Seville weddings cost €60,000 on average and guests' cash gifts no longer cover their meal

Seville weddings cost €60,000 on average and guests' cash gifts no longer cover their meal

An average couple in Seville now spends €60,000 on their wedding, according to wedding planner Alejandra Lacida, founder of La Madrina. The figure, which includes the banquet, dress, photography and dozens of extras, contrasts with the experience of many who opted for the bare minimum: €20 at the registry office, two witnesses and two rounds of drinks. But the most painful detail is that the traditional cash gift from guests no longer even covers their meal. The maths is simple: with 100 guests and a cost of €150-200 per head, the average contribution per guest rarely exceeds €100. The couple foots the shortfall.

The price of pomp: from €1,200 to €60,000

Those who defend a frugal wedding can boast of their figures. One user says he married in 1996 with €3,600 for 60 people; another, today, for €1,200 with 15 guests and without announcing it was a wedding. But the prevailing trend, fuelled by social media and social pressure, pushes towards extravagance. The bridal gown costs around €3,000 and the groom's suit more than €1,000, often in high summer and in the Seville heat. Add to that decoration, music, photographer, and the omnipresent wedding planner, a figure who for many critics is nothing more than an intermediary who inflates the bill to take their commission.

Seville, capital of wedding showing off

The Andalusian city leads the way in this phenomenon. According to several local analyses, in Seville what matters is not having money but appearing to have it. "You can be broke, but when the Feria comes you don't skimp on the suit, the caseta and the photo," they sum up. Weddings are no exception to that logic: loans are taken out to keep up appearances. The comparison with the United States, where weddings have become a "performance" with engagement parties, rehearsals and multiple send-offs, suggests the Spanish phenomenon has not yet peaked, though it is heading that way.

The contract that isn't what it was

Behind the spending lies a bitterer reflection: marriage as a contract has lost value. "If one of the parties breaks it, they end up rewarded by the state," some joke. The possibility of a costly divorce, added to the perception that the law favours women in the event of a separation, leads many men to wonder whether the risk is worth it. "Marrying to be Viogenizado and lose your assets," they sum up on the forum. Though an extreme stance, it reflects growing scepticism that clashes with the wedding industry, which turns over billions.

The result is a paradox: €60,000 is spent on a day that, statistically, has a high chance of ending in divorce, and the guests, far from covering the celebration, barely contribute. Meanwhile, those who opt for the simple route wonder why nobody calls things by their name: the banquet isn't the wedding, it's the bodorrio (the big bash). But the bodorrio, at €60,000, is still sold as the happiest day of your life.