Brits expect to splash the cash as wedding guests

Almost a third of Brits (30%) look set to be significantly out of pocket this year - and all because of a wedding invite - reveals greenbee.com.

In its survey of 1,038 UK adults, greenbee.com - the financial and leisure services arm of the John Lewis Partnership - found that those expecting to attend a wedding this year anticipate spending £226.51 on average. A quarter (25%) of wedding guests will pay out over £300, with 11% expecting to splash a staggering £500 or more.

With this in mind, 45-54 year olds may be grateful they are the least likely to be a wedding guest this year. Just one in five (20%) say they expect to receive a wedding invite, compared to almost half (47%) of those aged 35-44.

Revealed: average gift spend - who spends the most on wedding presents in the UK?

When it comes to buying the perfect wedding gift for the happy couple, the average spend per person across the UK is £48.40 - yet surprisingly one in 10 say they won’t spend a penny on the present.

The wedding gift spend findings - which come as John Lewis Gift List is giving wedding couples the option to have guests put money towards their dream honeymoon - reveal that those aged 65+ are the most generous wedding guests. They are willing to spend £63.77 on the gift for the bride- and groom-to-be. The same, however, cannot be said for 35-44 year olds, who are prepared to pay out just £26.86, with 14% admitting they won’t spend anything.

The North of England is the most generous region in Britain, with the average guest willing to pay £53.22 on the wedding present, around £15 more than Wales and the South West (£37.70) and almost £7 more than the Midlands (£46.45).

Men are also slightly more generous than their female counterparts, expecting to spend almost £5 more on the wedding gift (£51 compared to £46.25), yet are also more likely to attend a wedding without buying their hosts the all-important present (12% against 8%).

James Furse, Managing Director, greenbee.com said: “For many people, giving the married couple a wedding gift is still rated a key priority, and despite the current economic climate is an expense most of us are unwilling to cut back on.

“It’s likely people are carefully considering what the happy couple really want. Being able to buy, or indeed contribute towards something special on a wedding gift list enables guests to ensure their friends or loved ones still get the perfect present, regardless of their budget.”