Wedding costs soar (for guests)

"If the wedding is out of town, you've got accommodation and transport costs. You have to buy a present, and buy yourself an outfit. And if you've got to attend four or five weddings in one summer, it can be pretty damned expensive," said Deborah Dwek, a London wedding planner.

Buying a new wedding outfit racks up a guest's wedding bill by an average of £84.70 each, the survey for Maestro debit card shows. Guests spend an average £55 per person on wedding presents, while drinks at the reception cost another £32.

Male guests tend to splash out more on presents, spending an average £65 each, compared to under £50 each spent by women.

Travel and accommodation account for the largest share in guests' expenses, costing an average of £90.45. Thanks in part to budget air travel, more and more couples are choosing to marry away from home, said Sonita Gale, of Time For You wedding planners.

"I deal with normal couples, not the super-rich, but when you add up the expenses, it can be quite a strain for some guests."