Bride & Groom Stir Up Debate After Requesting Each Guest Pay Over $2,000 To Attend Their Wedding

Oct 02, 2023

An extraordinary wedding event unfolded in the United Kingdom on Sept. 27. 2023 that captured the attention of both the guests and the global online community. The celebration was marked by an unconventional approach from the bride and groom, leaving many in disbelief.

Their unusual request for each guest to contribute a substantial $2,400 (or £2,000) to attend their wedding generated a significant buzz online. Word of this cost sparked discussions about entitlement and wedding etiquette.

A friend of one guest, Redditor u/lemonkitty_14, detailed the experience on the online forum. She wrote that her friend, Jack, received an email before the wedding containing a payment link and simple instructions.

The instruction stated, "click here for payment," and Jack initially assumed it was a request for a honeymoon fund. However, he was taken aback to discover that there was a demand for over $2,400 for the wedding reception. 

Now, Jack already told the couple he was going to be at the wedding, and he was happy to know that his girlfriend, who never met the couple, could also join the event. Despite Jack's initial surprise, he decided to comply and paid for himself and his girlfriend. Jack expected that he would be enjoying a wedding feast and partaking in the open bar to recoup some of this expense. 

However, Jack soon learned there was more to this wedding guest fee. When he arrived at the wedding venue, he was confronted with an unexpected twist as the cost of the open bar was not included in the initial payment. He had to shell out an additional $37 each (or £30) for the drinks.

Subsequently, it was revealed that the venue's substantial expenses had been evenly distributed among the guests, effectively resulting in the bride and groom enjoying a cost-free wedding, courtesy of their friends and family.

"Not only did the bride and groom pass on the costs of a ridiculously priced venue to the guests, after people had RSVP'd, essentially putting the venue above guest attendance," the original poster (OP) wrote on Reddit.

"But then they passed on the cost of a tip to the guests WITHOUT TELLING THEM, as a required charge on check out," she said, adding, "I've never heard of anything so entitled in my life."

Unsurprisingly, the community on Reddit responded swiftly and critically. Comments ranged from suggestions to request a refund from the couple to firm declarations of refusal to pay such a substantial amount to attend a wedding. The consensus among many was that the couple had displayed a sense of entitlement that was difficult to overlook.

"The entitlement is overflowing here," one such commenter said. "I would never pay to attend a wedding, let alone pay $2,000."

"Once I saw the payment screen, I would have called and canceled my RSVP," another wrote. "I don't care who the bride and groom are to me. You want a specific type of wedding, pay for it yourself."

The incident also raised questions about the evolving dynamics of marital celebrations. Some of the commenters discussed if it was ever appropriate for couples to ask their guests to contribute financially to their wedding. The story also ignited a conversation about balancing wedding celebrations by maintaining decorum and respect for guests' boundaries. 

The OP also said that based on the replies from the community, this incident was not a U.S. or U.K. thing but an "entitled people thing."

What are your thoughts on this approach? Do you view it as a creative solution to rising wedding costs, or do you believe it represents a display of entitlement? Feel free to spread the word and let others join the conversation on this unbelievable story!