How much does it cost to be a wedding guest?
MINNEAPOLIS -- Many of you may be traveling for a wedding. If you're seeing more invites in your mailbox, you're not alone. According to data from The Knot, 2.6 million couples are getting married this year. That's almost 500,000 more than an average year.
So these days, how much does it cost to be a wedding guest? Good Question.
They say love doesn't cost a thing, but a wedding sure does, whether it's the menu, the venue, or the attire.
Lorraine Love owns the new St. Paul Bridal Gown shop La Noire Bridal.
"With inflation, the cost of bridal gowns has really gone up. I have to pay more for these gowns," Love said.
She keeps works to keep some more affordable options around, because brides like Jane Gengel are paying more for everything. Gengel got married last year in Minneapolis near the Stone Arch Bridge.
"Everything, everything. It's more than what you think," Gengel said.
According to Zola, weddings cost between $5,000 and $100,000 in the U.S. The Knot says the average wedding is around $34,000. And the guests are feeling it, too.
A new survey of couples by Zola says most weddings are an hour away or much further. Guests who drive spend about $593 on average. Guests who have to fly can expect to spend about $1,314.
The main costs are transportation, gifts, lodging, clothes, and other parties like showers and bachelor or bachelorette parties.
"They are so fun but you gotta be cognizant that you are going to be paying to have that fun," Gengel said.
Some advice for guests: Budgets aren't just for brides and grooms: consider making yourself a wedding guest budget for the year. You can also do what two-thirds of destination wedding guests are doing -- take time off and turn the trip into your vacation.