This weekend I am lucky enough to be attending the wedding of a close and long standing friend. He and I have known each other since our first day of infant’s school and it really is great that we, and our corps of close mates, have continued to remain connected for so long.

I was talking to another pal the other evening and we got on to the subject of weddings and specifically, how much they cost. We started to think about how much we have spent not just on our own weddings, but on attending those of our friends, wives' friends, extended family and work colleagues.

It seems that it’s not unusual to spend £1000 - yes, a whole grand - on just going to a wedding. Think that sounds like an exaggeration? Maybe that I'm really rich and generous and attend some really posh weddings? We'll I'm not rich and I'm definitely not generous, and although we've been to some really lovely weddings, we are not talking ultra high-brow stuff here.

Think about it. The stag do is never just a night out in town anymore, is it? It is usually a weekend away, often abroad. So you're talking two or three hundred quid before you have even started. Then the wife might attend the hen party. Similar story there but to a lesser degree - call it a hundred.

Then there is a new outfit for the missus (£100? I'll wear a work suit) and so often the weddings we go to seem to be far away - and staying one night is never going to work out. The weddings start anytime from 12 to 2 so its too risky to travel on the day so that's two nights in a hotel (I've paid between £50 and £150 per night), plus drinks out on the first night. Then there's the petrol to get you there. And of course there is the inevitable wedding gift. £50 to £100 seems to be about the going rate.

I don't begrudge the money at all - sharing someone's special day, if you're close to them, is a privilege. But it's worth remembering when you're planning a wedding that the costs to your esteemed guests don't half mount up!