Once again, it’s time for the annual forecast of how damn broke you’re gonna be after attending the latest crop of your friends’ weddings. And I’m so sorry to report that yet again—just like every year—it’s not looking good.
Please give them the bad news, Bloomberg:
A nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 people by website Bankrate.com found that members of the wedding party spend an average of $728 on gifts, travel, attire and everything else associated with someone else’s happiness. Attendees in the Northeast spend even more: an average of $1,070 for the shower, the bachelor or bachelorette party and, finally, the main event.
Don’t think you’re getting off lightly if you aren’t in the wedding party, either:
Costs vary, depending on how far the guest has to travel and the relationship with the couple. Those attending events for more distant friends or family members report spending, on average, $372, BankRate’s survey found, with from $63 to $153 of that on gifts alone. Add the cost of a ride-hailing service to the venue, a new outfit and an Airbnb for out-of-towners, and the costs start to add up.
“Wedding attendees are spending more and more money,” added Knot editor-in-chief Kristen Maxwell Cooper. “The bachelorette party is no longer just a night out on the town—it’s a weekend in Nashville or New Orleans. We’ve also seen an increase in destination weddings that are happening domestically.”
The solution is clear: Don’t love anybody and have no friends.
GET JEZEBEL RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX
Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
