Weddings can be notoriously expensive. These days, some couples are forcing their guests to share the burden of the costs of their big day. A Houston man identified by The New York Times as Hassan Ahmed, 23, said he and his wife-to-be plan to charge each of their guests $450 per ticket to their wedding. While it’s unclear what the fees will cover, Ahmed justified the price tag on TikTok, explaining he’s already spent nearly $200,000 on the event, which covered the cost of a cake, a venue deposit, the wedding dress, a DJ and a photographer.

Not surprisingly, most of the guests declined the invitation. This shocked and angered Ahmed, who noted that many of his guests had spent more on tickets to see Beyoncé or Chris Brown. “What I don’t understand is that y’all spend more money on stupid stuff but can’t come support your family and friends at a wedding,” the groom said. He has disabled comments on his video. Reactions to the clip, in the form of jabs, were mostly negative, with many saying they would never pay a fee to attend a wedding. Some found the suggestion so outlandish that they suggested Ahmed might be trolling for engagement on the platform.

Paying wedding guests to attend seems to be a growing trend. Last year, a New York couple made headlines when it was revealed that they had asked their guests to spend $333 each to attend their wedding at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A ticket allowed guests entry to the event, which included a ride on a double-decker tour bus to sentimental sights around the city, including Hudson Yards, a movie theater and a reception at One World Trade Center, according to New York’s FOX 5. Despite initial resistance, the couple said the wedding event was sold out.

The question of whether to charge guests an entrance fee has also become a hot topic on online wedding forums. On Reddit, one woman complained that one of her closest friends was getting married and was charging her guests $65 to attend the wedding. The fees reportedly covered food, music, decorations and the venue. “This is so tacky and distasteful,” read one response. “Weddings aren’t fun enough to pay an entrance fee. They can be a pain,” wrote another.

With wedding costs steadily rising, this is likely not the last we’ll hear of this debate. According to a study by wedding planning website The Knot, the average cost of a wedding ceremony and reception in 2023 was $35,000 – an increase of $5,000 from last year. However, the cost of attending a wedding can also be quite high. Recent studies show that wedding guests spend an average of more than $600, which typically includes travel and accommodations, gifts, clothing and grooming.

Would you pay to attend a wedding?