Wedding Expenses: Who Pays for What?

Wedding Expenses: Who Pays for What?
These are the traditional guidelines and should help you determine who should pay for what. Circumstances vary and many couples are paying for the entire wedding themselves. Other couples get a certain amount of money that they put towards the wedding expenses.

Wedding & Engagement Rings

Bride's Engagement & Wedding Rings: The groom
Groom's Wedding Ring: The bride


Invitations, Announcements & Save the Date Cards

Invitations and or announcements : The bride’s family
Save the date cards: The bride’s family
Postage: The bride’s family
Wedding Stationery: The bride’s family

Attire and Accessories

Bride's Gown & Accessories: The bride’s family Today many brides pay for their own dress, shoes, veil and accessories
Groom's Tuxedo & Accessories: The Groom
Attire for the Groom's Attendants: The groomsmen
Attire for the Bride's Attendants: The bridesmaids
Attire for the Groom's Family: The groom’s family
Attire for the Bride's Family: The bride’s family

Flowers and Decorations

Flowers & Decor for the Ceremony and Reception: The bride’s family
Flowers for the Bride's Attendants: The bride’s family
Boutonnieres for the Groom's Attendants: The groom Boutonnieres for the Groom, Fathers and Grandfathers: The groom
Corsages for the mothers, stepmothers and grandmothers: The groom
Bride's Bouquet & Flowers: The groom
Many times the person paying for the flowers pays for all the flowers.

Ceremony and Reception

Marriage license fee: The groom
Ceremony /church location fee: The bride’s family
Officiant's/ clergymen’s fee: The Groom
Reception venue fee: The bride’s family
Food & Beverages: The bride’s family Today, many grooms families are paying for the beverages at the wedding reception.
Photographer -videographer: The bride’s family
Music and entertainment for the ceremony and reception: The bride’s family
Limousine or other transportation: The bride’s family
Other miscellaneous ceremony or reception costs: The bride’s family
Wedding cake: The Bride’s family
Favors: The Bride’s family

Other Expenses

Engagement photos: The Bride’s famil;y
Engagement party: The Bride’s family Today sometimes done in tandem with the grooms family.
Rehearsal dinner: The Groom’s family
Honeymoon: The Groom

Bridal Shower and Bachelor, Bachelorette –Hen Parties

Bridal Shower: The bridesmaids
Bachelor Party: The groomsmen
Bachelorette Party: The bridesmaids

Out-of-town Attendants and Guests

Accommodations for the Groom's Attendants: The Groom Today the attendants may pay for their own accommodations at a discounted rate arranged by the wedding couple at a local hotel.
Accommodations for the Bride's Attendants: The Bride
Today the attendants may pay for their own accommodations at a discounted rate arranged by the wedding couple at a local hotel.

GUESTS are responsible for their own transportation/travel AND accommodations but the wedding couple arrange for a block of rooms at a local hotel at a discounted rate and inform the guests in a flyer in the wedding invitation or send with the save the date card.
ATTENDANTS are responsible for their own transportation/travel expenses
Wedding Gifts

Gift for the bride: THE GROOM
Gift for the groom: THE BRIDE
Gifts for the bridesmaids and flower girl: THE BRIDE
Gifts for the groomsmen and ring bearer: THE GROOM
Thank you gifts for the parents: The wedding couple