Photo: Logan Cole
Sure, brides have tons of worries weighing on their minds as the big day approaches. From making sure the bridal party arrives on time, to chasing down all those still-missing RSVPs, to reigning in soon-to-be mother- in-law, the road to “I do” can certainly be stressful for a bride. Obviously, right? (Insert eye roll here.) But as wedding season reaches full swing, your nuptials can also be weighing just as heavily on your guests. Wedding guests of both sexes can be struck with bouts of anxiety before heading to a friend’s nuptials — and the things they specifically freak about are actually pretty interesting…
What do your wedding guests have to stress out about, right? They aren’t the ones who have to shell out the cash for dinner for 100 plus people, memorize tear-jerking vows, or fight with your florist. All they have to do is get dressed, show up, and eat a slice of cake. What could be stressful about that? Well, according to a new survey conducted by the financial folks over at the cash-back shopping site Ebates, A LOT.
Obviously most wedding guests can eliminate white from their wardrobe choices when finding a wedding-worthy outfit for a friend’s nuptials. (Unless of course they’re attending an all-white wedding, à la Christian Siriano’s recent nuptials!) But finding something to wear still stresses 44 percent of female wedding guests. Furthermore, 28 percent are worried about losing weight before a wedding. (Gotta look good in those Instagram photos, right?) And another 28 percent are nervous about spending too much money — which is already difficult when 24 percent are concerned about buying the perfect gift. And 27 percent of female wedding guests are also freaking over running into other guests whom they dislike. Understandable — of course you don’t want to run into your ex come the big day. (You dated the bride’s brother… Oops.)
Phew. We’re getting stressed just reading all of that. However, women aren’t exclusively susceptible to attendee anxiety. But while the ladies are more concerned about slaying the outfit game, it sounds like the dudes are stressing over running into that bridesmaid they once slept with. 31 percent of men attending weddings are concerned over seeing people they don’t like, while only 27 percent are concerned over finding the perfect outfit. (Hint: It’s a suit. Duh.) Their wallets also serve as a stressful factor, with 29 percent of men worrying about spending too much money.
But surprisingly, while men worry more over breaking the bank, women actually end up spending less on wedding gifts than men. According to Ebates, women typically spend $25 to $100, while men shell out $50 to $250. Hey, at least we know how to shop smart. Putting that 79 cents for every dollar to good use, right?