Since many weddings take place in beautiful locations, turn witnessing “I dos” into a relaxing getaway. Ms. Rago recommends that guests include weddings in their overall travel budgets. Ask the hotel to extend the room block rate to your days beyond the celebration to make additional nights on the property more affordable. If you’re attending with friends, look into reserving a villa or private home. Many resorts offer rental properties, and online sites such as Airbnb.com, OneFineStay.com and VRBO.com have listings at a variety of prices.
If a flight is involved, Ms. Rago suggests shopping early, but not necessarily booking right way. “Educate yourself as to how many airlines and flights” serve a particular destination, she said. “If you play the game, you can find a flight for so much less.” She also says to book with points, frequent flier miles or, if numerous weddings are on the calendar, consider an airline credit card where you often receive points for signing up. To save on ground transportation, organize similar landing times with other attendees so vehicles can be shared to the hotel.
Clothing
Attire can be a hang-up for guests. Men have it easier, Mr. Leaver said, since they can buy a suit or tuxedo and wear it to numerous events with different accessories. Purchase a few bow ties, pocket squares, socks and cuff links from affordable brands such as the Tie Bar and SuitSupply to keep the look fresh.
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For women, the idea of wearing the same dress with another pair of shoes and bag doesn’t go over so well. Instead, renting clothes can be a huge savings. Maureen Sullivan of Rent the Runway in New York said that nearly one million guests came to the clothing rental site last year looking for an outfit for a wedding.
“Guests can rent the perfect look, save money by not investing in something they will push to the back of their closet and not wear again,” she said. The company also offers accessories, like jewelry and clutches, as well as a wedding concierge to help guests find an appropriate outfit for any dress code.
Gifts
Gifts also add up, especially since the average guest spends about $100 for each item from the registry, according to Zola.com, a wedding planning and registry company in New York. Jennifer Spector, the director of brand at Zola.com, said couples typically add items with low, medium and high prices to their registry. Guests should set a budget, she said, and look for personalized items in that range.
Guests should also consider going in on larger, more substantial gifts with other guests. Some registries offer group gifting options for big-ticket items like honeymoons, furniture, expensive kitchen appliances and down payments for homes. This is possible even with the simplest registry, too. It’s perfectly O.K. to split the cost of an item with another guest or two.
How about not giving a gift off the registry? Ms. Spector and Mr. Leaver agree something small and personal is another way to go, especially if you’re shelling out the dough to attend. “Guests need to realize that gifting is not about the money,” Ms. Spector said. “Writing a nice note and sending them a picture frame — that’s a really personal gift.”
The same goes for guests who check “no” on the RSVP card. “Still send a gift,” Mr. Leaver said. “It is the way to express your gratitude for being invited. It’s not about the value. It’s about the thought and the meaning.”
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Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/fashion/weddings/money-saving-tips-for-wedding-guests.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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