We Would Walk 500 Miles, And We Would Walk 500 More

-          Brits are willing to travel 1,163 miles to a loved one’s wedding
-          Brits are happy to invest on average £827.45 on being a wedding guest
-          31% welcome the idea of a wedding abroad

ENGAGED BRITS should expect a bumper guest list, as new research has revealed wedding guests are more than happy to go the extra mile for loved ones’ nuptials, both in distance and financially.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults carried out by One4all, the Post Office gift card, revealed guests would be willing to travel an astonishing 1,163 miles - more than the distance from London and Barcelona or Manchester to Nice - to be at a loved one’s wedding.

The data also revealed newlyweds-to-be debating saying ‘I do’ overseas shouldn’t be put off my what guests will think, as just 16% consider weddings being held abroad selfish.

A third (31%) even welcome the idea of travelling to a wedding abroad.

The overseas wedding trend is being fueled by celebrity couples who are jetting off abroad to tie the knot. Most recently, Girls Aloud singer Kimberley Walsh and former Triple 8 member, Justin Scott said ‘I do’ in Barbados, while Hollywood actress Eva Longoria married successful business man Jose Baston in Mexico, and Glee star Dianna Agron and Mumford and Sons’ Winston Marshall tied the knot in Morocco.

Including travel, accommodation, gifts for the newlyweds, an outfit, beauty treatments and drinks at the reception, Brits are willing to spend £827.45 on average when attending a loved one’s wedding – that’s almost half of the average monthly take home pay in the UK*.

When quizzed on the costs, 28% of respondents said they do not mind splashing the cash as it’s a special occasion.

Aoife Davey, group marketing manager at One4all Gift Cards commented: “It’s really heartwarming to see just how much British adults are willing to spend and how far they are willing to travel to be a part of their loved ones’ big day – 1,163 miles is a really long way and for many, £827 is a lot to spend on somebody else’s wedding.

“I think it’s common for those planning their wedding to choose a location which will appease family and friends, but in fact, our data shows that Britons would happily travel long distances to see the couple tie the knot.

“It also appears that wedding guests in the UK are more than happy to splash out on accommodation, outfits, beauty treatments and gifts for the newlyweds, as they value a wedding as a special occasion – this will be welcome news for couples planning their big day who are concerned about keeping costs down for guests”

Nottingham locals are willing to travel the furthest to attend a loved one’s wedding, clocking up 1,792 miles.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, wedding guests in London are willing to splash out the most at £944, followed by those in Leeds, £891 and Edinburgh, £866.

The One4all Gift Card is available to buy from Post Offices nationwide and online at www.one4allgiftcard.co.uk, and can be spent in more than 50,000 outlets across the UK.