Who pays the bridesmaid expenses? As the bride, getting married is an expensive affair. But asking your besties to be included in the bridal party comes with a few bridesmaid expenses of their own. There’s more to the job than just looking pretty and walking down the aisle. So before asking your best girlfriends to be bridesmaids, make sure it suits everyone’s budget. There is a lot of uncertainty about what bridesmaids should budget for and what costs are the bride’s expense, so to help you along, here is everything that the brides traditionally pay for.
The Bridesmaid Expense of Travel & Accommodation
Whether you have a destination wedding or something local, traditionally the way a bridesmaid gets to the wedding destination and where they stay is on them. For destination weddings, the bride might split the travel and accommodation costs. Make it easy for your bridesmaids to join you during this special time by organizing discounted day trips, reserving hotel room blocks and finding cheap flights.
Keep in mind that the accommodation cost for the night before the wedding falls solely on you as the bride. This is because most brides choose to share a hotel suite or villa with all her favorite girls on the eve of her wedding. Additionally, transportation on the wedding day is also the responsibility of the bride – this includes to and from the hotel, ceremony, and reception.
Who Pays for Wedding Attire?
Dresses, shoes, and accessories are a bridesmaid expense. Ultimately, the bride chooses each of the bridesmaids’ attire and how they wear it. There are several affordable dress options that make you stick to the budget. Most brides will gift the bridesmaids with jewelry to wear on the wedding day to match the bridesmaid dresses. You don’t need to spend a fortune to get all of your bridesmaids matching jewelry or shoes, just keep it simple.
Remember that bouquets, corsages and other floral accessories like flower crowns are an expense of the bride. When it comes to hair and makeup, it becomes a bit trickier as not everyone can afford to get their hair and makeup done professionally. If this is the case, the bride usually pays.
The Bridesmaid Expense of the Bridal Shower Party
One of the main expenses of being in the bridal party is to host the bridal shower. Usually, the family of the bride and groom will help foot the bill if they are co-hosting. They also might contribute by supplying the venue, food, and drinks. When it comes to a bridal shower gift, it is not required as the bridesmaids are already hosting the party. But if a gift is expected, bridesmaids are encouraged to pool their money and get one gift from all of them.
Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?
The rule of thumb when it comes to a bachelorette party is that all guests who are attending (including bridesmaids) the event pitch in to cover the bride’s and their expenses. The bridesmaid is however responsible for all décor, activities, food, and drinks at the pre-party.
Is a Wedding Gift Necessary?
With all that the bridesmaids to do for the bride and pay for out of their own pocket, no offense should be taken if the newlyweds don’t receive a gift from the bridal party. As the bridal shower gift, a good idea is to get one nicer gift that all of the bridesmaids contribute to.
Get all your bridal shower decor, gifts and cute bridal party attire on our online store – the perfect place for both bride and bridesmaid to shop!
Find out other bridesmaid responsibilities with How to Be A Good Bridesmaid: What the Bride Needs from You.
