You've made the decision to devote the entirety of your life to your best friend. The time has come to start planning the huge party! The questions, "How much it's likely to cost?" and "How else are we likely to pay for it?" may be your initial thoughts. In any case, don't fret. With the assistance of our practical budget tool, you can get a reasonable estimate of how much money you'll need for each aspect of your wedding.
Just in case the newlyweds' loved ones wish to assist them celebrate their special day, we've collated details on who customarily foots which bills. You can see how much everything is going to cost, how much each part is going to cost, and share that information with your loved ones. Any strategy that improves the quality of life for you and your family members is commendable, but this is an excellent place to begin. If you're looking for guidance on how to broach the topic of money with your parents, keep reading.
Traditional practise was that the family of the bride would pay for most of the wedding expenses. Who spends for the what throughout a wedding is maybe not so obvious in the modern world, although it might be the situation for so many couples. Individuals who wait until later in life to tie the knot may have the financial wherewithal to foot the entire bill for the nuptials. Another option is to ask for financial assistance from family members. When considering how to split the legal costs of a marriage, it can be beneficial to consider established practises that have evolved over time. Arranging a financial plan and confirming everyone's roles and responsibilities in advance can help keep arguments to a minimal.
Rather than sticking to antiquated norms, modern couples and their families can share the financial burden. Achieving this in such a way is quite unlikely, but it would be beneficial if it could be done. A middle ground that works for everyone involved is essential.
Whether you and your family are trying to follow to custom or you're simply curious about how things usually break down financially, you should be aware that there are some rather precise delineations. You'll find below the traditional standards regarding who should pay for what kind of events.
Common Expenses Shouldered by the Bride's Family
Even though these traditions aren't necessary in today's weddings, it's interesting to understand about what was once expected of the bride's family. Wedding invites and associated stationery, except the invites to the rehearsal dinner, should be factored into the bridesmaids' accommodation arrangements. The bridal look includes the dress, any necessary accessories, and the couple's hair and makeup. Either you or your granny may be footing the bill for your dress these days. The bride's family pays for the reception, the wedding planner, and the bride's bachelorette party.
Given that some couples may prefer to honour the custom in which family pays for particular items, we urge our families to have the talk on what it takes to follow that example for tradition's sake against just what family is comfortable with. Receptions at today's weddings are substantially different from those that gave origin to traditions like wedding gifts.
Put together a budget using a spreadsheet application like Spreadsheet or Google Docs. Then, they can read it, offer some general feedback, and point out where they feel most comfortable lending a hand. Because there are far more than two involved parties, such as when a parent or both parents are divorced, this can be a big benefit.
Prior to the wedding, the bride's family assumes additional responsibilities. As a way to officially welcome the future groom and his family into the bride's family, the bride's parents would often throw an engagement party and pay for everything associated with it. Furthermore, the parents of the bride usually take the lead in planning the celebration. It is their duty to ensure that everybody has a nice time and feels welcome. The families of the bride and groom split the costs of the following, in addition to the obvious ones of clothes and transportation:
- Everything associated with the party, such as catering, music, decorations, venue costs, and entertainment
- The total amount spent on decorations and rentals for the ceremony.
- Preparing the bouquets for the wedding and reception.
- The gown and jewellery for the bride's big day.
- Postage, printing, and materials for invitations, announcements, and programmes.
- As a token of appreciation, wedding favours.
- Photography and videography costs
- Fees for lodging and transportation of the officiant
- Hotel for the bridesmaids
- Wedding day transportation for the bridal party
Typical Groom's Family Expenses
The wedding registration and officiant's fees, the rehearsals dinner, and the housing and travel expenses for the bridegroom and his party are all to be paid for by the groom's parents. Traditionally, the groom and his family would plan and pay for the honeymoon, but these days, it's more of a community effort, and sometimes even crowdfunded. Some couples have guests contribute to a "honeymoon registry" just at reception, while others use an online "honeymoon registry" to gather items for the trip.
Having a relative or friend get to be an ordained priest so they can perform the ceremony is a growing trend that can help save money on the wedding.
Traditional practise dictates that the family of the groom bears its own share of the financial burden. The wedding party's attire and any travel expenses will be covered by the groom's family, and they will also host the rehearsal dinner. The rehearsals dinner is a pre-wedding event where the bridal party and families can mingle and get to know one another. Traditionally, the families of the bridegroom and groom pay for the following:
- Everything from the menu to the invitations to the decorations to the entertainment at the rehearsal dinner
- Something to celebrate the happy couple's wedding
- Parents from both families will receive corsages and boutonnieres.
- Arrangements for the overnight stay of the groom's relatives and friends
- Although it is not customary, it is not uncommon for the groom's family to cover all or a portion of the expense of alcohol available at the reception.
- Payment for a marriage licence or officiant
- Honeymoon
- Floral arrangements, including bouquet, boutonnieres, and corsages, for the bride
- Transportation and lodging for the groomsmen
- Renting a disc jockey or band for the reception and purchasing alcohol
The Customary Expenses of the Bride
The bride traditionally foots the bill for the groom's wedding band and bridesmaid presents. There are many expenses associated with a wedding, however, that are often split between the bride and her family. Control over your wedding plans is proportional to the amount of money you contribute. Establish early on who has the last say by addressing assumptions. You can't trust that a monetary gift from your parents won't come with any strings attached. She continues, "It would be unfortunate if misunderstandings or wounded sentiments resulted from a misplaced need for "control" that was never communicated.
For future brides: if you're going to establish a budget, then set the budget. Don't try to save money by setting a modest budget if you plan to spend more on certain things down the road. Don't lose sight of reality. Be aware that the higher the guest list, the higher the total cost of the wedding will be. It's not always the case, and it's something to think about if you're attempting to cut costs. If you can help it, avoid taking on any wedding-related debt. There is a bright future ahead of you. Get more done with less available resources.
If you need help organising an evening party, consider implementing some of these hens ideas.
The focus of the ceremony is, of course, the bride. However, she is customarily accountable for the following:
- The groom’s wedding ring
- A wedding gift for the groom
- Gifts for her attendants
- Hair, makeup, and beauty treatments for herself and the bridal party
- Sometimes accommodations for any out-of-town bridesmaids if her family has not taken on the responsibility.
The Customary Expenses of the Groom
Tradition suggests that the husband should pay for the bride's engagement ring and wedding band. The groom, by custom, also pays for his own wedding attire (whether purchased or rented), though it is not unusual for the groom's family to contribute to this expense. Lastly, the groom is responsible for purchasing gifts for the bride and her attendants.
In most cases, the honeymoon is the groom's financial responsibility. Grooms traditionally pay for their honeymoon as a mark of their new status as breadwinners. Among the expenses that fall under the groom's responsibility are:
- The marriage license
- The officiant's fee (but note the bride's family pays for an officiant's travel and lodging)
- The bride’s engagement ring and wedding ring
- The honeymoon (unless the groom's family has it covered)
- Groom's attire
- A wedding gift for the bride
- The bride’s bouquet
- Gifts for his attendants
- Boutonnieres for attendants in the wedding party
- Accommodations for any out-of-town groomsmen
These days, it's not always clear who's responsible for what costs at a wedding. There is no binding law on fiscal responsibility, so let's get that out of the way first. Although it is common knowledge that the bride's family pays for the majority of the wedding expenses, modern couples are increasingly opting to use their own funds to pay for the wedding of their dreams.
Should it still be customary for parents to pay for a child's wedding? Wedding expenses: who should foot the bill? We take a look at the various paths that couples might take when it comes to setting a wedding budget.
Who Should Pay for What at a Wedding?
The three royal weddings in the past decade were the subject of much conjecture. We will assume that. Thankfully, most engaged couples don't have to deal with as much scepticism about their nuptials. However, arguments or even conflict might break out over who pays for what.
Nowadays, wedding etiquette can be easily mastered with a little bit of planning.
What's the Deal These Days, Then?
While some want to pay for everything alone and refuse any financial assistance from their parents, others are content to have their parents contribute to the whole bill. Couples are becoming increasingly involved in the event planning process. They are also the ones that typically pay more out of pocket.
Most married couples have to make compromises because they can't afford to buy everything they want. Taking money from your parents means sacrificing the wedding you really want.
There will be parental input on the wedding budget if they are contributing significantly.
Your parents may have some say in the guest list for the reception if they are paying for it. There is a growing trend among today's parents to get in touch with long-lost relatives they haven't seen in decades. Since you and your fiance will be paying for everyone's attendance, you and your partner will have more freedom in choosing who to invite.
Debt Conundrum
While it's a nice thought, not everyone can afford to pay for their wedding. Many couples in their twenties and thirties struggle financially due to high deposits and student debts.
Some couples are aware of how far they can go in asking their generous parents for financial support.
As a gesture of love, some parents may help their children financially with their weddings. The wedding dress might be paid for by the bride's parents, while the honeymoon could be covered by the groom's.
The couple will cover all of the other costs associated with the ceremony and reception, and friends and family are welcome to help pay for the honeymoon.
Helping hands
Honeymoon contributions from friends and family are becoming increasingly common. Presenting money as a gift was unusual in the past, but this is starting to change.
While some guests are happy to cover the cost of the honeymoon itself, others would rather purchase a more tangible gift, and still others are uncomfortable with the idea of giving cash. Remember to keep this in mind.
Some hip, nonconformist couples of today decided to split the wedding cost down the middle.
You need self-control to avoid frivolous spending because there's always something else to buy. It's less of a hassle if the wedding venue and invites are paid for as soon as money is available.
A New Way to Pay
Create a three-way split of the funds. Everybody pitches in for the wedding costs: the bride's side, the groom's side, and the happy couple themselves. It's a win-win situation financially, so everyone should benefit from this plan. But make sure to set up a meeting to discuss your expectations in advance. A parent who is helping to pay for the wedding might expect a few special treatment.
FAQs About Wedding
This expense is traditionally covered by the bride’s family, as they will often host the engagement party at their house, as a way to welcome and bring together the two families (usually for the first time!). However, whichever family is feeling the most generous can host or offer to throw the party.
Since the bride’s family pays for the engagement party, the groom’s parents traditionally paid for the rehearsal dinner. However, they should only settle for what they’re comfortable with, and hosting a small soirée the day before the wedding is more than enough!
The wedding rings are a split cost between the bride and groom’s families. The groom’s family will pay for the bride’s ring and vice versa.
The bouquet should be a gift from the groom to the bride, as she is his date. For an extra romantic twist, the groom can even pick wildflowers for the bride’s bouquet. The bride’s side of the family will traditionally pay for the flower decorations.
The bride’s side of the family traditionally pays for the bride’s and bridesmaid’s dresses. Although more and more, bridesmaids are paying for their attire. It depends on your budget, the type of dresses you want them to wear and whether or not it’s within their price range! You should discuss this early on with your bride squad, to avoid any confusion later.
As for the best man and usher suits? Unless they are matching and require special cases, the ushers should pay for them themselves. If the suits need to be tailor-made, it’s an expense that the groom’s side should kindly cover.
Traditionally each side of the family will pay for their own guest’s accommodation. However, this will depend on what the families are comfortable with. Nowadays, most guests will pay for their housing – just make sure you mention this on your information sheet! To help you plan a perfect hens party, check out our packages for ladies night at Magic Men.
Traditionally, it is the groom who pays for the honeymoon. However, most couples today are splitting the cost, and many are asking for donations towards their honeymoon, instead of wedding gifts! This is a new tradition that stems from the fact that people are getting married later and already living together when they tie the knot. This means they probably don’t need a new toaster or a 24-piece dinnerware set!
Conclusion
We've included a wedding budget calculator to help you get a handle on how much money you'll need for various celebration-related expenses. Having a financial plan in place and verifying everyone's duties and obligations ahead of time will help keep disagreements to a minimum. Historically, the bride's family would foot the bill for the majority of the wedding costs. The bride's family should make accommodations for the bridesmaids as part of the wedding planning process. Everything from the bride's dress and accessories to her and her partner's hair and makeup is part of the bridal appearance.
Other from the obvious expenditures like attire and travel, the family of the bride and groom typically split the expense of the wedding reception. The groom's parents are responsible for covering the costs of the wedding licence and officiant, the rehearsal dinner, and the hotels and transportation for the groom and his party. Before, the honeymoon was often planned and paid for by the groom and his family, but now days, the whole wedding party pitches in. The bride is the star of the show during this event. The bride traditionally pays for the groom's wedding ring, presents for her attendants, her own and her bridal party's hair, makeup, and beauty treatments, and hotel stays for out-of-town bridesmaids.
Parents traditionally foot the money for their children's weddings, although in modern times this is no longer expected. More and more often, couples are taking an active role in organising events. If your parents are footing the bill for the reception, they may want a say in who you invite. High deposits and school debts cause financial stress for many couples in their twenties and thirties. Some unconventionally cool couples have agreed to divide the wedding bill in half. If the wedding location and invitations are paid for as soon as the money is available, it will be less of a hassle.
Content Summary
- With the assistance of our practical budget tool, you can get a reasonable estimate of how much money you'll need for each aspect of your wedding.
- You can see how much everything is going to cost, how much each part is going to cost, and share that information with your loved ones.
- Traditional practise was that the family of the bride would pay for most of the wedding expenses.
- Another option is to ask for financial assistance from family members.
- Arranging a financial plan and confirming everyone's roles and responsibilities in advance can help keep arguments to a minimum.
- Even though these traditions aren't necessary in today's weddings, it's interesting to understand what was once expected of the bride's family.
- The bride's family pays for the reception, the wedding planner, and the bride's bachelorette party.
- Prior to the wedding, the bride's family assumes additional responsibilities.
- The wedding registration and officiant's fees, the rehearsals dinner, and the housing and travel expenses for the bridegroom and his party are all to be paid for by the groom's parents.
- Control over your wedding plans is proportional to the amount of money you contribute.
- For future brides: if you're going to establish a budget, then set the budget.
- The focus of the ceremony is, of course, the bride.
- Lastly, the groom is responsible for purchasing gifts for the bride and her attendants.
- In most cases, the honeymoon is the groom's financial responsibility.
- Should it still be customary for parents to pay for a child's wedding?
- Wedding expenses: who should foot the bill?
- We take a look at the various paths that couples might take when it comes to setting a wedding budget.
- However, arguments or even conflict might break out over who pays for what.
- Couples are becoming increasingly involved in the event planning process.
- They are also the ones that typically pay more out of pocket.
- Most married couples have to make compromises because they can't afford to buy everything they want.
- Taking money from your parents means sacrificing the wedding you really want.
- There will be parental input on the wedding budget if they are contributing significantly.
- Since you and your fiance will be paying for everyone's attendance, you and your partner will have more freedom in choosing who to invite.
- Some couples are aware of how far they can go in asking their generous parents for financial support.
- As a gesture of love, some parents may help their children financially with their weddings.
- The wedding dress might be paid for by the bride's parents, while the honeymoon could be covered by the groom's.
- The couple will cover all of the other costs associated with the ceremony and reception, and friends and family are welcome to help pay for the honeymoon.
- It's less of a hassle if the wedding venue and invites are paid for as soon as money is available.
- Everybody pitches in for the wedding costs: the bride's side, the groom's side, and the happy couple themselves.
- A parent who is helping to pay for the wedding might expect a few special treatment.