Who pays for what?

The following is a breakdown of the customary costs, but do keep in mind that families need to be flexible,

and what's most important is that you create the day of your dreams, without breaking anyone's budget.

Bride's Family
• Groom's ring
• bridesmaid luncheon
• the first engagement party
• invitations, announcements, enclosures, personal stationery, wedding programs, thank-you notes
• bride's dress, veil, accessories, trousseau
• mother of the bride's dress, father of the bride's formalwear
• floral arrangements for ceremony and reception sites, bouquets for bridesmaids and flower girls
• fees for ceremony site, sexton, organist, soloist, rental of aisle carpet, marquee, or huppah
• engagement and wedding photos and video
• transportation of bridal party to ceremony and reception site
• all professional reception services, food, drinks, decorations, music, etc.
Bride buys wedding gifts for her attendants and the groom.

Groom's Family
• Bride's engagement and wedding ring
• engagement party (it should follow any festivities hosted by the bride's family)
• a rehearsal dinner
• groom's thank-you notes
• personal stationery
• groom's formalwear
• his mother's dress, his father's formalwear
• bride's bouquet, corsages for both mothers and grandmothers, boutonnieres for best man and ushers
• marriage license, clergy member or judge's fee
• limousine to airport, complete honeymoon
Groom buys wedding gifts for attendants and the bride.

Attendants
• Best man and/or ushers host the bachelor party
• maid of honor and/or bridesmaids host a bridal shower and may host a girls€ night out
• maid of honor and bridesmaids pay for their dresses and accessories (shoes, too), ushers pay for rental of their formalwear
• attendants who live in the area may offer out of town attendants a place to stay
• attendants may give wedding gifts individually, or pool their resources for a group gift
Options to share
• Bride's or groom's family may offer heirloom rings
• bride's family may host the rehearsal dinner
• bride or her family may pay for bridesmaids dresses and accessories, groom or his family may pay for ushers rentals
• bouquets may be purchased by bride's family, bride may give corsages to mothers and grandmothers
• couple may cover all ceremony costs
• one family may pay for photography, the other for videography, the groom's parents or the couple may pay for any extra prints
• either family may arrange for transportation, babysitters, a welcome buffet for out of town guests, or lodging for out of town attendants
• groom's family may offer to share reception costs, or cover specific services (liquor, musicians, etc.)
• couple may buy thank-you gifts for parents and friends or relatives who helped with planning

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