Weddings have become grand and extravagant events. So much so that couples even act as their own fundraisers.
Recently, Reddit user Goodneighbourta shared a story on the platform about her sister-in-law’s bachelorette party, where she was unexpectedly handed the bill at the end of the dinner.
The sister-in-law had assumed that she and her husband (who are the wealthiest among their families), would cover the expenses without giving it a second thought. However, the bride-to-be got a reality check instead.
Image credits: Stephanie McCabe (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Ann Danilina (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Lars Plougmann (not the actual photo)
Image credits: u/goodneighbourta
According to data collected by The Knot, bach parties are becoming longer. In 2019, around 56% of them lasted two or more days but in 2021, the figure reached 75%, and the average length of a bachelorette party was three days.
In 2019, on average, one in two attendees spent more than $300 on a bachelorette party. But when the bash took place in a pricier location (aka a major metropolitan city) that number went up 61%. And one in five celebrants was actually spending closer to $1,000 (or more) to party.
(Out of those who had to fly to their event, nearly 40% spent close to or over $1,000. And, believe it or not, one in ten spent more than $4,000.)
Image credits: Ibrahim Boran (not the actual photo)
And it’s not like people are forced to. In fact, one in two participants of bachelorette parties is willing to spend nearly $1,000 (or more!) on an upcoming event they’re attending.
So the cost of this particular evening doesn’t seem ridiculous.
And many of today’s couples do prefer cold, hard cash as a wedding gift.
“The average gift that people give for a wedding is around $100, and that stays consistent whether they’re giving a physical product or a cash gift,” Emily Forrest, director of communications for Zola, a wedding registry website, said.
However, that’s the average. The actual number depends on several factors, including geography, your income, your relationship with the couple, and whether you’re attending the wedding as a couple or a family.
Image credits: Igal Ness (not the actual photo)
Jodi R.R. Smith, president of etiquette consulting company Mannersmith, suggests using the following rule of thumb: take the amount that you would spend on a nice dinner out for yourself and multiply it by four.
“So [if] I only spend $20 on dinner for myself, that would put me in the $80-$100 range,” she explained. “But if I … drop $250 for a nice meal and a bottle of wine, then I would be looking at about a grand.”
But what about those cases when the newlyweds wait until the very last moment and try to bully someone into giving them the money? I think it should be lower. Maybe closer to zero.
