A couple in New York City charged their wedding guests a hefty fee of $333 each in an effort to save money on their nuptials. Nova and Reemo Style, the newlyweds, explained their unorthodox approach in an interview with NBC.

The couple argued that weddings are notoriously expensive, and they felt that if people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars to attend a Beyoncé concert, they should be equally willing to pay for a wedding celebration.

“I said: ‘People choose to go to Beyoncé concert, because they know that they’re gonna have an experience. Let’s put the stress on the guests, and let’s sell tickets for a wedding,’” Nova recalled.

But not all of their guests were thrilled with the idea. Reemo admitted: “I was like, ‘Babe, people aren’t going to come.’” And indeed, some guests expressed their displeasure, telling the couple, they never spend money on tickets.

Despite the backlash, the couple went ahead with their plan, charging each guest $333, which included a complimentary seat on a double-decker bus and a 12-hour tour of New York City. This unconventional approach ultimately helped the couple save over $70,000 in wedding expenses.

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As the average cost of weddings in the United States continues to rise, with the Knot reporting a national average of $35,000 in 2023 – a $5,000 increase from the previous year – some couples are getting creative with their budgets, even if it means charging their guests to attend.

According to the data, the uptick in wedding prices is largely due to the impact of inflation on the industry, leading to higher costs for goods and services. In response, some couples have opted to pass those expenses on to their guests, a move that has sparked significant debate and criticism.