Bridesmaid Dress and Accessories Do bridesmaids pay for their own dresses? It's a common question, and the answer is almost always yes.
Bridesmaids' dress
Buying a bridesmaid's dress is commonly a bridesmaid's own responsibility. If the bride wants to pay for her gal pals and wants to thank them for being with her, she can pay the whole amount or contribute to the bride's expense as a gift for the bridesmaids.
One thing the party customarily pays for themselves is their outfits—dresses, tuxedos, suits, and shoes. So, it's important to be aware of how much of a financial commitment this will be. “What do you want them to wear?
“It's very common in Australia for the bride to pay for the bridesmaid dresses. This varies overseas but if the bride wants something specific it seems fair for her to shoulder the cost. It's not uncommon however nowadays for the bride and bridesmaid to split the cost.”
Bridesmaid dresses
If you're on a tight budget and you can't afford to cover the cost of the dresses, it's reasonable to ask your bridesmaids to pay for them. These are some of your closest friends and family, so you'll probably find they are very understanding.
What expenses should I expect to cover as a bridesmaid? Most often, bridesmaids cover the cost of their dress and undergarments, shoes, accessories, and hair and makeup for the wedding day. The bride may opt to cover any of the aforementioned costs if she deems it appropriate.
The bridesmaids are responsible for covering the costs of their own dresses, undergarments, shoes, accessories, and hair and makeup for the big day.
The bride may agree to pay for makeup while the bridesmaid pays to get their hair done, for example. Depending on their ability, a bridesmaid may choose to do either their hair or makeup on their own to save herself or the bride money, says Shackleton.
“If the bride requires her bridal party to get their hair and makeup done professionally, it should be on her to pay for it,” says Marisa Sanfilippo of Red Bank. “I gave my girls the option to use my team if they want to have it done—two of them opted to do so, and one is handling her own hair and makeup.”
The bridal party is responsible for covering their own hair and makeup costs (or doing it themselves) unless the bride requests that hair and makeup be done in a certain way or by the same artist. In that case, it's the bride's responsibility.
Wedding Gift - Most bridesmaids spend anywhere from $50 to $100 on a wedding gift. With that in mind, it's also important to take your other expenses into consideration. The couple understands that you've spent a good chunk of change on everything else, so don't feel like you have to go overboard on your wedding gift.
"The bride should cover the cost of her wedding party's hair and makeup, especially if she's requesting or encouraging them to have it done," says Jove Meyer of Jove Meyer Events.
You might be aware that the bride's family is expected to cover the majority of the wedding day costs, while the groom's family pays for a variety of extra activities, like the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon.
In general, you should shop about six months out to allow for the order to arrive and any alterations needed. If you have a shorter timeline, shop our ready-to-ship bridesmaid dresses that will ship to you in just a few days!
According to tradition, the bride and her family should cover the majority of expenses including the bride's dress, venue hire, cake, decorations and other services, while the groom's main responsibilities are to pay for the engagement ring, honeymoon and the flowers for the bride.
In Australia, it is tradition for each guest to pay for herself to attend the hens party. When sending out your invites, be specific about what the hens party package includes, so people know exactly how much they are spending and what they are spending it on.
Typically, gifts from bridesmaids to the bride go beyond the wedding registry and are personal to your relationship. That said, practical gifts can also be meaningful, like self-care and wellness goodies to help ease wedding planning stress.
The bride's side of the family traditionally pays for the bride's wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Increasingly, however, bridesmaids are paying for their own dresses.
A kitchen tea is often hosted by the mother of the bride, her mother-in-law, or even the bridesmaids; they are the ones who pay. The hosts pay for a bridal shower, whether it is the bride's or bridesmaids' family. For a hen party, usually, each attendant pays for themselves, and they split the cost of the bride.
What is the Average Cost of Bridesmaid Dresses? According to experts, the average cost of a bridesmaid dress is about $150. Keep in mind that's the average cost for just one dress - multiply that average by the number of bridesmaids in your wedding party and the costs will add up quickly.
The principal bridesmaid, if one is so designated, may be called the chief bridesmaid or maid of honor if she is unmarried, or the matron of honor if she is married. A junior bridesmaid is a girl who is clearly too young to be marriageable, but who is included as an honorary bridesmaid.
The groom's family traditionally paid for all costs associated with the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon, wedding day transportation, and the officiant. The groom paid for the bride's engagement ring, wedding ring, and groomsmen gifts. It is also common for the groom's family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.
Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.