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Wedding Budget Q&As

Answers to who traditionally pays for what, who pays for whom, and other issues of wedding finances.

By: Diane Forden, Editor-in-Chief

Q: What does the bride's family traditionally pay for?

A: In generations past, the bride's family paid for the majority of the wedding expenses. Nowadays, with the costs of weddings growing and many couples marrying later when they are more likely to have careers and incomes of their own, more brides and grooms are contributing to, or even picking up entirely, the cost of the wedding. However, here are the traditional expenses that the bride's parents cover:

Engagement party (optional)
Wedding invitations and other stationery (announcements, thank-you notes, etc.)
Services of bridal consultant
Wedding gown and accessories
Flowers for ceremony and reception sites
Bouquets for bridesmaids
Music
Photography
Videography
Ceremony
Reception
Bridal party transportation to ceremony
and reception
Family's wedding attire

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Comments

Connie Ross replied on

My question is: if renting a house for the brides family are we expected to pay for the grooms family? One 6 bedroom house will take care of our family, the grooms family would require another another 4 bedroom and then his attendants, or do they pay for their own????? Help! If I could get a response ASAP that would be awesome.

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