Who Traditionally Pays For What In The Wedding?

It sounds like a simple choice of picking which person foots the bill, but believe me when I say it’s much more complicated than that! As the years go by, traditions often change, and some people end up confused about how they should break down their wedding expenses. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Here is the breakdown of what has been the tradition of who pays for what before, during, and after the wedding and some suggestions as to whether or not following age old expectations works for you.

The Bride’s Family

Yup, we’re splitting it up the old conventional way. Traditionally the bride’s family is in charge of multiple wedding expenses, and in some cultures have been expected to pay for the entire wedding itself as a dowry. The breakdown of the expenses often covered by the bride include the following:

• Wedding Planning/Consulting Services

• All Stationary (think invitations, programs, cards, etc.)

• The Bride’s Wedding Dress and Accessories

• Flowers and Wedding Decor

• Venue and Church Expenses (This covers the ceremony and reception)

• Catering, the Wedding Cake, Drinks and Music for the Reception

• Wedding Photography/Videography

• Wedding Favors

• Transportation and Lodging for Bridesmaids and Bride’s family

And that’s just the wedding itself! Additional expenses that are traditionally paid by the Bride’s Family include:

• The Engagement Party

• Pre-Wedding Parties

• Morning-After Brunch

The Groom’s Family

Don’t think the Groom and his family get to run away without any expenses of their own! Even with all of those wedding expenses traditionally paid by the Bride’s family, here is the breakdown of what other expenses have to be covered on the other side of the aisle:

• The Bride’s Engagement & Wedding Rings

• The Groom’s Attire & Wedding Gifts

• The Marriage License

• Wedding Officiant Expenses

• The Rehearsal Dinner

• The Bride’s Bouquet, Boutonnieres, and any Corsages

• All Transportation and Lodging for Groomsmen and family

• Limousine expense for leaving the reception or after the wedding

• The Honeymoon

• Shipment of Any Wedding Gifts To The Couple’s New Home

Initially it was expected that the Groom take care of all these expenses on his own, but with the continuing rise in costs of weddings, it’s good to know that the Groom’s family can pitch in to fill in the gaps.

Remember to look up any other expenses not listed in this article. There can always be some hidden expectation when it comes to wedding expenses, and it’s best to be know beforehand to prevent any confusion or misunderstandings, especially with money!

So How Important Is Tradition?

With the world constantly changing, some say tradition is best preserved, especially for something as important as a wedding. But with the modern family being something that is always changing, what should be a priority is how the two of you set your standards for how the wedding expenses are paid and ensuring those standards are communicated to all relevant parties.

Not everyone is fortunate enough to be in a position to have two supporting families help pay the bills for the wedding, and so what’s important is to prioritize what can be spent and what can’t make the budget. Having a traditional wedding can be a wonderful thing, but at times it is not a realistic approach to making your wedding a reality.

Just remember if wedding expenses seem to add up a lot, then you can always opt for a more feasible wedding, and you don’t have to spend too much to have a wedding you’ve always wanted!

VIP Weddings Las Vegas offers plenty of wedding options for couples looking to tie the knot in Las Vegas itself! Contact us for more information on how we can help make your wedding dreams come true.