For those who want to be married, their wedding day is generally considered to be one of the best days of their life: a celebration of love, family, and relatives saying inappropriate and awkward things. But many weddings nowadays carry a heavy price tag — last year, the average U.S. wedding cost more than $30,000 — which, understandably, can create a ton of stress and anxiety for an otherwise happy couple.
So, to cut costs and keep your nuptials as stress-free as possible, might we suggest an alternative? Perhaps you should have a nudist ceremony.
On Wednesday, the New York Times published a beautiful portrait of nudist weddings, featuring interviews with nudist officiants (yes, that’s a thing) and nudist couples, and an explanation of the ins and outs of nudist ceremonies in general. But one point, among many fantastic points, really sticks out: Not only are these weddings a way to honor the natural human form, but they also can really help a betrothed couple save a buck or two.
As nudist wedding officiant Carolyn Hawkins (who performed five nudist weddings last year) explained to the Times:
Some brides and grooms, who are not nudists, have other motivations, including the desire to “do something different,” said Ms. Hawkins. “They don’t have to spend a lot of money on the gown.”
The average wedding dress cost more than $1,500 in 2017, so that should help slash costs a bit. Beyond that, Hawkins explained that certain nudist resorts, including the Cypress Cove Nudist Resort, allow residents and hotel guests to reserve their clubhouse as a wedding venue at no cost. (In 2017, the average wedding venue cost around $16,000).
“They can have the clubhouse, and they have their own little party,” said Ms. Hawkins, who charges $20–$60 for her services, depending on ceremony length. “They don’t have to travel. They don’t have to take a honeymoon, and they can spend more money on their reception.”
So there you have it: A nudist wedding is not only a way to celebrate natural bodies, but you can also save money on doing so.
