In days of yore the parents of the bride paid for the wedding. Those days are long gone, much to the relief of parents with daughters everywhere. So who pays for what these days? It really depends on the couple, their family, and all related bank accounts. Yet etiquette still applies, and with that in mind read on:
Bride And Groom
It is not uncommon for the bride and groom to pay for their own wedding. Parents and other family members may help, but in today’s world the couple foots the bill.
Families
If both families are paying for the wedding, they can simply choose to split the total expense down the middle. This arguably saves a lot of time and hassle. Family members may also go the allocated expense route, or simply pay what they can afford as “contributions.”
The Bride
The bride pays for her groom’s gift (duh), as well as her personal stationery, calling cards, bridesmaid bouquets and headdresses, bridesmaid gifts, bridesmaid luncheon, and the groom’s ring.
The Groom
The groom pays for the engagement and wedding rings, the gift for the bride, marriage license, gifts for the parents, gifts for the best man and ushers, flowers for both mothers, bridal bouquet, gloves and other accessories for the male members of the wedding party, and the gift for the presiding official.
The Bride’s Family
The bride’s family generally pays for the sexton, organist, and soloist (if applicable), the bride’s wedding dress and related accessories, the bride’s trousseau, aisle carpet and ribbons, newspaper announcements, and engagement, wedding, and reception photos. They also pay for bridal party transportation from the church to the reception hall, and the entire reception.
The Groom’s Family
The groom’s family generally pays for the engagement party and the honeymoon.
The Bridesmaids & Groomsmen
The bridesmaids pay for their dresses and accessories, as well as a gift to the couple. They also pay for the bridal shower/luncheon, bachelorette party, and transportation to the wedding site for out-of-town guests.
The groomsmen pay for their suits or tuxedos, a gift to the couple, bachelor party, and transportation as needed.
Phew! What do you think?