You won't believe how much it costs to attend a wedding these days

An invite to a wedding incites two distinct emotions: excitement, quickly followed by trepidation.

How much will it cost? Do you have to buy a new dress again? More importantly, can you even afford to go?

New research by ING Direct has revealed that the average guest is willing to shell out $700 to attend a wedding. That goes up to $1300 if it's an interstate or overseas shindig. If you have a few of those every year for five years, you’re potentially out of pocket around $5000 – and let's just hope the married couple stays together!

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If you suspect the cost of attending a wedding has skyrocketed over the last five years, you’d be absolutely correct – and according to ING Direct spokesperson David Breen, over 50 per cent of Australians think this is the case.

“The reason nuptials are perceived to be more expensive these days is because of the rise of “destination” weddings,” he tells Be. “Guests are forking out $300 for accommodation and transport on alone. Once you factor in outfits ($200), hair and makeup ($100) and presents ($127 on average), things start to get really costly.”

According to Breen, 26 per cent of people have actually declined an invitation to a wedding because of the cost.

“It’s a real shame, because it’s a big thing to ask people and it’s a bit of an honour to attend.”

Matt Bugler, editor of Australia’s new gay marriage magazine, Groom+Guy, isn’t surprised guests are forking out the big bucks.

“Destination weddings are all the rage right now,” he told Be. “Everyone wants something ‘different’ for their wedding and often that means going somewhere new entirely. Unfortunately for guests, that can become quite a financial burden.”

Bugler adds that guests should know they don’t have to spend big on a new outfit every time they attend a wedding.

“This is true particularly for guys,” he laments. “We’re lucky that we can just throw on a shirt and tie!”

So what about the ladies? Breen advises female guests to look into renting, rather than buying, a new dress for the occasion.

“Companies like Glam Corner and Your Closet offer the latest designer brands at low prices,” he explains. “You can easily rent a dress for a sixth of what it actually costs and get it delivered to your door. Once the event is over, you just send it back.”

Breen also recommends planning for the wedding far in advance. “You’ll usually get six to eight weeks notice,” he says, "Or longer if it’s a destination wedding. This gives you some time to break down how much you have to spend and what you can actually afford.”

So what can the bride and groom do to keep costs down for their guests?

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Breen says if you’re planning a destination wedding, stop and think twice about how feasible it will be for guests to attend.

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“How easy is it for people to get there? Is there a bus you could organise so guests don’t have to worry about transport costs? Have you broken your gift registry into smaller parts so they have the option of paying less?”

“You’ll find that people appreciate logistics like that enormously. Otherwise you have to be prepared for the fact that some guests just won't be able to afford to attend."

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