Five tips to survive wedding season on a budget

School is nearly out, flowers are in bloom and the countdown to summer has started. In other words, wedding season is upon us. 

As exciting as it is to get dressed up, reunite with friends and family and watch loved ones exchange vows, weddings also come with a financial burden, even for guests. The average cost of attending a wedding is $610, according to a survey from wedding planning website The Knot. Throw in a cross-country or international flight and/or swanky accommodations and there’s a good chance you’re shelling out even more cash, potentially more than you’re comfortable with. 

While attending a wedding does require some spending, there are ways to save money. Here are five tips from experts to trim your spending as a wedding guest. 

1. Plan your travel strategically 

Flight costs have already jumped this spring (and so has the price of gas), so if you’re going to fly to a wedding, it’s especially important to plan your flights strategically. Departing mid-week for week-long trips and flying on Saturdays for weekend trips when possible can help, as can being flexible in your travel plans. If you can, use credit card rewards to book your flights, and if you’ve been considering opening a new card, using a sign-on bonus to pay for your travel can offer significant savings down the road. 

Not flying? Consider carpooling with other guests (this can also help you save on rideshare costs once you get to your location) and if the venue is less than an hour from your home, it might be best to forego accommodations. 

You may want to avoid hotels if you’re meeting up with other guests you know, says consumer finance expert Andrea Woroch.

“If you're traveling with a big group of friends or family, renting a condo or home may be cheaper than the hotel rate,” Woroch says. “Search for properties located near the wedding venue using sites like HomeAway, and split the cost with others. In addition to saving on lodging, access to a kitchen will help you offset the cost of meals during the wedding weekend.” 

But if you do opt for a hotel, check whether the couple has reserved a room block with a discount, and make sure to compare prices before booking as it still might not be the cheapest option.  

2. Avoid buying new clothes 

Weddings come with dress codes, and dress codes often mean a trip to the mall to swipe your credit card. 

“With social media, nobody wants to be seen wearing the same dress to every event,” says Jessica Bishop, founder and CEO of The Budget Savvy Bride. But instead of buying a new dress for each event, she recommends swapping with friends or attending a local clothing swap, which you can often find on Facebook. You can also take advantage of rental services like Rent the Runway and Nuuly, or shop for used items on platforms like Poshmark or Mercari, she adds. 

If you’re a bridesmaid, Woroch suggests looking for a gently-used bridesmaids dress through sites like Facebook Marketplace. 

“To get the right fit, go to a bridal shop to get fitted so you know the size in the specific dress style that the bride chose and shop around to see if you can find one online for less,” Woroch adds. “You can even go up a size and get it altered while still saving a lot of money — up to 70% off.” 

3. Rethink your gift 

The average wedding gift amount is between $100 and $200, depending on how close you are with the couple, according to Zola. But there are ways to save. 

When reviewing a couple’s registry, use a price comparison tool such as the InvisibleHand browser exception, Woroch recommends: “You may find that electric mixer or flatware set is sold for less online. Otherwise, scope out the deals at warehouse club stores where you can find popular kitchenware brands like Cuisinart and Vitamix at a discount.” 

Another option is to provide a service, since most couples financing their wedding will welcome free or discounted services in lieu of a gift. Some of the most common services provided by friends and family include photography, videography, day-of makeup, hair prep and decorating help, Woroch says. 

“You can even offer to bake the wedding treat or officiate the ceremony, if the couple hasn't made other arrangements,” she adds. 

Buying gifts with discounted gift cards for popular stores where couples register (think Pottery Barn, William Sonoma, Macy’s and Target), going dateless so you only have one plate to cover and getting creative with your gift can also help you save, Woroch says. 

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money to provide a memorable gift and a little creativity can go a long way,” she adds. “For instance, you can get the couple’s wedding invite professionally framed.” 

You can find tons of inspiration on Pinterest. 

4. Save smartly 

If you know you have several weddings coming up, Bishop recommends setting aside money in a separate savings account specifically for wedding season. 

“If you don't want to be taking away from your larger savings and investment goals… having a pot of money set aside to help you navigate these expenses as they come up is always helpful,” she says. “That way, flights, hotels and bachelor and bachelorette trips don't come as such a shock.” 

Commit to a certain amount of money you can set aside, such as $50 every paycheck, to put towards these savings. With a high-yield savings account, that money will also grow over time. For instance, Current offers Savings Pods that allow you to earn up to a 4.00% bonus. You can also create up to three Savings Pods to designate money to certain goals, including wedding season and enable round-ups to automatically transfer a portion of funds to your Savings Pod for each transaction. 

5. Communicate honestly  

Between destination weddings, more extravagant bachelor and bachelorette trips and a ballooning wedding industry, wedding season is getting more expensive and there are more expectations for guests, Bishop says. But like with any relationship, honesty and communication is important. 

“If you're that good of friends with someone that they would want you to be part of that celebration, they should have some sort of understanding of where you're at financially, emotionally speaking,” Bishop says. “They should be respectful of your situation, and if it's not necessarily financially feasible for you to attend or take part in every single aspect.” 

Be honest and express what you can and can't commit to. At the end of the day, “they invited you because they wanted your presence,” Bishop adds.