Wedding Costs - Who traditionally pays for a wedding

One question that usually comes up when a couple announces their engagement is, "Who will pay for the wedding?"

Traditionally, the majority of the wedding expenses are paid for by the bride and/or her family. In our more modern times, however, another approach is to divide the costs up between the bride and groom and each set of parents.

Below is a list of the traditional guidelines for wedding expenses. You may choose to adapt this list to your own personal needs and preferences.

BRIDE/BRIDE'S FAMILY:
- Any needed rental items
- Arrange for accommodations for out of town guests* (grooms family can also arrange this, depending on whose hometown the wedding is taking place at)
- Bridesmaids wedding gifts
- Ceremony Costs
- Ceremony Decorations
- Ceremony/Reception Flowers
- Entertainment (DJ, Band, Harp, etc.)
- Favors
- Flowers (bridesmaids bouquets, all corsages, ceremony)
- Gratuities/Tips for services
- Grooms wedding gift
- Grooms wedding ring
- Guest Book
- Her blood tests/medical checkup
- Invitations, thank you cards, announcements, mailing expenses, etc.
- Lingerie
- Photographer
- Printed items such as napkins, matchbooks, etc.
- Programs
- Reception costs (hall fee, etc.)
- Videographer
- Wedding Breakfast
- Wedding Consultant/Coordinator's Fee
- Wedding Dress, Veil and accessories


GROOM/GROOM'S FAMILY:
- Accessories for men in wedding party, such as socks, gloves, etc.
- Alcohol at the reception
- Arrange for accommodations for out of town guests* (brides family can also arrange this, depending on whose hometown the wedding is taking place at)
- Bride's wedding gift
- Bride's wedding rings
- Flowers (Brides bouquet, all boutonnieres)
- Groomsmens gifts
- His blood tests/medical checkup
- Honeymoon
- Limosine/Carriage costs
- Marriage License
- Officiant Fee
- Rehearsal Dinner expenses
- Wedding Attire


ATTENDANTS/USHERS:
- Any necessary travel expenses
- Shower gift
- Wedding attire and accessories
- Wedding gift for the newlyweds

Bridal Shower Party Favors

Bridal showers are generally hosted by the family friends or bridesmaids about a fortnight or a month before the wedding. These events offer you the perfect opportunity to celebrate an upcoming wedding with the beautiful bride to be. This is also the best time to give the bride gifts that will please her and probably help her start a new life. Since the occasion calls for gifts, it is important that you go for the bridal shower equipped with the best gift you can think of.

Generally, bridal favors have some theme. In the past, it was common to find a kitchen theme where the gifts given would help the bride set up her new kitchen from scratch. However, these days, themes have become more modern. As brides get older and wedding showers become hasty affairs, you may not find themes in many bridal showers now. So, instead of cuing in to the theme, it is better to go by the bride and groom’s registry. You may get great gift ideas from these.

Whether you decide to give something useful or something that looks infinitely pretty, it is important to choose bridal shower party favors carefully. Keep in mind that you are contributing to an event that will likely stay in the bride’s mind for the rest of her life. So you do not want to goof up and give her something that will embarrass you and probably enrage or disappoint her. Here are some tips that will help you select the best bridal shower party favors:

Ø Find out what the bride likes. If you are a close friend, this should not be too difficult. Does she have a liking for porcelain stuff? Or is she a lingerie person? Or perhaps her taste lies in jewelry? Once you know what she likes, finding the right gift becomes a much simpler task.

Ø Draw your budget, and stick to it. Since you are celebrating a joyous occasion of someone you love, it is easy to get carried away by the romance and solemnity of the occasion. But, it pays to be a little cautious with your financial planning. So, set a budget before you begin hunting for a gift. While this budget may not be written in stone, your figure will be a safe benchmark that will help you decide how much to splurge on the event.

Ø Purchase your gift from a reputed company. A lot of people goof up when they try to cut costs by buying from the wrong shops. Remember that the bride will be keeping her gift for a long time. So, you need something that can stand the test of time. Even if you are paying a few extra dollars, quality counts. Do not compromise on this.

To make your bridal shower party favor more pleasing to the bride, you may opt for a personalized gift. A personalized gift will add much to the warmth of the gift, though it may be a little costlier than an ordinary gift.

Bridal showers are fun affairs. It is a happy occasion when a woman is at the threshold of a new life. So, it is important to present a gift that means well, looks good and gives pleasure.

How to make matching bridesmaids dresses unique

Are you a bride that want your maids to have their own distinct look at your wedding? Well, here are five tailoring ideas to make matching bridemaids dresses look unique:

1. Have extra trim from the dresses? Use them to make chic ruffle hems.
2. If you've shortened the hemline (even just an inch), take the leftover fabric and use it to create straps.
3. Got scraps? Make a whimsical and fun fabric flower brooch.
4. If they're wearing strapless dresses, gathers in the front and center can form a flattering sweetheart neckline.
5. Allow each maid to select a hem length that best suits her figure. For instance, tea length will look fabulous on your tall, slim friends, and above the knee hemlines look great on those with shorter figures.

From: The Knot Georgia

Photo from ioffer.com

How to ask your loved ones to be in your wedding

You want your closest family and friends to stand beside you on your big day, but you may have no idea how to ask them to be a part of it. Fortunately, there are some really cute and creative ways to ask your bridesmaids, maid(s) and matron(s) of honor to participate in your wedding:

Ask her face to face. If possible, it's a great idea to take her to lunch so you can ask her. And if a lot of your bridesmaids live close by, you can ask them at the same time and use the lunch as an opportunity for early bridesmaid bonding.

Use humor. Everyone knows the joke that bridesmaid dresses are less than appealing. And the folks over at UglyDress.com have a collection of ugly bridesmaid dresses. You can print out your favorites, and use them to create a card with a cute or funny phrase.

Send her a book. Wrap a bridesmaid guidebook in pretty paper, and place a note on top. You can write something like, "This is something I think you'll be needing soon." Make sure you place a personal note in the book as well.

For more ways, check out my source, How to Ask a Friend to be a Bridesmaid.

Photo from: zazzle.com