Wedding guest costs reach into billions
(30 March 2007)

The cost of attending a friend or relative's wedding has risen to a collective £13.8 billion per year, it has been revealed.

Research from home insurance firm Churchill has found that the average expenditure per guest for a wedding now totals £340, with £60 spent on a gift, £82 on travel and accommodation and £90 on stag or hen nights.

The figures mean that the average spend in relation to the wedding reaches £39,000 for the guests alone.

"The research shows that as a nation we like to make an effort at weddings. This is often reflected in the costs associated with the big day for example the gifts, hen and stag do's and even new outfits," said Churchill Home Insurance spokesman Abi Clark.

Over half of all respondents to the poll said they preferred to choose a wedding gift themselves rather than selecting from a list, yet the most popular choices were found to be either vouchers (26 per cent) or cash (13 per cent).

The average cost of a wedding for the hosts themselves is thought to be in a similar region at around £40,000.