Brits spend an average £3911 each to attend a wedding in 2019, an increase of £88 on 20182. New research from American Express (NYSE: AXP) reveals that as a nation Brits will splash out £5.5 billion3 on attending weddings in 2019.

The annual study from American Express found that on average Britons will attend one marriage ceremony in 2019, down from three celebrations in 20183. The fall in the number of ceremonies may be a contributing factor as to why guests are planning to spend more this year, with increased budgets being set aside for gifts, hotels and outfits.

Hotels (£72) are the largest expense for attendees this season, followed by outfits (£68), gifts (£66) and hen and stag dos (£58). When it comes to hotel spend, almost half of attendees (48%) plan to use offers, such as hotel deals or flight sales to save money.

The wedding guest bill

Item

2019 average spend per wedding

2018 average spend per wedding

Hotel

£72

£54

Outfit

£68

£50

Gift

£66

£57

Hen/stag do

£58

£42

Travel

£57

£42

Drinks

£45

£36

Hair and beauty

£25

£22

TOTAL

£391

£303

Stephen Steinhardt, Director at American Express, says: 'It's a huge compliment to be asked to celebrate a couple's special day but the costs can soon add up. Therefore it's important to get your finances in order so you can focus on having fun at the wedding, rather than worrying about the cost of attending. Our study has found that just under half of guests put related expenditure on a card that earns rewards and loyalty points. These wedding guests are ensuring they get something back for their spending and will be able to treat themselves once the celebrations are over.'

American Express provides the following top tips for guests as the wedding season commences:

  1. Think ahead for travel - If you are planning to travel to a wedding by train, consider booking tickets in advance to get the best deals and ensure you are allocated a seat for a long journey.
  2. Go halves on a gift - More than a third (34%) of wedding guests admit they can feel pressured when it comes to gift-giving. Team up with a fellow guest when buying a present, that way you can buy the happy couple a more expensive gift without stretching your budget.
  3. Get sales shopping - Almost half (48%) of wedding guests buy their outfit in the sales. If you have a wedding later on in the year, sign up for sales notifications so you can bag a bargain on your outfit.
  4. Halve the hen do cost - If you are concerned about the high cost of attending pre wedding celebrations, pick and choose the activities you take part in. You can still show your support for your loved one while making sure you can afford to take part in the fun.
  5. Use points or rewards - If you have a credit card that earns rewards, it's worth checking your balance and putting those towards your travel or accommodation costs.

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS
American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at www.americanexpress.com/uk/ and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpressUK, instagram.com/americanexpress, linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/AmexUK, and youtube.com/AmericanExpressUK.

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NOTES TO EDITORS
1 Omnibus research was conducted by Opinium, 2,000 adults were surveyed between 26 and 29 April 2019.

2 Omnibus research was conducted by Opinium. 2,003 UK adults were surveyed between 17 and 19 April 2018.

3 52,403,344 adults currently live in the UK (ONS), of which 27% are/will attend at least one wedding in 2019, so 27% of 52,403,344 = 14,148,902. 14,148,902 x £391 = £5,532,220,682

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American Express Company published this content on 25 May 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 25 May 2019 23:08:05 UTC