With couples marrying in 2023 spending an average of £19,184 to host the big day of their dreams yet the cost of living crisis still far from over, devising a realistic budget (and sticking to it!) is more important than ever. But, whether you’re fiercely independent or not, you don’t have to plan and pay for your wedding day alone.
Many couples have help funding their weddings, with those following tradition or taking a more modern route to planning receiving essential support from family and friends. Read on to discover what the ‘done thing’ is today when it comes to wedding finances as well as who traditionally pays.
The wedding flowers
Whether used to add a flourish to your ceremony or reception space, your wedding flowers are certain to be a big expense.
Traditionally, the groom would pay for any floral decorations, while the bride’s family would cover the cost of bouquets and buttonholes. Most couples these days however pay for their own wedding flowers, wherever they intend to use them.
The bride’s attire
From the dress and accessories to bridal hair and makeup, there’s a lot of time and money that goes into completing that wedding look. It is tradition for the bride’s family to cover the cost of the wedding gown and accessories along with any other expenses that the bride incurs.
Today, most brides prefer to be the masters of their own destiny. While contributions are of course welcomed, buying the wedding dress is a sure-fire way to call the shots when defining your own wedding style.
The bridesmaid dresses
The cost of the hen party is traditionally covered by all attendees, and the same rules apply when it comes to those bridesmaid dresses as Yeah Weddings details:
“…the bridesmaids are typically expected to pay for their own dresses. Traditionally, that also means your shoes and accessories. However, this can also depend on the bride herself and the type of wedding. Some brides may offer to foot the bill for bridesmaid dresses if they have the means. Weddings are expensive, however, and the bride and groom have many other expenses to worry about.”
The wedding suits
For the groom and his party, it’s traditionally the groom’s side of the family who pay for the wedding suits. Yet, even then, the groom and groomsmen were expected to cover the cost of other items, like their shirts, ties, shoes and cufflinks.
In the modern day, just like the bridesmaids, groomsmen are expected to pay for – or at least contribute towards – their wedding day attire, whether they are bought or rented.
The wedding reception
In years gone by it was the bride’s family or both sets of parents who would settle the bill for the vast majority of wedding costs, including all the big and little touches that make the wedding reception.
While this is no longer the norm, the wedding reception remains a great place to accept contributions from willing family members and friends, whether you’re putting the money they gift you towards table displays and other decorations or your wedding entertainment.
The wedding rings
As tokens of their love, it was up to the bride and groom to purchase each other’s wedding rings, which would traditionally only be revealed at the altar on the wedding day. Today, many couples choose to buy their wedding rings together. It’s a great way to spend some quality time as a twosome during the wedding planning process!
