The most contentious subject for any wedding (and one that, without a doubt, will cause the most arguments) is money. Now you've set your budget you need to guide yourselves through the murky waters of working out who's responsible for paying for what. Whilst traditionally the bride's parents used to pay for the majority of the wedding, these days with a multitude of different familial circumstances it's not so cut and dried.
Who pays for what traditionally?
Bride's family
- Cost of ceremony, including the music, flowers, registering banns and all related expenses.
- The bride's wedding dress, shoes and accessories.
- Transportation for the bride and bridal party.
- Floral bouquets, including church and reception decorations.
- The reception costs, including the venue, food, beverages, entertainment, wedding cake, favours.
- Photography.
- Bridesmaids' dresses.
Groom's family
- The groom's outfit and best man and ushers outfits.
- Travel and accommodation for the groom's family.
- Corsages for the parents and buttonholes for the men.
- Any additional expenses they'd like to contribute towards.
- Corsages for the mums.
Bride and groom
- Gifts for the parents, the attendants and the best man.
- Any expenses that have exceeded the original budget.
- The honeymoon.
Who pays for what in a modern wedding?
- The costs may be divided equally between the two families.
- The bride and groom may choose to pay for the wedding themselves.
- The bride and groom may pay for majority of the costs with both families contributing towards elements that they'd like to help with, eg. the flowers, transport or cake.
- The two families may offer to contribute a certain amount towards the wedding, to be spent as the bride and groom wish.
- If either or both sets of parents are divorced a compromise can usually be found using a mixture of options.
