As weddings get more expensive, it’s not just the bride and groom feeling the financial pressure. It’s taking a harder hit on the wallets of wedding guests, even if the wedding is local.
A new survey of over 1,000 Americans finds more than half (54%) feel weddings are becoming unaffordable for guests. This may be why traditional wedding etiquette surrounding gifts and RSVPs is changing.
1 in 3 Skipped a Wedding Because It Was Too Expensive
In 2024, 1 in 3 Americans have skipped a wedding because it was too expensive to attend. On average, Americans said they spend $360 for a local wedding, $901 for an out-of-town wedding, and $1,131 if they’re in the wedding party!
“Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, a clear trend of smaller, cheaper weddings has emerged — and for good reason,” commented Amber Brooks, Editor-in-Chief at DatingNews.com. “People have largely lost interest in the big traditional celebration attended by distant cousins and acquaintances. Young adults in particular are bucking tradition in the wedding space, and sometimes that means forgoing gift-giving or RSVPing no altogether if it’ll save money.”
Trend #1 — Guests Becoming Choosier About Which Weddings They Attend
Finances are causing more people to become choosy about which weddings they’re attending. In 2024, 27% of survey respondents said they turned down a wedding invitation because they didn’t have enough close ties with the bride and groom. Nearly 1 in 3 (29%) said they had gone so far as to say no to being in a wedding party due to the expense.
Trend #2 — Wedding Guests Cutting Back on Gift Giving
One major wedding trend that’s seeing major changes is gift-giving etiquette. If people decide not to go to a wedding, 42% of those surveyed said they don’t send a gift. Nearly 3 in 5 (59%) survey respondents also think it’s okay to attend a wedding without giving a gift. Broken down by generation, 72% of Gen Z are comfortable with skipping the gift, compared to just 44% of baby boomers.
This change may be because of how the bride and groom are asking for gifts. Our survey found that 31% don’t feel couples have enough affordable options on their wedding registries, and 30% feel like they’ve been invited to a wedding just to provide a gift.
Trend #3 — Guests are Not RSVPing on Time (And Don’t Feel Bad About It)
Interestingly, Americans surveyed also don’t feel that adhering to the RSVP deadline is a must when it comes to weddings. More than 2 in 5 (44%) said they think it’s okay to submit a late RSVP to a wedding.
Broken down by generation, nearly half (49%) of Gen Z and Gen X (48%) don’t think it’s taboo to RSVP late compared with 42% of millennials and 35% of baby boomers.
Trend #4 — ‘No-Showing’ After RSVPing Yes to a Wedding is Okay, but Expect to Pay
While 37% of survey respondents think it’s okay to ‘no-show’ a wedding after RSVPing yes, more than 1 in 10 have actually skipped a wedding after saying they would go. While some reasons were valid (family emergencies, illnesses), 33% admitted to skipping a wedding because they just decided not to go. Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) said they couldn’t go because they couldn’t afford it.
Of those guests who no-showed, 29% offered to pay the bride and groom for missing the wedding. It’s a trend that more Americans think is okay. Nearly 1 in 3 (31%) survey respondents feel brides and grooms should charge guests who RSVP yes to a wedding and don’t attend (barring instances such as family emergencies or illnesses).
In fact, 1 in 6 (18%) Americans have been charged for no-showing. On average, those survey respondents were charged $130! That’s more than the standard wedding catering cost per guest, which, according to a study by the Knot, is around $85.
Trend #5 — Singles Should Be Given Plus-Ones for Weddings
If it were up to some Americans, there would no longer be a table for singles at weddings. Over half (51%) of those surveyed feel all singles should be given a plus-one to bring to weddings. It may be because 31% admit that a lack of a plus-one impacts their decision to go to a wedding. Some have gone against tradition, with 13% asking a bride or groom for a plus-one, and 10% have brought a plus-one to a wedding… even though they weren’t given one!
Wedding Guest Etiquette in 2024
While wedding etiquette may be changing, it’s still important to adhere to the bride and groom’s requests on their wedding day. While some couples may embrace new traditions, others may still prefer to stick to old ones. There’s no right or wrong answer. A wedding is a time to celebrate a couple’s new life together!
Methodology
In July 2024, we surveyed 1,024 Americans about their wedding etiquette. Over half (51%) of survey respondents were women, 47% were men, and 2% were non-binary or would rather not say. Survey respondents ranged in age from 18 to 78, with an average age of 44. Of those surveyed, 25% were Gen Z, 26% were millennials, 25% were Gen X, and 24% were baby boomers.
For media inquiries, contact media@datingnews.com.
