Groom Who Is "Diehard Yankees Fan" Takes $9,400 Out of Wedding Savings to Buy World Series Tickets

When you’re preparing for your big day, you may dream of the song you’ll walk down the aisle to, the dress you’ll wear to your reception, or the venue where you’ll dance the night away. You may be interviewing vendors, considering the size of your guest list, or even starting to ask loved ones to be a part of your bridal party. And while it may not be the most exciting part of the preparation process, you’re likely also putting money away, saving up the funds necessary to have your and your partner’s ideal wedding. That’s exactly what Raymond Perez and his fiancée did, carefully marking away thousands of dollars for their upcoming celebration. Yet that all changed when the New York Yankees won the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians, granting them a bid to the 2024 World Series. 

Once he knew that the Yankees would be in the World Series, Perez, a “diehard Yankees fan,” knew he had to attend—even if it meant dipping into the wedding budget. “Total cost for four tickets was $9,400, and it’ll be $2,360 each,” he told Today. Perez reportedly did make sure to get the okay from his fiancée before transferring the funds. For him, spending this cash to be able to attend a game is worth it. “Everyone’s probably going to be at the edge of their seat, standing up the whole game, so definitely just going to soak in that experience,” Perez told Today. 

In the 2024 World Series, the Yankees will face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a bicoastal championship that's expected to be one of the most expensive ever. Currently, the lowest price for the first game of the best-of-seven series on SeatGeek is just shy of $1,000. Other ticket resellers see a similar price tag for the championship match-up. “On StubHub, we are on track for this to be the best World Series in history with regards to total sales,” StubHub’s Adam Budelli told Today. However, it’s not necessarily a new trend for the ticket-seller. “We saw this last over the past year and a half or so with the Taylor Swift tour globally,” he told Today. “These bucket list events where people are really willing to spend that extra dollar to see and experience in something that’s really unique.”

With his last-minute splurge, Perez and his partner may set themselves back quite a bit when it comes to saving for their big day. In June 2023, the average cost for a wedding in the U.S. was $29,000—and even reached $35,000 in some cities. However, the price tag has only gone up since then. Experts predicted that the average cost of a wedding would hit $30,000 in 2024—with some couples needing to budget up to $50,000, depending on their location, vendors, and guest list. 

And even though he may have gotten the approval of his bride to purchase the tickets, Perez received some criticism from fellow fans for his decision. On Facebook, one person pointed out that Perez’s $2,360 ticket won’t even cover other costs associated with attending the game. “That does not include airfare, food, etc.,” the commenter wrote. “That's nuts and I am Yankees fan.”