A bride has found herself at the center of controversy after revealing her plans to charge guests to attend her wedding. The news broke when one of the guests went on Reddit to share their shock and disbelief at the bride’s decision. The post quickly gained attention, sparking a heated debate about the ethics and etiquette surrounding wedding expenses.
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The Reddit user, known as TheLuckyOne95, explained that their friend of 12 years had sent out wedding invitations with three RSVP options. The first option was to attend the wedding with an envelope fee of $65, the second was only to attend the ceremony, and the third was to decline the invitation altogether. This unexpected financial request left the user feeling both surprised and embarrassed, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“It doesn’t even say what the fee is for, but after googling, it says it includes food, music, decorations, and venue. So they literally want their guests to pay for decorations. The evening before the wedding, they also have a dinner which you need to pay for (don’t remember the price but cheaper than attending the wedding). If you want to sleep over at the venue, you need to pay around 100 dollars (I’m not in the US so the conversion is not entirely accurate). This applies both for the night between the pre-dinner and wedding day, and the night after the wedding. So that would be 200 dollars in total. I guess these prices are more OK since nobody is forcing you to attend that dinner and/or sleeping over. But if I’m INVITED to a wedding I shouldn’t have to pay to attend the actual wedding?!,” the user wrote.
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The controversy surrounding the bride’s decision to charge guests stems from the belief that attending a wedding should be an honor and not a financial burden. Many argue that it is the responsibility of the hosts to cover all expenses associated with their wedding, as it is a celebration of their love and commitment. Charging guests for attendance can be seen as a breach of traditional wedding etiquette.
The Reddit user expressed frustration, highlighting that they knew the bride’s financial situation. According to the post, the couple had inherited a significant sum of money, owned a house and a boat, and were renovating their property. This led the guest to question whether the money collected from guests would go towards a gift or the renovations. The bride’s desire to accumulate wealth was also mentioned, further fueling the debate.
“No, it’s not really ok to expect your guests to fund your wedding. Have the wedding you can afford. Invite guests because you want them to be there when you pledge a lifetime of love to your partner, not because they will help you fund a party you can’t afford.”
“I hate the “cover the plate” attitude. I love to be generous but I’ve not always been in a position to do so. People should be invited to a wedding because they’re important to you and you want them to celebrate that day with you. Any gift should be accepted graciously.”
“Paying to stay at the venue is fine. That’s optional. My venue charged me based on how many people stayed so I gave my guests that option. But paying for your meal and the ambiance is nuts. I would decline immediately and without sending a gift.