Gone are the days when your only cost to attend a wedding was buying a toaster and pretending to enjoy chicken or fish. Welcome to the Pay-Per-Wedding Era, where couples are now charging guests actual money—sometimes up to $1,000—just to attend their big day. Yep, you’re not dreaming. You’re budgeting.

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“Love Is Free, But Dinner Isn’t” – The $997 Wedding Ticket

Let’s start with power couple Marley Jaxx and Steve J. Larsen, who decided to throw a wedding that was part celebration, part business plan and part TED Talk. Instead of going into debt, they offered tickets: $57 for the basic “wedding and vibes” package, or $997 for the VIP “we’re serious about cake” package, which included:

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• Rehearsal dinner access
• Fancy lounge experiences
• Brunches with biohacking (because why not optimize your digestion before dancing?)

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And no, guests weren’t forced to attend. They were invited to “skip the gift, just pay your way.” The couple sold about 130 tickets in total and ended up raising enough to cover the wedding and donate over $132,000 to charity.

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Honestly, they might be onto something. Weddings are basically Coachella now anyway.

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The NYC $333 Wedding Ticket: Love in the Time of Tourist Packages

Meanwhile in Manhattan, another couple, Nova and Reemo Styles, decided to go full “event coordinator mode” and charged $333 per guest. For the price of a new microwave, guests were treated to:

• A cathedral ceremony
• A double-decker bus tour
• Dinner at One World Trade Center

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They hoped for 350 guests, but about 60 people said “yes” to the dress—and the ticket price. The internet had thoughts. Some called it brilliant. Others called it greedy with a view. Either way, the couple stood by their decision, and honestly, if you’re getting married in NYC, charging rent feels appropriate.

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Paris Says “Oui” to Stranger Danger (but Make It Classy)

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Across the Atlantic, a French startup called Invitin took the concept even further. Instead of charging your friends to come to your wedding, why not charge complete strangers?

For €100–€150, vetted guests can buy a ticket to someone else’s wedding—yes, like a concert, but with more crying and fewer encores. It’s part wedding, part cultural exchange and part social experiment with strong “I just came for the cake” energy.

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Apparently, it’s going well! No wedding crashers—just paying customers.

Why the Heck Are People Doing This?

Here’s why this trend is gaining traction (besides the fact that weddings cost more than small cars now):

• Debt is out, transparency is in: Couples don’t want to start marriage with a $50K credit card bill.
• Gifts are optional, your seat isn’t: “Just cover your plate” is the new “don’t forget the registry.”
• Only the real ones will show up: Paying to attend = true love or at least true interest in open bars.
• Charity with a side of champagne: Some couples are donating ticket proceeds. It’s like a fundraiser, but with vows.

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But… Isn’t This Kinda Weird?

Depends who you ask. Some people think it’s genius—like finally getting honest about the cost of weddings. Others think it’s rude, greedy, or straight-up dystopian. And when one bride hit her guests with a $500 surprise fee just before the wedding? That was a plot twist nobody asked for.

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The Wedding Revolution Has Arrived

Whether you love it or hate it, ticketed weddings are here—and they’re changing the game. You might not be able to afford a honeymoon, but if you charge $1,000 per guest, you could probably buy a second home. Or at least a really fancy cake that doesn’t come with a $650 “cutting fee.”

So next time you get a wedding invite, don’t just check “yes” or “no.” Check your bank account.

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