Getting married can be pretty pricey, but new research suggests just being a wedding guest is more than a lot of people can afford. Between buying a dress code-approved outfit, booking a hotel and flight, and all the other expenses that go into attending a friend or family member’s wedding, it adds up fast. And a new LendingTree survey finds many wedding guests go into debt just to be there.
According to the poll of 2-thousand Americans:
- Nearly a third (31%) of those who’ve attended at least one wedding in the last five years have taken on debt to do so, with 23% of them racking up $25-hundred or more.
- For 43%, they spent an average of $100 to $499 to attend a wedding, while 29% spent at least $500 and 12% spent at least $1,000.
- Part of the reason wedding guests tend to spend more than they can afford is expectations and pressure, mostly from family (37%), and friends (28%), and even from the couple themselves (26%).
- Despite the cost, 74% of those who took on debt to be there said it was worth it.
- Unfortunately, 12% of those who did say the expensive event negatively impacted their relationship with the couple.
- A third (34%) of respondents sent their RSVP card back with a “no” because of the high cost of going to the wedding.
- Those in the wedding party tend to spend a lot more than the average guest, leading 27% to turn down being in the wedding party because they just couldn’t afford it.
- Overall, 89% of those surveyed agree that weddings are getting too expensive.
Source: Brides