Wedding guests 'spend £640 each' to attend nuptials

People are more willing to spend money on luxuries such as haircuts and new outfits for the big day, study finds

People are more willing to spend money on luxuries such as haircuts and new outfits for the big day (Rex Features)

While many people assume that it’s the bride and groom who will be out of pocket after the wedding, it will come as a surprise that guests don’t fare much better.

New research has shown that Britons spend an average of £640 for each wedding that they attend, thanks to the economic upturn.

With more than one third of people planning on going to at least one wedding this year, the cost has rocketed by one third on last year’s results of £460.

The rise could be partly attributed to the longer and more extravagant hen and stag dos, experts told the Daily Mail.

The study, conducted by American Express, found that people were more willing to spend money on luxuries such as haircuts and new outfits for the big day.

Guests were also found to spend on average £114 on hotel accommodation, £112 on gifts and £105 on their outfit before they even factored in how they got there. On average it cost £96 to travel to weddings.

To be fair to the brides and grooms, they have done as much as they could to cut costs, with one third of respondents to the survey saying that they chose a local venue to reduce expense.

Only one in 10 couples-to-be told guests not to be gifts however, while a fifth also admitted they did not factor in the potential cost to guests in the run up to their big day.

Nicholas Stefanovitz, vice president of UK consumer cards at American Express, told the Daily Mail: “With the average cost amounting to £640, it’s important to plan ahead so that spending for the special day doesn’t become a financial headache.

“Guests should look out for offers and retail sales when planning their outfit or booking accommodation.”