Reader Question: What should couples cover financially for our wedding party?
Let’s talk money, honey.
Modern weddings are a financial ballet – and your wedding party is dancing to a complex choreography of expenses. It’s time to get real about who pays for what because love shouldn’t come with a hefty price tag that breaks friendships before the “I do’s”.
While traditions vary, modern weddings add even more variables, meaning a one-size-fits-all approach often doesn’t suit this scenario.
Whether you’ve chosen five of your besties to be by your side or simply selected your brother to take on the best man duties, working out exactly what you expect your wedding party to pay for and what you will cover, is a changing landscape from couple to couple.
Whilst there are a few ways to approach this, our first recommendation is to remember that your wedding party are investing in your incredible celebration. The more considerate you are about their financial journey, the more able they are to make a meaningful contribution. And those meaningful memories will be the ones that endure, trust us.
Firstly, our number one tip is to consider how much you’re asking your wedding party to contribute overall. Factors like:
- Are they paying to travel to the wedding, to the engagement party, to dress/suit fittings and to the hens and bucks?
- Are they covering any expenses for the hens or bucks parties?
- Are they in a stage in life where they may also be paying for babysitting or being out of pocket due to time away from their work (for people who run a small business or are casual employees, this can be tricky)?
- Are you asking them to have a specific outfit for multiple occasions on top of the wedding celebration – for example, are they required to wear something specific to your hens, to get ready the morning of the wedding, or to change into later in the evening?
- Do you expect a gift from your wedding party?
Make some notes, get a sense of the overall figure their contribution will cost, and perhaps even consider sharing this with them. With this in mind, along with your own wedding budget and wedding style, you can determine how much you contribute.
Pro moves:
Covering costs for bridesmaid dresses, hair, and makeup but asking them to purchase their own shoes and accessories.
Groomsmen typically pay for their own suits, but you might cover accessories or rental.
Gifting their wedding morning outfit instead of an additional “please be my bridesmaid” gift or on-the-day treat.
Choosing more budget-friendly outfit options. Sometimes, specifying a colour or shade and allowing the wedding party to choose their gowns and suits within that colour palette is a great way to encourage budget flexibility.
Being transparent about total expected costs upfront.
Remember, your wedding party is choosing to stand beside you because they love you – not because they want to go broke in the process. Communication, transparency, and a dash of financial generosity go a long way.
Ivory Tribe Insight: True friendship isn’t measured by how much someone can spend but by how much love they’re willing to share.
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