You Can Reduce the Cost of Your Wedding… By Selling Tickets?

The average wedding now costs $33,000, which works out to about $284 per guest. That’s a lot of money to feed Aunt Carol, who will still complain that the chicken was “a little dry.” And it’s really hard to find ways to save a meaningful amount of money.

But now, there’s a new French app called Invitin that basically lets you sell tickets to your wedding.

Before you clutch your pearls, it’s not about charging your friends and family admission (although, let’s be honest, a few relatives would deserve it). This is for strangers… actual paying wedding crashers. You pick how many tickets to sell, price them anywhere from $100 to $200 (or more if your venue is fancy), and then let randos come eat your food, dance to your playlist, and cry during your vows like they’ve known you since kindergarten.

It’s not a total free-for-all, though.

Couples can “approve” ticket buyers after seeing their profiles first, and guests must follow a strict code: dress nice, show up on time, drink like an adult, and keep their phone in their pocket unless they have permission to post.

So, basically, they have to act better than some actual family members.

There are some obvious logistics to figure out. The wedding planner has to seat these people somewhere (maybe “Table 9: The Misfits”), and alert the photographer so you don’t end up with an album full of, “Wait, who’s that?”

Right now, Invitin is just a small French startup, but if it takes off, you can bet it’ll hit the U.S., or inspire something similar. Give it a couple years and you’ll be RSVPing “Yes” to a wedding you found on Eventbrite, showing up with a gift card, and telling the bride, “I loved your ceremony. By the way, what’s your name again?”