How to make your wedding less expensive for your guests

Finding an outfit, booking accommodation and transportation, buying a gift… attending a wedding can be an expensive business! In fact, the average cost for a guest is said to be as much as $1,386. Most of the time, people have no problem at all splashing out on such a special day, especially when it’s a close friend or family member tying the knot. Perhaps it’s even an excuse to buy that new dress or sneak in an extra weekend away! But if it’s one of a series of weddings in a season or a particularly fancy affair, it can be harder for guests to take the hit.

Now, if you’re the one getting married, and are no doubt spending a much larger amount of money, this can be hard to hear. Plus you’re well aware that every guest’s meal, drinks, favor, place setting, and even invitation is adding to your mounting costs! Why, then, should you be worried about their expenses? But if you’re asking people to be a part of your big day, especially if they have to travel to be there, it’s only fair to think of their needs too. 

This doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget to save theirs, or wildly change the wedding you have always dreamed of. It’s just a matter of, amid your own efforts to save money here and there, making similar small gestures to help out everyone else.

Think About Timing

No one should pick a wedding date just because there are slightly cheaper flights that week or miss out on the perfect venue because it’s not available in the school break. It’s your wedding, so you should get married on the day and month that suits you! But if you have some flexibility, or are still pondering the options, think about when will be easier and cheaper for your guests to travel and take time off. For example, Christmas is a pricey time to fly, but if friends and family who have moved away will be coming home anyway, it could be a good option. 

Relax the Dress Code

While a black or white tie wedding is super glam, it will make the occasion more expensive. If your guests rarely attend very formal events, they may have to buy brand new gowns and tuxedos, as well as the footwear and accessories to match, which they will probably never wear again. Adopting a more casual dress code will be much more accessible for everyone and is an easy way to let them save their cash. Simply add a note on your invitations or wedding website to suggest people wear whatever they’re comfortable in. 

Consider Your Location

Yes, that barn is beautiful, but if it’s fifty miles from the nearest town, it’s going to be tricky for people to get back to civilization at the end of the night. The same goes for an isolated luxury hotel where the room rates are steep. We’re not saying that you should pick a venue based solely on budget accommodation options, but having a range of hotels or Airbnbs nearby will be appreciated by your guests. If your dream venue is out in the country, and late-night taxis are going to be expensive, you could consider hiring buses to take people home. 

Share Tips & Contacts

A simple way to reduce costs and stress for your guests is to share recommendations in an online group chat, perhaps as part of your wedding website. For example, you can post links to reliable taxi firms or car rental companies. Or, if you know affordable accommodation will be booked up quickly, you can remind your guests to reserve early – they will thank you for the nudge! It’s also an easy way to introduce everyone so they have the chance to share plans and perhaps buddy up for shared taxi rides or group room rates. 

Create a Varied Registry

Most guests will want to buy you a gift, but their budget will depend on their circumstances and relationship with you. So if you’re setting up a registry, make sure to include items at different price points so everyone can pick something they can afford. Also, why not suggest talented friends gift their services instead? Perhaps someone could bake your wedding cake or craft place settings in lieu of a traditional present. It’s also polite (and hopefully true) to note on your enclosure cards that a guest’s presence alone is the most important thing to you. 

Tone Down Pre-Wedding Events

Having a bachelor/ette party or shower is all part of the fun when getting married, but try to make any occasions as informal as possible to ease the pressure on your guests. Let them know that while you would love them to be there, it’s totally fine if they can’t make it, and if someone is arranging something for you, just remind them that you want to keep costs down before they get carried away with plans! Ideally, allow guests to opt-in and out of elements in the celebration, for example going for cocktails but missing out on the spa treatment.

Offer Childcare Options

Whether you invite children to your wedding is totally up to you. But if you don’t, bear in mind that any guests with kids will have to organize and perhaps pay for childcare, especially if their usual sitters are at the wedding too! Some parents will be delighted to have an evening or weekend away, but for others, the arrangements may be more difficult. One way to help is to organize a group sitter to look after all the kids nearby, or at least include little ones in any next-day events so parents only have to arrange to cover the one day.

Give Destination Extras

There’s no way around it – destination weddings will always be expensive. But most people invited overseas will add extra days, make a vacation out of it, and will be incredibly excited to attend! It’s still nice to organize a few extras like welcome bags, airport pick-ups, and to cover most of the food and drink expenses, just to show that you’re grateful for them making the effort. Also, try to be understanding if any friends or family have to turn down your invitation due to the extra costs involved. 

None of these ideas should significantly add to your wedding budget, but just doing one or two will be appreciated. Not only will they make your wedding less expensive for your guests, but also less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone!