7 Wedding Habits Georgians Say Have Gone Too Far

You love the couple. You’d still like to keep your savings.

Doing both gets hard when you add up the gift, the travel and the group events.

Here are the wedding habits Georgians say have gone too far.

Note: This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Marriage license rules and costs are subject to change, so confirm the current details with your county probate court.

1. Spending to Impress Guests

Of 1,050 newlyweds LendingTree surveyed nationwide in 2025, 34% felt pressured to spend more than they were comfortable with to impress wedding guests.

That pressure may be why 32% of the newlyweds went over their wedding budgets.

Maybe you’ve felt that pull when a nicer venue came with a bigger bill.

YouGov found in 2023 that 66% of U.S. adults say couples today spend too much money on the wedding planning process.

2. Billing No-Show Guests

In 2021, a Chicago couple’s $240 invoice for no-show wedding guests went viral, NBC New York reported.

The couple had already paid the resort roughly $120 a person for the unused seats.

One of the newlyweds said online critics accused them of throwing a wedding beyond their means.

A YouGov poll that August found 59% of U.S. adults said it isn’t acceptable to charge guests for meals when they say they’ll attend and then don’t show.

If your plans change, telling the couple early beats leaving an empty seat.

DatingNews.com’s July 2024 survey of 1,024 Americans found that 18% had been charged for a no-show, at an average of $130.

3. Asking Guests for Cash

Fox News reported in August 2026 that a celebrity couple’s online registry listed wedding expenses ranging from $100 to $600, including the marriage license, for guests to help fund.

The request sparked a fierce debate over manners and tradition.

An etiquette expert in the story said cash can work for a honeymoon or a home down payment, but asking guests to pay for the wedding itself is off-putting.

If a couple wants cash, you can give what fits your budget.

The same 2023 YouGov poll found that 39% of U.S. adults aren’t in favor of couples requesting cash instead of gifts.

In a 2026 registry study of 1,759 engaged and married Knot members, 75% included a cash fund on their registry.

4. Out-of-Town Weddings

NerdWallet’s February 2025 survey found guests heading to a summer wedding that required at least one night away estimated they’d spend $1,989, on average, on lodging and transportation.

That kind of bill can decide whether you say yes at all.

Nearly half of Americans, 46%, named travel costs as a top consideration in deciding whether to travel for a wedding.

In Credit Karma’s April 2025 survey of adults ages 18 to 44, 58% of those who had attended a destination wedding or planned to within a year called it an unfair financial ask for guests.

5. Micro-Wedding Gift Pressure

At micro-weddings, which have 50 guests or fewer, 50% of guests reported feeling pressured to spend more on wedding gifts, an April 2025 Credit Karma survey found.

In the same survey, 54% said they’ve spent more money to attend these small gatherings than they have on traditional weddings.

More than half (57%) believe the trend saves the couple money but not guests.

Even a small wedding can drain your wallet.

6. Pay-for-Your-Plate Gift Math

Many guests follow the pay-for-your-plate rule for wedding gifts, NBC Washington reported in June 2025.

Under the rule, guests match the value of their gift to the cost of their food and drink.

Some experts call it outdated.

Following it means working out what a plate costs.

That’s not so simple.

Food costs have risen in recent years, so some guests are unsure whether their gifts should rise too.

The Emily Post Institute recommends setting a gift’s value by your budget and your relationship with the couple instead.

A Knot survey of 1,000 wedding guests put the average gift at $150 in 2024.

7. Wedding-Related Event Costs

In the Credit Karma survey, 56% said they feel obligated to attend weddings and wedding-related events like bachelorette parties, even if they can’t afford to.

Meanwhile, 39% said they’ve sacrificed paying for necessities like groceries and bills just to be there.

A bachelorette outing plus the wedding trip can drain your wallet before the wedding gift even comes up.

Among couples married in 2025, The Knot‘s 2026 study found 75% had a bachelorette party, 67% had a bachelor party and 65% had a shower.

Georgia Wedding Costs

In The Knot’s 2026 study of couples married in 2025, Georgia weddings averaged $29,000, against $34,200 nationwide.

That figure covers the ceremony and reception but not the engagement ring.

The Wedding Report lists a higher 2025 Georgia average of $32,545 across 64,400 weddings.

If you’re pricing a Georgia wedding, you can use the two averages as a starting range.

Premarital Course License Discount

Georgia couples planning a wedding can cut the marriage license fee by completing premarital education together.

In Chatham County, the listed fee is $76 without a premarital education certificate and $36 with one, including one certified copy of the marriage certificate.

In Franklin County, the listed fee is $66 without one and $26 with one.

The difference is $40 in both counties.

Fees vary by county, so check yours.

Couples Who Say It's Worth It

If you're wondering whether a wedding pays off, you'll find many couples who say it does.

A 2025 Knot study found nearly 8 in 10 couples saying their wedding is well worth the financial investment.

The release also found that 84% of 2025 couples were looking forward to their wedding more than any other event in 2025.