Lucy Jones says the “lavish” trip was magical but questions how guests can afford rising costs.
A woman has revealed she was forced to dip into her house deposit savings to attend a friend’s overseas wedding that cost her nearly £1,000 for just three days.
Lucy Jones, 29, from Liverpool, said she felt torn when invited to the celebration in Turkey.
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While she wanted to be there for her friend, the steep price tag meant dipping into her Lifetime ISA (LISA) – savings she had been building for a future home.
“I think abroad weddings are really special, and having been on the trip, it really was magical – but I find it all quite presumptuous and lavish,” Lucy told Hype Daily.
“Once is fine, but it sets a precedent for everyone else. I don’t know how people afford multiple weddings and hens in a year. They essentially become your holiday for the year, which I don’t think is right.”
Lucy, who usually sets aside £200 a month into her LISA while living pay cheque to pay cheque, admitted she often suffers from money anxiety.
“The only way I could afford it was to use the savings I’ve been building up to buy a home,” she said.
According to research by greeting card marketplace Thortful, the average cost of attending a wedding in the UK has risen to £451 – but Lucy ended up paying more than double that.
Despite the expense, she admits the trip was worth it as her first destination wedding experience.
“It was a novelty. If everyone expected the same, it would be less special and completely unaffordable,” she said.
While she doesn’t regret attending, Lucy believes the pressure of costly celebrations is piling financial strain on guests.
“Luckily, a lot of the costs were prepaid, but if you were expected to pay loads more whilst there, it would cause so much money anxiety,” she added.
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