How to Save Money as a Wedding Guest

Weddings can be expensive, and not just for the bride and groom. The average guest spends between $300-$600 and the wedding party can dish out over $700 each.¹

But don’t get cold feet. Here some ways for any wedding guest to save money:

Travel

• Check early for flight - The early bird usually gets the worm when it comes to travel deals. To get real-time alerts, consider downloading apps like Hopper and OpenHotelAlert.
• Get in on the hotel room block - The average savings for a room block at a 3-star hotel is 24%.² That means you could save around $40 on a room that usually costs $160/per night.       
• Book a group deal - If a room block isn’t available, create your own. Websites like HotelPlanner let you search by destination city, amount of rooms and dates of stay. You can then choose from the list of group deals they provide for you.  
• Consider alternatives to a hotel - Online marketplaces like Airbnb and VRBO let people rent out their property or spare rooms to guests. If you’re looking for a different experience that might be cheaper than a hotel, this could be a great option.

Gift

• Check out the registry early - If you have a price range in mind, try to buy your registry gift early. Some of the low-mid priced items might go fast.
• Split the cost of a large gift - The food blender they registered for is nice, but it’s also $300. Ask family or friends to split the cost and everyone could be happy.  
• Make a thoughtful DIY gift – Are you the creative type? If so, you could save money and add a personal touch by making a DIY wedding gift.
• Use rewards points - If you’ve been racking up rewards points and waiting for a reason to use them — here’s your chance. You can pick up gift cards and merchandise at zero cost to you.

Clothing

• Invest in one outfit and accessorize - Men can buy one suit and several different ties and undershirts. Women can buy one dress and several different accessories and jewelry. A little creativity can go a long way.
• Rent your outfit - Whether you need formal wear for the wedding or casual wear for pre-wedding events, you can probably rent it online or at a local store. Just don’t get any red sauce on it.
• Borrow from a friend - Do you know someone with the same size and taste in clothes? Ask to borrow an outfit or do an outfit swap for one wedding.
• Shop second hand - Stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army can be full of low-cost treasures. You’ll never know if someone donated a nice outfit in your size if you don’t bother looking.

RSVP “yes”

No matter who’s getting hitched, everyone loves a good wedding. Just remember that to be a part of someone’s big day, you don’t have to spend big bucks.

1. Dickler, Jessica. “This is how much guests actually spend at weddings.” CNBC.com. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/28/this-is-how-much-guests-actually-spend-at-weddings.html (accessed June 1, 2018).
2. Group Travel. “What Is The Average Discount When You Get Group Hotel Rates?” Grouptravel.org. http://grouptravel.org/group-travel/what-is-the-average-discount-when-you-get-group-hotel-rates (accessed June 6, 2018).