A growing number of people in the UK are turning down wedding invitations as the burden of clearing a day and opening their wallets to celebrate a friend's marriage increases. Analysts say attending a wedding has become a "major expense," with transport and lodging costs, cash gifts, outfit purchases and even stag and hen party costs all adding up.
Britain's The Times reported on May 30 that 31% of respondents had declined a wedding invitation due to cost burdens, citing a survey of 2,000 adults conducted by Tesco Bank.
The situation was more severe among younger generations. Some 48% of Gen Z respondents and 43% of millennials said they had given up attending a wedding for financial reasons.
The average amount a single guest spends on one wedding was tallied at 316 pounds (about 640,000 won). This figure includes transport and lodging costs to reach the venue, cash gifts and new clothing purchases, as well as stag and hen party costs. More than one in eight respondents said they had spent more than 500 pounds (about 1.02 million won) at a recent wedding.
The burden grows further when wedding invitations pile up in a single year. About 20% of all respondents said they planned to attend two or more weddings this year. Some 15% of Gen Z said they had received three or more invitations. Attending all three would bring spending close to 1,000 pounds (about 2.03 million won).
Guests were even cutting back on everyday spending to cover wedding costs. Some 16% of respondents reduced leisure spending such as dining out and travel, while 14% saved on food and living expenses. As many as 11% said they had given up buying new clothes.
Adrian Kucharski, 38, a UK housing support adviser, told The Times, "When you factor in the cash gift too, it was hard to manage. My salary isn't high, so after paying utility bills there's almost nothing left, and in the end I had no choice but to decline the invitation."
Even after deciding not to attend, guests were not entirely at ease. Among respondents who declined an invitation, 14% said they felt relieved to cut spending. However, 8% experienced guilt and 5% felt left out. Some 15% said they had intended not to attend but ultimately bore the cost and went to the wedding.
The burden is not limited to guests. Brides and grooms are also feeling the rise in wedding costs. The industry estimates that the average UK wedding now exceeds 20,000 pounds (about 40.66 million won).
