Bride and groom charge guests for cups of tea

A bride and groom charged guests for cups of tea. Photo / 123RF

When it comes to weddings, there are a few things guests may have come to expect from the big day.

Two people in love, comedy speeches, a white dress, food and drinks provided.
However as weddings get more expensive, some couples aren't providing refreshments for free, as one British woman discovered after going to a wedding reception that charged £2.50 ($4.50) for a cup of tea, reports the Daily Mail.

The guest took to Mumsnet to ask if it was reasonable to be outraged at being charged for tea at a wedding.

"Recently attending a wedding of a friend ... I just felt it was a very poor and stingy wedding, at the reception they had a 'hot chocolate bar' - they were charging for this (and tea, and coffee ... )" the woman, who went by the username of StingyWedding, wrote.

"Am I wrong to think if you invite people to a wedding you actually host and therefore provide for your guests? Not expecting a free bar but some table wine and soft drinks surely?"

The woman provided a picture advertising the hot chocolate bar.
Many people on the Mumsnet forum agreed, saying they thought that charging to tea was "tight".

"If you can't afford it you don't charge people more than something costs! £2.50 for a coffee!" commenter LelsieKnope45 said.

Isn't it a celebration of love? One person said that people should be attending weddings to celebrate the couple, not for the free food.

However others thought the issue was a storm in a teacup, saying the woman was being unfair to the couple and that weddings should be about celebrating love.

"Maybe they just couldn't afford to cater for everyone and given that places hike prices up for wedding functions I don't blame them," one woman said.

"It was probably a choice of have guests pay for their drinks etc or not invite them at all. I'd be thankful for the invite. If you don't like it you can always not buy drinks and just go home."