Wedding Etiquette – Paying for the Wedding

Now that we have made it through the holiday season, it’s time to change subjects.

The next item I will spend a few entries on is wedding etiquette. Weddings are events shrouded in tradition and required etiquette, and it can be hard to keep track of all of these points of etiquette.

This blog will discuss one of the first considerations after the proposal has been accepted: who pays for what and when. Please remember, however, that this information only applies to couples that choose to pay for the wedding in a traditional manner. Many couples have now opted to pay for their own weddings, or to have things paid for by whomever can afford it. This information will not apply to those situations. However, this information offers good points of reference.

Let’s start with what the groom and his family are traditionally responsible for.

First, the groom:

1. Wedding ring for the bride
2. Wedding gift for the bride
3. Bride’s bouquet
4. Groomsmen/usher’s gifts
5. Mother’s corsages
6. Groom’s/groomsman/usher’s boutonnières
7. Wedding license
8. Medical visit for the groom (where required)
9. Minister/officiant’s fee
10. Groomsmen formal accessories
11. Transportation too/from wedding/reception (limo, town car, etc.)
12. Honeymoon

Now the groom’s family:

1. Groom’s cake (a small wedding cake themed to the groom’s interests; served during the wedding reception alongside the traditional wedding cake)
2. Rehearsal dinner
3. Father of the groom’s formal wear

Next, we’ll look at what the bride and bride’s family are typically responsible for.

Starting with the bride:

1. Wedding ring for the groom
2. Wedding gift for the groom
3. Gifts for the bridesmaids
4. Medical visit for the bride (where required)
5. Bridesmaid’s luncheon
6. Accommodations for guests coming in from out-of-town

And the bride’s family:

1. Bridesmaid bouquets
2. Grandmother corsages
3. Ceremony and reception flowers
4. All rented items for the wedding and reception
5. Invitations and announcements
6. Wedding programs
7. All printed items
8. The church/wedding location fee
9. Musicians
10. Janitorial fees
11. All reception fees (including catering and decorations, etc.)
12. Photography
13. Videography
14. Reception DJ/live band
15. Wedding cake
16. Wedding favors
17. Bridal luncheon
18. Wedding breakfast
19. Formal wear for father of the bride

The bridesmaids are responsible for:

1. The bridesmaid gowns
2. The bridal shower

The groomsmen are responsible for:

1. Groomsmen formal wear
2. The bachelor party

Remember! These rules are not hard-and-fast. They can simply be useful guidelines when breaking down who will end up paying what for the wedding.

Photo courtesy of:

http://www.torontoweddingcake.com/brown.bmp

Content assistance courtesy of:

http://ourmarriage.com/html/who_pays_for_what.html

http://www.topweddinglinks.com/etiquette.html