If you’re planning a wedding, no doubt you’ve heard the rule that the bride’s family pays for the ceremony and the groom’s pays for the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon. While rules, especially archaic ones, are meant to be broken, you may be looking for ideas on how the two families can split the cost, and save your sanity.
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The groom probably thought his responsibility was looking at engagement rings and popping the question, and that this was enough to get things rolling without him, but he needs to keep a few things in mind. First of all, it’s traditionally the man’s place to pay for the marriage license and officiant’s fee. He’s responsible for purchasing or renting his tux and getting the guys together to make sure they have their outfits coordinated. It’s also tradition for the groom’s family to pay for the bride’s bouquet and any boutonnieres and corsages for the groomsmen and mothers. And although he’s already bought that dazzling diamond ring, he still has to buy both his and the bride’s wedding rings.
The bride’s family generally pays for the dress, the ceremony location, wedding photography, bridesmaids’ luncheon, and reception services. To cut down on costs, consider booking your wedding during a weekday when rates are less expensive. You can also cut costs by creating your own artificial bouquets and centerpieces. As an added bonus, you get to keep your bridal bouquet forever. Keep the guest list small and create an intimate ceremony with close friends and family, and skip the added cost of alcohol. Most importantly, keep the communication lines open between families to ensure everything is being taken care of.