Weddings involve spending lots of money, and not just for the bride and groom. Guests often have to shell out a large sum, and recent figures show this has increased by as much as five per cent since last year.
According to American Express Spending & Saving Tracker’s latest research, the average expenditure for guests for each wedding day in the USA is $703 (£481), while members of the wedding party can expect to spend around $40 more.
This has risen from $673 in 2015, with the wedding party each spending $701 last year.
Senior vice president of consumer lending at American Express Jed Scala said: “While part of a wedding party is an honour, the pre-events and day-of costs can add up.”
Guests are spending their cash on wedding gifts, travel, wedding attire, childcare or pet care expenses, and accommodation.
Wedding presents alone cost an average of $127 for relatives and $99 for friends, which means brides and grooms can expect some particularly nice gifts from their loved ones after they tie the knot.
This does not come without a price though, as the wedding itself is likely to set them back a small fortune. Among the things they need to spend money on are their venue, wedding car hire in Manchester, wedding dress, flower arrangements, presents for the wedding party, and food and drink for all their guests.
American Express found 21 per cent of couples cut down on costs by choosing a less expensive venue, while 30 per cent opt for having an intimate ceremony and reception instead of a more elaborate party.