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Members of the wedding party are saying “I do,” too — to some eye-watering expenses. New research shows that the cost of being in a wedding party has now blown out to more than $2000 on average. According to our sources, this means a bridesmaid or groomsman attending a bachelorette or bachelor party can expect to spend $1,676, with many of the wild gatherings taking place over several days in several states.
In addition to flights, accommodation, and other expenses associated with such celebrations, wedding party members are also expected to purchase a gift and a custom outfit for the big day itself, further blowing out the overall cost. Though the numbers look large it's important to add that that’s less than 10% of the cost of the average American wedding in 2024.
Couples spend an average of $26,665 on their big day, with the venue usually being the priciest part of the proceedings. The cost of a wedding cake is now $525, while flowers top $2,400. Unsurprisingly, it’s more expensive to attend a wedding as a single person since the costs aren’t able to be split.
It's interesting to note that male wedding guests spend $333 on a suit and shoes, while female guests spend $314 on their outfits.On average, women wear their outfit only about three times, therefore they are more likely to get less usage out of it.
What do you think? Does your best friends wedding mean more to you than any large dollar amount?