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Join Which? Money10 ways wedding guests can save money in 2025
Use our tips to save on travel, accommodation, gifts and outfits
The wedding season is here, and while the happy couple might have budgeted for the big day, guests might be worried about the costs adding up.
A person now spends £692, on average, to attend a wedding or civil partnership, according to research from the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
Travel and accommodation (£147), new clothes or outfits (£136) and presents (£117) were named as the three most expensive parts of the day.
Younger guests tend to spend even more, with those aged 18-24 forking out an average of £872 per wedding, which is nearly double the amount spent by those aged 45 to 54, who typically spend around £451. The extra cost for younger adults is driven by higher spending on pre-celebration events, outfits and meals.
Here, Which? reveals 10 ways to save money on travel, accommodation, gifts and outfits.
1. Save on travel costs by planning ahead
Train tickets
Booking advance single tickets, which typically go on sale 12 weeks before the trip, can save you a lot of money. Some rail operators now release tickets even earlier, so it's worth checking ahead.
You could also consider buying a railcard – it costs no more than £35 a year and could pay for itself with the money you save on your journey to the wedding. There are nine types of railcards available, with discounts varying from one third to 50% off.
A Two Together railcard might be ideal if you’re heading to the venue with a plus one, as you can split the cost of the card and save one third off fares.
£3 bus journeys
You could consider a bus journey if the venue is near your accommodation.
Single bus journeys are currently capped at £3 in England. This extended cap runs until at least 31 December 2025. The cap covers bus routes with 130 participating operators, including Arriva and Stagecoach.
Car share
If you do end up driving, try to car share where possible.
You should also shop around for the cheapest fuel – generally, larger supermarket chains offer the lowest forecourt prices.
It's worth checking which local petrol stations are the cheapest before you fill up. Websites such as PetrolPrices.com can help, and some sat nav apps such as Waze display live prices for stations nearby and on your route.
- Find out more: money-saving driving tips.
2. Slash accommodation costs
Here are our top tips for saving money on overnight stays:
- Book early Many hotels will let you reserve a room at a cheaper price and might offer the option to cancel it for free further down the line if plans change.
- Use comparison websites Try sites such as Booking.com or Travelzoo, but always contact the hotel directly to see if they have any good deals.
- Buddy up. Link up with friends or family members, as self-catering accommodation for four or more often is cheaper per adult than smaller alternatives.
- Use loyalty points Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar have linked up with several accommodation providers, so it’s possible to use your points in exchange for a hotel.
Find out more: best hotel booking sites.
3. Shop second-hand for attire
There are plenty of ways you can shop around for occasion wear without spending big.
You could use second-hand platforms such as Depop, eBay and Vinted or more traditional routes such as charity shops and car boot sales.
You could also look to upcycle an existing dress or suit if you have good sewing or customisation skills.
- Find out more: best places to shop second-hand online.
4. Rent your outfit
Apps such as By Rotation, Hurr and My Wardrobe HQ let you rent clothes for a wedding for a fraction of the cost of buying a new outfit.
This is a great tip if you're unlikely to wear the outfit again. You could even rent out your own clothes to make some extra cash.
5. Get creative with presents
Are you a budding photographer, artist, hairdresser or cook? Perhaps instead of buying a gift, you can offer your services to the happy couple.
For example, you could offer to do some DIY for them or drop them at the airport for their honeymoon.
Of course, if you really can’t afford a gift, then don’t buy one – most people will consider your presence at their wedding to be enough.
6. Give a group gift
If you can link up with other wedding guests, you can get a bigger, more expensive gift. This can be particularly handy if the couple has asked for something pricey.
Apps such as Splitwise are great for tracking who owes what.
Alternatively, you could donate towards the couple's honeymoon.
- Find out more: best wedding gifts.
7. Get cashback on purchases
When you spend money on things such as wedding gifts, outfits and even hotels, there are ways to get rewarded for what you spend.
For instance, cashback sites pay you a cash reward when you click through from them to make a purchase.
Websites such as Quidco and TopCashback offer cashback on a variety of goods and services, as well as experience days.
You could also use a cashback credit card – many now offer around 0.5% to 1% cashback, with introductory offers up to 5% in the first few months.
- Find out more: best cashback credit cards 2025.
8. Volunteer to babysit
As so many people are likely to be struggling with the costs of weddings, setting up some reciprocal favours when other people attend weddings can be helpful when it's your turn.
For instance, if you're a parent and you know other parents who will be attending weddings this year, why not offer to babysit for them? It means that when you have a wedding, they can return the favour and you'll save money on childcare while you're there.
9. Spread the cost of expenses
For purchases you can't avoid to pay for outright, an interest-free credit card allows you to spread the cost.
Some credit cards offer up to 24 months interest-free.
However, you still need to make the minimum monthly payment and it's important not to spend more than you can afford.
- Find out more: best interest-free purchase cards 2025.
10. Say no
If you’re tempted to say no to the wedding invite due to the costs involved, you’re not alone.
Nearly one in five guests have declined a wedding invitation because of the costs, according to research by credit reference agency Experian.
If attending would stretch your finances too far, it’s OK to politely say no – most couples will understand.
- Find out more: wedding insurance explained.
