Your wedding is a happy time! Your special day is supposed to be filled with love and laughter, but we all know that the road to getting there is filled with bumps and bruises. A wedding planner is a great way to make your planning smoother, but before you do anything a budget should be implemented. There is nothing worse than looking for designs and ideas for your day before deciding what you can spend. Expectations tend to be a bit higher than reality so before you make any decisions create your budget, and make your life easier!
Who’s paying:
Traditionally the bride’s parents shoulder most of the financial burden, but circumstances do not always allow for families to follow tradition. Today’s merging families split the costs in many ways.. Some lucky couples are able to pay for their own wedding, which makes it easy.
The bride’s family pays for:
* Bride’s Wedding Attire
* Bride’s Parents’ Wedding Attire
* Bridesmaid Luncheon
* Invitations & Other Paper Supplies
* Groom’s Ring
* Photography
* Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue
* Wedding Reception
* Flowers for Ceremony & Reception
* Bridal Party Flowers
* Transportation for the Wedding Party
* Transportation and Accommodations for the Bride’s Family
* Videography
* Entertainment
* Wedding Consultant/Coordinator
* Bride’s Parents’ Wedding Attire
* Bridesmaid Luncheon
* Invitations & Other Paper Supplies
* Groom’s Ring
* Photography
* Wedding Ceremony & Reception Venue
* Wedding Reception
* Flowers for Ceremony & Reception
* Bridal Party Flowers
* Transportation for the Wedding Party
* Transportation and Accommodations for the Bride’s Family
* Videography
* Entertainment
* Wedding Consultant/Coordinator
The grooms family pays for :
* Groom’s Wedding Attire
* Groom’s Parents’ Wedding Attire
* Rehearsal Dinner
* Bride’s Ring
* Bride’s Bouquet & Flowers for Parents & Grandparents
* Transportation and Accommodations for the Groom’s Family
* Liquor
* Marriage License
* Officiant Fee
* Groom’s Parents’ Wedding Attire
* Rehearsal Dinner
* Bride’s Ring
* Bride’s Bouquet & Flowers for Parents & Grandparents
* Transportation and Accommodations for the Groom’s Family
* Liquor
* Marriage License
* Officiant Fee
* Gratuities
* Honeymoon
Nina Callaway in an article on About.com Guide wrote about a modern take on who pays for what at a wedding:
After announcing their engagement, the bride and groom sit down and estimate what they’ll spend on the wedding, after finding a reception site and making general decisions about theme, style, time of day etc. They then approach their parents and after describing what they’ve decided on so far, say gently, “We were wondering if you would be able to pitch in for any of the costs.” The parents may look at the budget and say, “We’d like to pay for the reception food and the flowers” for example. They may also offer a set amount they’ll contribute. If their parents say they can’t afford to contribute, or only offer a small amount, the bride and groom say, “Thank you for considering,” and perhaps have to revise their budget or find creative ways to pay for the wedding.