When considering an RSVP, guests said their relationship to the couple was the most important factor regarding attendance (71 percent). Other considerations included date (50 percent), cost of travel (40 percent), whether their children were also invited (42 percent), and if they received a plus-one option (34 percent).
As for that all-important gift? Thirty-four percent of the Knot study responders said they purchase items off couples’ registries, with 29 percent gifting cash or a check, and 10 percent proffering gift cards. On average, members of the wedding party spend $107 on the gift, while wedding guests spend $88. The following five items rank as the most popular gifts for Knot-registered couples on Aug. 18: the KitchenAid stand mixer, Ninja blender, Dyson vacuum, iRobot Roomba, and an air fryer.
After Aug. 18, Saturday, Oct. 6, ranks as the second most popular date in 2018, with 24,359 weddings planned on the Knot. For users of the site, September is the most popular month to exchange vows (165,157 weddings scheduled), ahead of October (152,521) and June (135,140).
Marking 22 years in the business this year, Jacobson says the Knot helps plan 8 out of 10 weddings conducted in the U.S. annually, listing the national average cost per wedding in 2017 at $33,391. If you’re keeping track, that’s $956 million more pumped into the wedding-industrial complex this weekend.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.