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A couple charged their wedding guests $333 each to save money, and the decision was met with a backlash online.
In an interview with NBCNewlyweds Nova and Reemo Style have explained why they decided to charge guests to attend their celebration as much as they would a concert. The couple argued that weddings are expensive and figured that if people were willing to shell out hundreds of dollars to see their favorite pop stars, they could do the same for the people they know and love.
Nova recalls: “I told her, ‘People choose to go to a Beyoncé concert because they know they’re going to have an experience. Let’s put the stress on the guests and sell tickets to a wedding.’”
“I thought, 'Honey, people aren't coming,'” Reemo added.
Although guests did attend the event, there were some complaints and choice words from the couple. Nova told the outlet that guests told her: “'I would never spend money on tickets.' 'I don't care.' 'Who do they think they are? Jay-Z and Beyoncé?'”
In the end, the couple charged guests $333 each, which paid for a free seat on their double-decker bus and a 12-hour tour of New York City. In doing so, the couple saved more than $70,000 in expenses.
According The knotRising wedding prices will lead many couples to get creative with their budgets, even if it means potentially charging their guests.
Data indicates that the average cost of a wedding in the United States in 2023 was $35,000, a sharp increase of $5,000 from the national average the year before, partly due to inflation. Rising prices led to an increase in the cost of goods and services in the wedding industry, leading to an increase in the price of the event.
However, on the Wedding Wire forum, many people have questioned the fact that couples charge their guests, calling it “in poor taste.”
“What bad taste!” wrote one person. “I would never dream of making someone pay to come to my wedding! That is just ridiculous…”
Another added: “I wouldn’t pay to go to a wedding, because I’m already paying to go: gas, time to get ready, a gift; it’s money and time I could spend in other ways.”
“That’s probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” another person commented. “I imagine a lot of guests will say no.”
