Singletary: Stop with the destination weddings

We want to come and celebrate your union, but must we raid our savings and use up our own precious vacation days to party with you? Frankly, your “big” day is costing us too much money and time.

A new study by Bankrate.com found that 19 percent of respondents said they had declined a wedding invitation because they felt like they couldn’t afford to go.

Bankrate also asked: “Do you think it’s in poor taste for a couple to plan a destination wedding where all guests will incur travel expenses to attend?”

Fifty-six percent said “yes.”

I would not have framed the question as being in “poor taste.” But it certainly may be inconsiderate.

Without knowing the intimate details of other people’s finances, you can still guess that many of the folks you invite will have to stretch themselves financially to attend the wedding. And if you know this, why then would you put them in the position of missing out on your big day? Or worse, you know they will come anyway, even if they can’t afford to attend.

I’ve worked with hundreds of people trying to clean up their finances, and I have found that a lot of the debt they’ve accumulated was the result of spending to please other people. Parents raided their retirement account or took out loans to pay for or to attend a wedding. Others added to already overwhelming credit-card debt to avoid being seen as putting money ahead of a relationship.

Your wedding day should be all about your actually getting married. If it were, then you could just have a simple ceremony and reception with Kool-Aid and a cake.

The only people who need to be there are someone to officiate the ceremony and perhaps a witness or two — depending on the state where you get married.

A separate 2018 Bankrate survey found that guests attending a wedding of a close friend or family member spent an average of $628, including the cost of associated festivities, travel, attire and gifts.

If the courageous admit they don’t want to spend that much money, they are labeled as being “cheap” or “selfish.”

Among those in the Bankrate survey who said they didn’t attend a wedding because they couldn’t afford to go, 30 percent said it negatively impacted their relationship with a couple.

Why would you hold it against someone if, by declining your wedding invitation, they are being financially responsible?

It is definitely OK to decline an invitation if your financial situation precludes you from attending. In fact, you don’t have to state a reason. A simple, “So sorry I will not be able to come” is all you need to say. By the way, don’t criticize the couple for their choice of location either.

Now, to the bride and groom: It’s your life and you have a right to plan the wedding of your dreams on a beach in Hawaii or on top of a mountain that requires a helicopter drop. Do your thing.

But don’t judge, guilt-trip or berate those of us who choose to opt out. We’ll check your Instagram or Facebook pages for the wedding photos.