For Love & Money: Who Pays for What?
by Molly Harrison
Weddings combine one of the happiest things in life love with one of the most stressful money. Weddings are expensive, but every penny spent adds up to a lifetime of memories. You want to make sure that the memories of your wedding day are of friends, family and fun, not squabbling over who paid for what.
Traditionally, the bride's parents handle the majority of the wedding expenses, but times have changed for many. Nowadays the couple often foots the bill themselves, or the families split the cost down the
middle. The best way to decide who pays for what is to talk about it with both families upfront, before you start planning the wedding. If you are planning to split the costs of the wedding between families, it is essential that you keep accurate, organized records of your expenses.
Traditional Wedding Expenses
Bride pays for:
- Grooms wedding ring
- Wedding gift for groom
- Gifts for attendants
Groom pays for:
- Brides engagement ring and
wedding ring
- Wedding gift for bride
- Marriage license
- Officiant's fees
- Bride's bouquet, boutonnieres for groomsmen and fathers, mothers'
corsages
- Gifts for best man and groomsmen
- Transportation from reception to hotel
- Honeymoon
Bride's parents pay for:
- Ceremony costs: location, music, rentals, flowers for location and bridesmaids
- Entire cost of reception: food, beverage, musicians or DJ, rental items, cake, flowers
- Bride's wedding dress and accessories
- Invitations and postage
- Photographer/videographer
- Transportation from wedding location to reception for bride and groom and attendants
Groom's parents pay for:
- Groom's wedding attire
- Rehearsal dinner and party
- Bride and groom pay for:
- Gifts of appreciation for parents or other helpers
- Expenses of items that exceed the original budget
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