Spending €1,500 to attend a wedding as a guest is now “not unusual”, Sinead Ryan has said. 

While couples now easily spend tens of thousands to tie the knot, it’s not cheap to attend as a guest either. 

On Lunchtime Live, The Home Show presenter said she had consulted experts, who said spending a four figure sum to attend a wedding is common. 

“Anywhere between €1,000 and €1,500 is not unusual per wedding,” Sinead said. 

“If it's in a destination [wedding], you're heading off to Sorrento, there's a hen party in Amsterdam, you're expected to have outfits for everything, you're in the bridal party and gifts. 

“Then you have to provide childminding and all the rest. 

“Honest to goodness, really, it should lean people towards declining more invitations than they do.” 

A couple at their wedding. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Sinead added that those figures do not include the cost of a babysitter, with parents of young children forced to spend extra if they want to attend without them. 

“So, they're only talking about the things [like] the overnight accommodation,” she said. 

“Which, by the way, if you're a bridesmaid or groomsman, that's three nights. 

“Because it's the night before, the night of and then the night of the day two celebration.” 

A couple cutting their wedding cake at their wedding reception. Picture by: Alamy.com.

On the question of what to give as a gift, Sinead suggested that cash has become almost the default option. 

“We know now that the couples prefer the cash, it is kind of transactional,” she said. 

“And the sense of it is you pay for your dinner. It sounds very unromantic.” 

Main image: A couple at their wedding. Picture by: Alamy.com