Your Wedding: Who Answers For What?

Since even the most average-costing wedding easily rakes in in the tens of thousands of dollars nowadays

Since even the most average-costing wedding easily rakes in in the tens of thousands of dollars nowadays, the financial duties for your big day are ever more pressing if you want to stay within your set budget. If you’re planning on getting married anytime soon, you may be wracking your head out on how to maximize your resources while keeping the cost manageable. Traditionally, wedding costs are shouldered by everyone who’s involved in it – to each his own, and accordingly. If you’re looking for a reasonable guide when it comes to knowing who answers for what, the following information might offer some help.

The bride traditionally answers for her bridal gown and accessories

The bride traditionally answers for her bridal gown and accessories, as well as for the groom’s ring, the basket for the flower girl, and the pillow for the ring bearer. She’ll also have to make up for gifts for her entourage; the bridesmaids, her maid of honor, and her hostess as well. If any of her guests are arriving from out of town, she may also answer for these. The groom arranges for the marriage license, and his bride’s engagement and wedding ring. He also pays for his entourage’s thank you gifts (for the best man and the groomsmen). Flowers, a necessity in all weddings, should be shouldered by him, as well as for the corsages, and transportation needs for the ceremony and the reception. He also pays for hotel accommodations for out-of-town guest arrivals, particularly his groomsmen.

wedding photos and favors

The couple shares in the expenses of the unity candle and its holder; the wedding photos and favors; the gifts for the flower girl as well as the ring bearer; the details of the honeymoon; and overnight accommodations for attendants, and the thank-you cards for the guests. The bride’s parents answer for the invites, the ceremony venue, flowers and fixtures, the reception hall rental fee, the wedding music, the bridal cake, and the professional reception catering. The parents of the groom can pay for the bridal dress and the groom’s suit, as well as for the rehearsal dinner.

Bridesmaids pay for their own dresses and accessories

Bridesmaids pay for their own dresses and accessories, and are responsible for arranging the bridal shower. The groomsmen pay for their own suits, and are tasked with the details of the bachelor party. The parents of the children who would serve as the flower girl or the ring bearer pays for the dress and accessories, and the Eton suit or tuxedo, as well as for their own accommodations if they come from out of town.

This brief checklist may raise some eyebrows with today’s very liberal attitude on weddings; but that’s tradition, and you can tweak the list to make it more comfortable for everyone involved (especially for the bride’s parents). You can also extend a favor by doing away with tradition; you can answer for your bridesmaid’s dresses – now, that’s one perk your girlfriends would truly appreciate. The wedding budget may work either way as well. If you feel as a couple that you are up to the costs (with a few compromises), then you can cover for all expenses; otherwise the families of both parties can contribute to make the costs easier to bear within a comfortable wedding budget.