Is it time to buck the trend?

Is it just me, or are the costs involved in weddings and all the paraphernalia surrounding them, getting totally out of hand?

Back in our day, a hen or stag night meant just that – a night out with the girls or lads, having a few drinks and a laugh before the big day.  It now seems that in order to achieve your right of passage, this has turned into a whole weekend of shenanigans, and quite often the location may even be overseas.

The cost associated with this can run into several hundred £’s per person, and from what I can see, most of the guests don’t have the funds to partake but feel morally obliged to do so. Out comes the credit card!

And then there is the new outfit for the wedding, a gift and possibly another over night stay in a hotel. And this is just the guests.

The cost for the families of the bride and groom can potentially run into many £000’s, but the question is, who has all this spare money, and is it a sensible investment when many newly weds are struggling to get on the property ladder?  The glossy magazines which feature celebrity weddings have a lot to answer for. Have they created the illusion that you need to have a lavish do so you can share your images via social media?

What are your views?  What memories do you have of your wedding spend? Have you had experience of wedding overspending? Is there too much pressure to have a lavish wedding? Is spend associated with weddings getting out of hand? Would you be brave enough to buck the trend in your family?