{"id":15350,"date":"2023-04-04T08:18:14","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T14:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=15350"},"modified":"2026-01-29T17:40:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T23:40:14","slug":"5-secrets-to-saving-money-as-a-wedding-guest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/5-secrets-to-saving-money-as-a-wedding-guest\/","title":{"rendered":"How to save money as a wedding guest (5 Secrets)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It feels great to get invited to a wedding. Being asked by a relative or friend to share in one of life\u2019s biggest milestones can be an honor. But it can also be costly\u2014and not just for the marrying couple. Travel, gifts, clothes, and hotels can add up into the hundreds and even thousands of dollars for wedding guests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To add to the expense, wedding invitations tend to cluster around certain times of your life\u2014mid-20s, early 30s, for instance. Multiply these costs three or four times in a given year, and your bank account could take a major hit at a time when you should be finding your financial footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than declining the wedding invitation, the question to ask yourself is, \u201cHow can I save money as a wedding guest?\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIf you have a busy wedding season ahead of you, I recommend making a budget ASAP,\u201d says Janessa White, co-founder of a wedding planning service specializing in elopement packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the happy couple is busy planning their wedding<\/a>, it seems you\u2019ve got some planning to do of your own: namely, figuring out how to save money as a wedding guest. In between dusting off your dancing shoes and checking out gift registries, try these tips for <\/strong>saving money as a wedding guest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Proactively budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you accept a wedding invitation, try to be mindful of every wedding-related dollar you spend to save money as a wedding guest. This could include costs for pre-parties (think engagement parties, showers and bachelor\/bachelorette gatherings), gifts, and travel expenses<\/a>. Tracking your expenses as a wedding guest will provide insight into how much you\u2019re spending (is the hair appointment before the wedding a must-have?) and will help you prioritize the festivities and expenses most important to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If multiple weddings are on your calendar, you may want to consider devoting a portion of your entertainment or discretionary budget<\/a> to attending. You could even carve out a budget goal for each wedding if it\u2019s a jam-packed year. From there, Jennifer Spector, who used to be the director of brand at wedding planning and registry website, says to allocate most of your spend to the main event. \u201cSpend about 40% on pre-wedding events like the bridal shower or engagement party and 60% on the wedding gift,\u201d Spector says. You\u2019ll start saving money as a wedding guest faster than you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

When it comes to gifts and ways to save as a wedding guest, \u201cYou don\u2019t need to go into debt ensuring that your friends have a luxurious present,\u201d says Kylie Carlson, director of a wedding and event planning academy. To keep the cost in line with your budget, \u201copt for practical travel gifts if they\u2019re going on a honeymoon, or simply donate to their honeymoon fund.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re attending a destination wedding, you may be able to forgo a gift altogether. \u201cWhile there are no strict rules on this, it\u2019s often assumed that if you\u2019re traveling far to attend a wedding, you don\u2019t necessarily need to bring a gift,\u201d Carlson says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Pick your go-to wedding attire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buying new clothes for each wedding you attend may seem fun, but if you\u2019re focused on how to save money as a wedding guest, consider some creative ways to scale back or reuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBuy a nice wedding staple for the wedding season and switch it up with accessories or shoes,\u201d Carlson says. \u201cThe beauty of being a wedding guest is that it\u2019s okay to recycle an outfit from one wedding to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Product and travel review blogger Alexandra Tran\u2014for whom it\u2019s not unusual to attend four-to-six weddings in a year\u2014has one big recommendation for how to save money as a wedding guest: Skip the stores and shop in your own closet. You may find something you haven\u2019t worn in ages that will be perfect for the occasion.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Another way to save as a wedding guest is to consider attire from a site that rents designer threads for a fraction of what it would cost to buy the apparel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do decide to dish out for a new outfit for an upcoming wedding, remember to factor that in to your overall wedding guest budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Be the early bird<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Planning ahead could help when it comes to ways to save as a wedding guest. If you put off wedding purchases, it could end up costing you more by missing out on sales, having to make an expensive last-minute buy, or having to do rush deliveries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRegistry gifts will go fast the closer the wedding gets, so purchase your gift early to have the widest selection,\u201d says Spector. Hitting the registry early means you\u2019ll have a better chance of picking something that fits your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re traveling, planning early comes even more into play if you\u2019re considering how to save money as a wedding guest. \u201cBooking last-minute is the worst mistake you can make,\u201d Tran says. She recommends signing up for travel alerts through search engines or travel sites to snag the best deals on flights and accommodations. Otherwise, \u201cyou could end up spending more than triple what you would if you\u2019d been alerted to deals,\u201d Tran adds.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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“You don’t need to go into debt ensuring that your friends have a luxurious present. Opt for practical travel gifts if they’re going on a honeymoon, or simply donate to their honeymoon fund.”<\/p>\n