UK adults spending over £2,000 a year to attend weddings or civil partnerships

• UK adult wedding and civil partnership guests are almost £700 out of pocket per person per event finds the Money and Pensions Service in new research.
• Guests attend on average three weddings or civil partnerships per year, totalling an annual cost of over £2,000 to be a guest to these celebrations, rising to £4,500 for 25–34-year-olds.
• “The costs can really add up quickly, especially if you're travelling from out of town or have to take time off work”, says one respondent.
• Use MoneyHelperOpens in a new window to help with everyday budgeting and saving ahead of peak season in the spring and summer. 

UK adults are spending over £2,000 per year to attend weddings and civil partnerships, says new research from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).

Of the 2,000 interviewees who had attended at least one wedding or civil partnership in the last 12 months, the average amount spent on a being a guest was close to £700 (£692).

On average, guests attended three in the last 12 months, and including the cost of attending a hen or stag do, this set them back over £2,000.

Younger people are being hit harder by this cost, as they are both spending more – with those aged 18 – 24 spending on average £872 per wedding or civil partnership – and attending more per year, compared guests over the age of 45. 

Those aged 25-34 spent on average more than £740 per celebration. As this age group attended six on average in the last 12 months, setting them back nearly £4,500.

Younger people were also more likely to be members of the bridal or groomsmen party, potentially having an impact on their increased costs.

Among all age groups, there were three stand-out costs when attending a wedding or civil partnership. These included:

• Travel and accommodation: £147
• New clothes and outfits: £136
• Presents: £117

Jackie Spencer, Budgeting Lead at the Money and Pensions Service says:

“Attending a wedding or civil partnership can put a strain on your finances, as the cost of gifts, travel and accommodation, new outfits, and childcare can really start to add up, especially as celebrations can go on for 2-3 days.

“To support with managing your money around expensive milestones, use MoneyHelper – particularly ahead of the spring and summer which is considered the peak season for these celebrations. 

“On MoneyHelper.org.uk you can find budgeting tools to help manage your money better and saving tools to help you reach a savings goal.

“MoneyHelper also has a range of free and impartial money guidance as well as our free webchat and phone line to speak to someone for support.”

Results from the research also found that there are some differences in the spend between guests aged 18 – 24 compared to those over the age of 45:

But older guests were more generous with their gift-giving, with those age 66+ gifting the most at £189, compared to those age 35–44 gifting £87.

One survey respondent commented on the cost of weddings and civil partnerships, saying:

“The costs can really add up quickly, especially if you're travelling from out of town or have to take time off work. 

It would be great if couples could consider their guests' financial situations when planning their wedding and maybe offer some options for more budget-friendly accommodations or activities. 

That way, everyone can still celebrate together without breaking the bank!”

For different cultural and religious ceremonies, there can be additional costs.

For example, some Asian and African weddings and civil partnerships involve evenings such as Henna nights and other pre-wedding events. These can increase the cost for guests, where a different traditional outfit is typically worn for each of the celebrations.

Often, the whole family are invited to these events, meaning that costs for different outfits also extends to paying for a variety of children’s clothes too. 

Another respondent said:

“I think it's getting out of hand how expensive it's becoming to attend a wedding. Between travel, accommodations, gifts, and attire, it can easily add up to a small fortune. I wish more couples would consider their guests' financial situations when planning their big day.”

Members of MoneyHelper’s Budgeting and Saving Facebook group have suggested tips to each other on ways to reduce the cost of being a guest to a wedding or civil partnership, with one saying:

“Second hand party dress! Often, they have been worn once or twice so they are almost new and cost a fraction of the price.

Have a friend do your hair and borrow accessories.”

Use the Budget Planner to keep track of your money and see where you can cut back and use the Savings Calculator to support you in building a savings pot.

– ENDS –

• Interviewing took place between 17th – 23rd March 2025 and was conducted using a mixture of several online research panels. This means the interview was a self-completion exercise making it easier for people to answer honestly about personal finances.
• To prevent overclaim of attending weddings or civil partnership ceremonies, people were asked about a range of different events they might have attended so it was not obvious how to qualify for the rest of the interview.
• This full survey was conducted among a sample of 2,000 people who attended one or more weddings or civil partnership ceremonies as a guest in the previous 12 months.  They told us how much they spent at the event they recalled the best.