Weddings are expensive: the average cost of a US wedding in 2024 was $33k. But what if strangers chipped in?
Invitin, a French startup founded by Katia Lekarski earlier this year, lets couples sell tickets to their wedding.
The first couple to take up Invitin’s unique offer will marry this month in a manor about an hour east of Paris, per The Guardian. In attendance will be 95 people they know and five strangers — one couple and three men — who’ve paid to take part.
How it works
Guests pay an average of ~$116-$174 for a ticket to a wedding, which goes to the couple, minus Invitin’s commission.
The interlopers must adhere to the wedding's dress code, show up on time, agree to not publish any photos or videos without permission, and, of course, behave themselves.
Couples vet guests prior to accepting their attendance, and are not required to hang out with them on the big day.
Why would people do this?
- For guests, it’s a chance to socialize and enjoy new traditions. For example, Join My Wedding is a service for people who want to experience an Indian wedding.
- For couples, it can help with the cost of the wedding or fill empty seats.
Joanna Smykowski wrote an essay for Business Insider about attending strangers’ weddings to meet new friends, a hobby that began after a bride posted in a Facebook group that she lacked the minimum guests for the venue and was looking for strangers to fill in.
Given the rise of friendship apps marketed to people who crave new opportunities to socialize in an increasingly digital world, Invitin actually makes a lot of sense.
It’s also probably more fun than signing up to be a moirologist, otherwise known as a professional mourner paid to attend and grieve at strangers’ funerals. Though an ancient practice, a British startup called Rent a Mourner did give it a shot... but went out of business in 2019.
BTW: Now’s your reminder to read our story about a woman who charges $2.5k+ to be a professional bridesmaid.
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