We often get asked who pays for what in a wedding. Each wedding is unique as to what each family can afford, some decide on a 50/50 split with each family, or some wish the couple to pay 50% and then both families split the remaining cost 50/50 between them, or in some cases the couple pays for the event completely. In this day, it really depends on your finances. We strongly encourage you to work with a event planner to assist you with coming up with a realistic budget and sticking to it. So that our clients have a guide we compiled a list of TRADITIONAL EXPENSES of who should pay for what.
Also take a look at our TOP 5 Tips on Creating a BUDGET
Traditional Expenses of the Bride and Her Family
• Services of a traditional wedding consultant
• Invitations, enclosures, and announcements
• The bride’s wedding gown and accessories
• Floral decorations for ceremony and reception, bridesmaids’ flowers, bride’s bouquet
• Formal wedding photographs and candid pictures
• Video of wedding
• Music for church and reception
• Transportation of bridal party to and from ceremony
• All reception expenses
• Bride’s gifts to her attendants
• Bride’s gift to groom
• Groom’s wedding ring
• Rental of awning for ceremony entrance and carpet for aisle
• Fee for services performed by sexton
• Costs of soloists
• Services of a traffic officer
• Transportation of bridal party to the reception
• Accommodations for bridal attendants
• Bridesmaids’ luncheon
Traditional Expenses of the Groom and His Family
• Bride’s engagement and wedding rings
• Groom’s gift to bride
• Gifts for groom’s attendants
• Ties and gloves for the groom’s attendants, if not part of their clothing rental package
• The bride’s bouquet (only where it is local custom for the groom to pay for it)
• The bride’s going away corsage
• Boutonnieres for groom’s attendants
• Corsages for immediate members of both families (unless the bride has included them in her florist’s order)
• The officiant’s fee or donation
• Transportation and lodging expenses for the officiant if from another town
• The marriage license
• Transportation for the groom and best man to the ceremony
• Honeymoon expenses
• All costs of the rehearsal dinner
• Accommodations for the groom’s attendants
• Transportation and lodging expenses for the groom’s family
Bridesmaids’/Honor Attendants’ Expenses
• Purchase of apparel and all accessories
• Transportation to and from the city where the wedding takes place
• A contribution to a gift from all the bridesmaids to the bride
• An individual gift to the couple
• A shower or luncheon for the bride
• A bachelorette dinner / outing
Best Man’s/Groomsmen’s/Ushers’ Expenses
• Rental or purchase of wedding attire
• Transportation to and from the city where the wedding takes place
• A contribution to a gift from all the groom’s attendants to the groom
• An individual gift to the couple
• A bachelor dinner / outing
Out-of-Town Guests’ Expenses
• Transportation to and from the wedding
• Lodging expenses and meals
• Wedding gift
