Current:Home > ContactIf I'm invited to a destination wedding, am I obliged to attend? -Prime Capital Blueprint
If I'm invited to a destination wedding, am I obliged to attend?
View
Date:2025-04-17 15:59:41
Attending special celebrations such as weddings, birthday parties and other events can be expensive for guests, particularly if they require loved ones to travel long distances or spring for a wardrobe upgrade.
On average, wedding guests planned on spending $611 per event in 2023, according to a survey from Bankrate — a total that reflects spending on gifts, clothing and beauty, plus travel and accommodations.
Close friends' special days can be even costlier, given added costs associated with bridal showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners and more. What's more, younger guests, the cohort least able to pay, are the most likely to shell out for their friends' nuptials, according to the same study.
One personal finance expert wants to dissuade Gen Zers and millennials from spending beyond their means — even in the name of friendship.
"You aren't being selfish if you can't go because the cost is too high. You're being responsible," Washington Post opinions writer Michelle Singletary wrote in a recent column.
Those who receive invitations and RSVP "no" shouldn't feel guilty for doing so, either. In fact, making financially prudent decisions is commendable, Singletary said.
"Let the budget be the bad guy and tell the person, 'I just can't afford to go,'" she told CBS News. In other words, absent guests don't need to apologize for not attending.
She doesn't begrudge couples for hosting destination weddings, though. "I think people do it because that's where they want to have their wedding. That's fine," she said. "But don't expect people to come if they can't afford it."
So, what steps should you take when an invitation shows up in the mail? Here's Singletary's advice:
- First, estimate how much attending would cost
- Do not go into debt to attend a wedding
- If you're inclined to attend, start saving as soon as you RSVP
- Don't feel obliged to be a part of the wedding party
- Remember you don't have to attend every event — you could skip the bachelorette party but attend the wedding
Hosts: Think about your guests
Hosts can improve attendance by considering their invitees' finances. If you are hosting a celebration and want particular friend to be in attendance, be mindful of their financial circumstances, Singletary said.
"I personally think that when you plan your wedding, you ought to be considerate of who can come and who you want to come," she added.
If your heart is set on a particular destination that could be challenging for close friends to reach, consider going there for your honeymoon, not the wedding itself. It relieves guests who might be on tight budgets of making a hard decision that could be detrimental to their financial well-being.
She has a message for brides, too: "Stop saying, 'this is my day.'"
"Because if it was your day, you would just get married with just your attendant and a witness," Singletary said. "It's a day you want to share with people, so don't think of it as a selfish thing, think of it as, 'Who do I want to come, and what is the most affordable way to have this event.'"
- In:
- Wedding
veryGood! (51)
Related
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Who are Sunday's NFL starting quarterbacks? Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels to make debut
- Bengals could be without WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on Sunday against the Patriots
- Ratepayers Have Had Enough Of Rising Energy Bills
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- Former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory dead after car crash in New Mexico
- 'Fight Night's wild history: The true story of Muhammad Ali's return and a gangster heist
- ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ jolts box office with $110 million opening weekend
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Get 50% Off Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Liquid Lipstick That Lasts All Day, Plus $9 Ulta Deals
Ranking
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- After 26 years, a Border Patrol agent has a new role: helping migrants
- Which NFL teams could stumble out of the gate this season?
- 2-year-old boy fatally stabbed by older brother in Chicago-area home, police say
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes Debunk Feud Rumors With U.S. Open Double Date
- Ella Travolta honors late mom Kelly Preston in new song, shares old home videos
- Don't Miss J.Crew Outlet's End-of-Summer Sale: Score an Extra 50% Off Clearance & Up to 60% Off Sitewide
Recommendation
Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
Malia Obama Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance in France
Sephora Flash Sale: Get 50% Off Kiehl's Liquid Pimple Patches, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Lipstick & More
This climate change fix could save the world — or doom it
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Evacuations ordered as wildfire burns in foothills of national forest east of LA
Wynn Resorts paying $130M for letting illegal money reach gamblers at its Las Vegas Strip casino
Hope for North America’s Most Endangered Bird