We are in the heart of wedding season, and while we all know weddings can get quite costly, itâs not only the bride and groom that are feeling it in their wallets. Folks who agree to be in wedding parties know all too well that itâs going to cost them a pretty penny, and many think itâs gotten a bit ridiculous.
A new LendingTree survey finds:
- 62% of Americans think costs associated with being in a bridal party have gotten out of hand.
- 56% of those in bridal parties say they feel pressure to spend more than they can afford.
- 39% have felt pressure to spend on pre-wedding activities like showers and bachelor/bachelorette parties.
- 22% felt pressure to spend on the wedding itself.
- 43% say the pressure was self-imposed.
- 42% say the pressure came from the bride.
- 29% say the pressure came from others in the wedding party.
- 22% say it came from the groom.
- On average, a member of the bridal party will shell out about $825 between pre-wedding activities and the wedding.
- Bridal party members have spent, on average, $2,142 across 2.6 weddings over the past 10 years.
- 40% have regretted how much they have spent.
- 50% of bridal party members have gone into debt because of wedding expenses.
As for where the biggest wedding party expenses occur:
- 32% say attire costs the most, with bridesmaids spending, on average $130 a person, and groomsman spending about $170.
- Other big wedding party expenses include:
- Bachelor/bachelorette party (29%)
- Travel to/from the wedding (21%)
- Bridal shower (15%)
- ONE MORE THING! With bridal parties being so expensive, can you actually turn down the request to be one? Well, in the survey 19% say they have, with two-thirds of people saying the bride or groom understood, although 31% say it did impact their relationship.
Source:Â LendingTree