If you’ve ever attended a bridal shower, you know how fun they can be. You might also know just how expensive they can get, too.
A Cincinnati-based lagree coach, Clair, recently discussed the price of her friend’s bridal shower in a TikTok video, noting that the wedding culture is getting out of hand. She shared that the price was nearly as high as her mortgage, which led to the woman not attending the shower and the bride showing her true colors.
As fun as weddings are, they can get pricey, even if you’re just a guest
Image credits: Melike B / Pexels (not the actual photo)
This woman refused to pay a mortgage-size amount of money on her friend’s bridal shower
Image credits: _chitch
Claire’s video went viral on social media
@_chitch Wedding culture getting out of hand… #storytime ♬ original sound – claire
There are many wedding-related expenses the guest might have to cover
It’s no secret that weddings can get costly even if you’re not the one getting married. If the person saying I do is someone close to you, you might be expected to take part in—and pay for—a bridal shower or a bachelor party, in addition to buying the happy couple a wedding gift, of course. Don’t forget that you have to make yourself presentable, too, and you might need to travel great distances to be there on your loved one’s wedding day.
All such expenses tend to add up to quite a significant sum, which can lead to a dilemma—do I spend all this money even if I’m in no position to, or do I disappoint my friend or miss out on all the fun their wedding will entail?
Needless to say, making the decision is not easy. But for some people, the issue solves itself – sometimes, it’s simply too expensive to even consider attending. Spending as much money on a bridal shower as you would on your mortgage is simply unsensible, no matter how much you love the soon-to-be-wed.
Bridesmaids may be looking into hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in expenses
According to the BRIDES wedding publication, now in 2025, being a bridesmaid is pricier than ever. As one expert, wedding planner Fallon Carter, explained it, “weddings have become full-on experiences,” and few experiences come free in life.
“The cost of being a bridesmaid depends heavily on the type of wedding,” Carter told BRIDES. But in most cases, such a title entails spending hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of dollars before and on the day of the wedding. According to the publication, being a bridesmaid in a local wedding might call for $1,500 to $2,500, a formal or black-tie event can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $3,500, and a destination wedding can set the range at $3,000 to more than $5,000.
As if these sums aren’t bad enough, some people might find themselves looking at two, three, four times the price, as it’s not unusual to be invited to several weddings in one year. Needless to say, it can become very expensive very fast. That’s why it’s crucial to think long and hard about all that a wedding might entail financially and, ideally, talk with the couple about their expectations before saying, “I do!” to being a bridesmaid, I mean… not at the altar.
For Claire, the now-former friend’s expectations were too much to handle financially. But instead of being understanding, the bride-to-be kicked her out of the bridal party and went as far as to badmouth her during the bridal shower. The latter, by the way, didn’t seem to go that smoothly, as in a different video, Claire shared that after it, the bride posted on social media, asking if other brides have had trouble with friends after weddings and saying that weddings show who your true friends are. Well, she isn’t wrong there.
