Third of Britons ‘have declined wedding invitation due to cost of living crisis’

The average cost of attending a wedding is £567 per person

Almost a quarter of Britons cannot afford to accept all wedding invitations (Getty Images)

Three in ten people have declined an invitation to a wedding, stag or hen party due to the cost of living crisis, according to a new survey.

Research by credit checking company Experian has found that Britons are finding ways to save money on weddings of friends and family this year, such as staying up all night, travelling on public transport and wearing the same outfit on multiple occasions.

Of the 1,000 UK adults surveyed, 24 per cent said they could not afford to accept all of their wedding invitations, while 31 per cent said they had declined at least one invitation to a wedding or pre-wedding event.

According to the findings, the average cost of attending a wedding currently sits at around £567 per head, while £116 is typically spent on accommodation.

To avoid paying for accommodation, some people are staying up all night after events while others said they would only attend a wedding if it did not require an overnight stay.

Some participants said they were cutting back on other outgoing costs, such as limiting eating out to save up to attend a wedding.

Another popular cost-saving option among guests was to make a wedding present for the couple rather than buy a gift.

Many wedding guests also said they felt sympathetic about the costs the newlyweds would incur, with 57 per cent agreeing that it had become more acceptable for guests to pay for their own drinks and food at a wedding reception.

Additionally, 52 per cent agreed that society had put pressure on couples to offer a free bar, which they believed to be unfair.

James Jones, head of consumer affairs at Experian, commented: “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’s research found that 26 per cent of wedding guests plan to use a credit card to help spread the cost.

“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,” Jones said.

“Anyone with outstanding balances on credit should also consider searching for and switching to better deals, such as a 0 per cent balance transfer card, which could help cut costs and speed up the repayment.”

Additional reprting by agencies