Money plays a huge part in wedding planning and can be difficult to negotiate. When considering the question of who pays for the wedding, you might have to divide the wedding into parts. This is because traditionally, certain people are meant to pay for certain aspects. This has been evolving however, as couples leave old fashion rules behind and embrace concepts of their own.
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So, whether you’re trying to figure out who traditionally pays for the wedding or intend to rewrite rules of your own, here is a guide that can help you.
Quick Navigation
- Who Pays for the Wedding Ceremony?
- Who Pays For the Wedding Dress?
- Who Pays For the Catering?
- Who Pays For the Wedding Bands?
- Who Pays For the Rehearsal Dinner?
- Who Pays For the Wedding Reception?
- Who Pays For the Wedding Cake?
- Who pays for the Day-After Brunch?
- Who Pays For the Honeymoon?
- Common Mistakes Couples Make
Brides often Ask
Do Parents Usually Pay For Wedding?
Traditionally, parents pay for at least 50% of the wedding expenses, while the rest is handled by the couple and other loved ones. However, traditions have begun to change significantly with time.
What Is The Groom’s Family Supposed to Pay For?
Normally the groom’s family pays for the corsages, the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon as well as expenses for the groomsmen such as their lodgings and accessories like their boutonnieres.
What do Bride’s Parents Pay For?
Traditionally the parents of the bride pay for all expenses related to the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception. This includes the wedding dress, décor, photography and video, wedding day transportation and even lodgings for the bridal party.
In answering the question about who usually pays for the wedding, it is important to recognize that while the rules remain the same traditionally, modern day weddings are completely flexible. These days couples can choose which way they’d prefer to sway.
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Who Pays for the Wedding Ceremony?
Old School
Traditionally the bride and her family are who pay for the wedding ceremony, at least for most of it. They pay for the venue, the music and any other vendors needed. The groom and his family usually pay for the officiant’s fee and marriage license.
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Modern Approach
These days there’s no question about who pays for the wedding as the couple usually decide it among themselves, and anybody else who wants to chip in might offer to.
Who Pays For the Wedding Dress?
Old School
It’s easy to guess who pays for the wedding dress. This duty traditionally falls to the bride and her family. This would include accessories such as shoes, a veil, tiara and such. They would also be responsible for attires for other events like her bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, and honeymoon.
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Modern Approach
A modern couple might decide to purchase the wedding dress themselves. However, sometimes the mother of the bride might see this as her duty or her gift to the bride.
Who Pays For the Catering?
Old School
Parents of the bride are the hosts for the wedding reception and everything it entails. This includes catering. So, the menu, catering vendors and everything related to food for the wedding reception is traditionally handled by them.
Modern Approach
In some situations, the groom’s family or the couple themselves might choose to handle some of the expenses for items such as the drinks and even the décor.
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Who Pays For the Wedding Bands?
Old School
It is possible for the question on who pays for the wedding rings, to come up. The groom’s ring is traditionally purchased by the bride and/or her family. The bride’s ring is often bought by the groom and/or his family.
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Modern Approach
Many modern couples are opting to buy wedding rings for each other. Like an initial wedding gift to start off their lives together.
Who Pays For the Rehearsal Dinner?
Old School
If you are trying to figure out who pays for the wedding rehearsal dinner traditionally, look no further than the groom’s family. As hosts of the rehearsal dinner, they handle the expenses involved in planning and setting it up.
Modern Approach
Sometimes there might be more than one dinner, in which case, the bride’s family might host one.
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Who Pays For the Wedding Reception?
Old School
As for who pays for the wedding reception, the bride and her family traditionally handle all expenses related to the décor, food and all vendors. On some occasion the groom and his family can chip in for the alcohol and the DJ, plus the MC.
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Modern Approach
Modern couples have been known to handle their wedding reception expenses themselves, sometimes with their friends chipping in.
Who Pays For the Wedding Cake?
Old School
The hosts for the wedding reception are the bride and her family, so they handle all expenses therein. This also covers the question of who pays for the wedding cake. The wedding cake is part of the catering for the wedding reception, so it falls under their jurisdiction.
Modern Approach
Friends or other loved ones have been known to offer to cover the wedding cake as a wedding gift to the couple.
Who pays for the Day-After Brunch?
Old School
As the new head of the home, the groom is often expected to pay for the brunch the day after the wedding. His family can choose to contribute if it’s a big event.
Modern Approach
Rules are not as rigid for modern couple, and sometimes they and their friends might choose to cover the costs for the day after brunch. Family might choose to cover it as well.
Who Pays For the Honeymoon?
Old School
The question of who pays for the honeymoon in a wedding, is a good one, as it can be easily overlooked after all the festivities. Traditionally the groom and his family pay for the honeymoon.
Modern Approach
These days couples choose to plan and pay for their honeymoon themselves.
Common Mistakes Couples Make
Not Asking Each Parent If They Want to Contribute financially
Assumptions can cause all kinds of pain. So, whether you’re trying to decide who pays for the rehearsal dinner at a wedding or even the wedding ceremony, it’s a good idea to ask the parents if they are up for contributing in the first place.
Not Knowing Total Wedding Budget And How to Divide It Up
With so many expenses that can get out of hand, it is important to discuss and decide on your total wedding budget beforehand. Be realistic with your amount, and then divide it up, allocating certain amounts to each aspect of the wedding.
Not Talking Honestly And Openly With All Planning Participants
Money can be a testy subject, so for better management and success of the wedding as a whole, complete transparency is important. Practicing honesty will have everyone on the same realistic page at all times, and there would be less surprises.
Finances can test your relationship, and this often comes up when you’re trying to figure out who pays for the wedding. With this guide you can easily divide up the responsibilities with your loved ones, following the already pre-set rules, or creating new ones of your own.
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