Jeff Bezos’ Wedding Cost Guests £6k Just to Attend
Love is truly lavish the second time around! Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez have been making waves in Venice with a stunning 3-day celebration filled with star-studded glamour. Jeff Bezos’s wedding was the stuff of billionaire fantasy. Private yachts, celebrity guests and no expense spared. But what would it actually cost to attend such an over-the-top affair?
It has been estimated that the average guest at the Bezos wedding would have spent a jaw-dropping £5,954 just to join the festivities. And while your own summer calendar might not include a superyacht, the financial burden of wedding season is very real. Between travel, accommodation, outfits and gifts, the average UK wedding guest still spends £451 just to attend a wedding, almost 20 percent of the average UK monthly salary. And it’s bad news if you’re a Maid of Honour or Best Man on a budget, as you’ll likely spend up to £211 more than the average guest.
Here are my top tips on how to enjoy the celebrations without wrecking your finances.
Know your budget before you RSVP
Before sending that RSVP card, take a close look at your discretionary spending. This is especially important if you have multiple weddings around the corner.
Create a ‘wedding season fund’ within your monthly budget and set a total spending cap for all weddings combined. Allocate a budget for each category, such as travel, gifts and outfits to get clear oversight on how you’ll be spending.
If you need to decline for financial reasons, it’s best to be upfront about this with friends and family ahead of time. RSVPing yes only to decline later is bad form and will mean the newlyweds are paying for you unnecessarily.
Travel smart
Travel is one of the biggest expenses for wedding guests. Not only do you have to consider how you’ll be getting to and from the wedding, but you may also need to book accommodation for an overnight stay.
When it comes to travel, it pays to be strategic and book early. Once you have a wedding date, look out for any deals with nearby hotels or Airbnb accommodation.
You may also be able to get a good deal by making use of any travel points or credit card rewards, particularly if you’re heading overseas for a destination wedding. Making use of flight alerts is also a great way to stay notified of any fare drops.
Carpooling or sharing accommodation with other guests will help split the costs.
Avoid the outfit trap
A new outfit for every wedding is a fast track to debt. So, be clever and reuse what you can.
If you need to purchase an outfit, second-hand reselling sites are a great way to bring ‘new’ pieces to your wardrobe without a steep price tag.
If second-hand clothes aren’t your thing, you can look to rent formal wear. This is a great option if you love designer wear but don’t want to pay designer prices.
If you have lots of weddings to attend in one season, sometimes investing in one versatile outfit makes the most financial sense. Try to buy an outfit that can be styled to work for any wedding dress code and is of a high enough quality to last through a busy wedding period.
Gift wisely
Gifts are traditional, but they don’t need to be extravagant.
It’s safest to stick to the couple’s registry, but if you’re hoping to bag the lower-priced items, you should shop the registry early, since these gifts tend to be snapped up the fastest.
If you do want to gift the newlyweds a more expensive gift, pool your finances with friends and go in on a group gift.
Many modern couples will also request money in lieu of a wedding gift. While you might be relieved not to have to shop for a physical gift, gifting cash can feel like a minefield when finances are stretched.
How much you should gift varies greatly depending on your relationship with the couple and the couple’s cultural background. Some people go by a general rule of covering the cost of their plate at the wedding reception, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule. It’s important you gift what feels reasonable for your budget.
Don’t feel pressured to attend everything
Wedding showers, bachelor(ette) parties, welcome dinners and post-wedding brunches can quickly spiral in cost if you’re planning to attend every wedding event.
So, if finances are squeezed, consider prioritising attending just the main ceremony and reception.
Above all else, keep in mind that a wedding is a kind gesture, not a financial obligation. If you’re concerned about the cost of attending, it’s best to speak to the couple directly and come to a solution with them.
Written by Tim Schwarz, Head of Brand at Vanquis