Did you know that according to a recent survery carried out by Experian one in four people has argued with their partner about the cost of attending a wedding?
That statistics seemed pretty random to me - until I actually stopped to think about just how expensive it can be to attend a wedding and how many family weddings I've actually missed due to cost.
It's one thing if a wedding is taking place just down the road from where you live - you can pop along for the day and all it costs is the price of something to wear and a gift - if its not a hugely formal affair then it's all the cheaper, no need for fancy suits and hats!
But if the wedding is taking place in another county or even another country which they so often do with many families spread across the globe these days and so many couples opting to tye the knot abroad, it can be a different story altogether - there's the cost of flights, hotels, airport transfers, baggage costs for flying over wedding attire, and still the costs of clothes and gifts on top!
It's easy to see how quickly it can all spiral out of control.
According to the study on wedding guest cost by Experian an average of 1 in 20 people has to borrow money in order to attend a wedding, 17% of those have even had to take out a formal loan!
Would you go to such extremes to attend a wedding? I'm not so sure personally! But there are ways to cut down the cost.
1) Thrifty Gifty!
If you really must get a present for the couple, consider hand-making something more personal.A photo collage of their relationship, a hand decorated Mr & Mrs x plaque, even a pretty personalised First Married Christmas bauble would all make an unusual and thoughtful gift that needn't cost the earth! 2) Be The Early Bird! As soon as you know you’re attending, start looking at your travel options. The earlier you book, the cheaper your tickets will be! Look at price comparison sites for hotels and flights, or if the wedding is in this country - skip the expensive trains and take the coach instead! It may take longer but it cuts the cost considerably. 3) Dress for Less! Don't go out and spend a fortune on a brand new outfit if you have something suitable hanging in your wardrobe - most of us have attended a wedding before so if that outfit worked last time, it'll work again! Nobody's supposed to be looking at anyone other than the bride anyway! What are your top tips for saving money when it comes to attending weddings?
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