As a guide, here's a list of the expenses traditionally covered by the parents of the groom: the wedding rings, officiant's fee, marriage license, the bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages for the immediate family, music (band/DJ), liquor at the reception and the honeymoon.
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.
As a chivalrous and considerate gesture, the groom's family tends to be responsible for the expenses of the flowers that decorate the ceremony, as well as the bride's bouquet. If they wish, this can be extended to also take care of the boutonnieres for the groomsmen and the bouquets for the bridesmaids.
Some common resolutions today are for the couple to pay for everything; for the bride's family to pay for half and the groom's family for half; or, for the couple to pay one third and each side of the family fund another third. If another combination works best for you, then it's the right one.
Traditionally, the groom's mother will take care of the rehearsal dinner arrangements and help prepare the guest list for the groom's side of the family. Both tasks should be done with both the bride and the groom's input. Any other responsibilities can be negotiated among the families.
Who Pays for the Mother-of-the-Bride and Groom's Beauty Team? As with most beauty questions, there is no hard-and-fast rule. Some brides may offer to cover hair and makeup services in order to thank the wedding party for being a part of their special day.
Traditionally, the groom's parents are the ones to plan and host the rehearsal dinner. They are usually also responsible for hosting any other welcome parties for the rest of the guests. They may want to utilize the couple's wedding planner to help with the event, or they can choose to plan it all on their own.
An easy rule of thumb is to stay within the average range of $75 to $200, but you can adjust the exact amount based on your personal finances, as well as your relationship with the couple.
The wedding protocol for the mother of the groom during guest-list planning is to politely ask how many guests she's permitted to invite. According to Swann, it's important that the mother of the groom is allowed a voice in the wedding guest list discussion because a wedding is about two families coming together.
Mother of the Groom with the Father of the Groom
Traditionally speaking, the mother of the groom will walk down the aisle with the father of the groom. They will take their seats on the right-hand side in the front-row.
Giving a memorable wedding gift to your son is a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in his life. As a bonus, it's a beautiful way to remind him of you while you're not in touch.
Money aside, they'll take on some important roles come wedding day, too, like greeting guests and participating in special dances. The most important thing they can do throughout the process, though, is support their child, offer advice, and calm any nerves their child might have on or before the wedding day.
Discussing Who Pays for the Wedding
Traditionally, most costs were covered by the bride's family, with the groom's family and the groom adding smaller amounts. But not all weddings have a single bride and groom—and not all families are able to contribute according to antiquated guidelines.
The bride and her family generally pay for the church, synagogue, or house of worship, along with the sexton, organist, and other vendors specific to the ceremony. The groom and his family pay for the marriage license and officiant fee.
Again, the couple's parents may or may not walk down the aisle (they can also just take their seats as the procession begins). Traditionally, the groom's parents will go first, followed by the mother of the bride, but the couple may choose to be escorted down the aisle by one or both of their parents.
Does the mother of the groom give the bride a gift? The mother of the groom traditionally brings a small gift to the bridal shower. When it comes to the wedding itself, the mother of the groom can give the bride a more sentimental gift, like a family heirloom, to officially welcome her into the family.
While in some families and cultures, the parents do give a tangible gift to the bridal couple, other families and cultures feel the wedding itself is enough. This means it is completely your choice.
The groom's parents precede the bride's mother during the processional. Here's a rundown: After the ushers have seated all of the guests, the grandparents start up the aisle, followed by the groom's parents. Then the bride's mother takes her turn. She is the last to be seated before the bridal party procession begins.
The mother of the groom should wear colors that look nice on her and complement the wedding colors. That doesn't mean you're supposed to wear the wedding theme colors––you want to stand out at the wedding, not blend in with the backdrop.
During your wedding ceremony, read a touching poem or say some words from the heart dedicated to your parents. To honor both sets of parents, have the bride read to the groom's parents and vice versa. Not only will it have the parents in appreciative tears, but also signifies the unification of the two families as one.
The bride's parents and grandparents are seated together, often with their children, children's spouses, and grandchildren if space is available. The groom's parents and grandparents are seated at another table, often with their children, children's spouses, and grandchildren if space is available.
Traditionally, the groom's mother stays with her son on the morning of the wedding, and there's nothing wrong with maintaining the custom. She may feel more comfortable being surrounded by her own family members, and she'll certainly want to be there for photos with her son anyway.
There's no set etiquette when it comes to if parents get wedding thank-you gifts as a couple, but giving a little thank-you trinket to each individual parent is a super sweet gesture no matter what.
Traditionally, he walks down the aisle solo but some grooms prefer walking down the aisle escorted by both parents. Other grooms prefer a more subtle approach by entering the ceremony from the side of the venue (following the officiant and followed by the groomsmen) to take his place at the altar.