as well as the lucky couple. With soaring day-to-day living costs adding pressure to household budgets, many invitees are thinking carefully, and sometimes creatively, about how they can manage the cost of joining in the fun.”
Experian found that just over a quarter of wedding guests intend to spread the cost by using a credit card. “People should obviously be careful to never borrow more than they can comfortably afford to repay and have a clear plan in place on how they’ll clear any debt,” said Mr Jones.
