The cost to be a wedding guest may shock you! According to a new Bankrate.com report shows that Americans spend an average of $628 to attend a single wedding.
There comes a time in life when the weddings of our friends and family members seem to dominate our calendars and our budgets.
Megan Rooney, a 25-year-old marketing and communications specialist in Troy, New York, is diving into the deep end with an upcoming wedding, her first as an adult. She will be the maid of honor for a childhood friend.
“I have zero experience in that role. I haven’t even been a bridesmaid before,” Rooney says. “It’s been both interesting and overwhelming navigating expectations as well as coming to terms with what is reasonable and manageable with my time, energy and resources.”
Rooney says she is expecting to spend $750 to $1,000 for everything.
That’s right on target, according to a new Bankrate.com report. The survey of 2,228 adults in the U.S. finds that the members of the bridal party spend $728 on average. This figure includes gifts, attire and travel as well as associated events like bridal showers and bachelor parties. Northeasterners like Rooney spend more; there, people in the bridal party can expect to shell out $1,070.
Guests don’t get much reprieve either — attending the wedding of a close friend of family member as a guest costs $628 on average.
