Money Matters

What follows is a traditional division of nuptial expenses. However, because we no longer live in a society wherein tradition is paramount, this is intended as merely a guide. The question of who pays for what these days in effect comes down to who is both willing and able to. Remember - communicate with all the involved parties at the outset of planning and be both realistic and courteous.

Brides Family

Invitations, and other wedding stationery, including postage.

Bride's dress and all accessories.

Bridesmaid's dresses/outfits.

Flower arrangements for the reception.

Entire reception - food (caterer), drink, hire of venue.

Photographer's fees.

Music for the ceremony - i.e. choir, organist and/ or soloist fees.

Transportation for bridal party to ceremony and reception.

Aisle carpets and/or canopy, and any additional decorating costs .

Wedding cake.

Flowers for the church.

All extras such as confetti.

Groom

Announcement of wedding in press, although this is sometimes done by bride's father.

Bride's engagement and wedding rings.

All "personal" flowers - includes the bride's bouquet, bridesmaid's flowers, mother's corsages and boutonnieres for all men in wedding party.

Gifts for best man and ushers.

Fees of church/chapel etc. or civil ceremony as well as the fee for clergy or judge.

Groom's suit and best man's, if rented.

Transport for him and his immediate family to the ceremony.

Wedding gift for Bride.

Accommodation for the wedding night.

Honeymoon.

Marriage license.

Bride

Wedding gift for Groom.

Wedding ring for Groom.

Gifts for attendants, although this is often paid for by groom.)

Going away outfit.

Groom's Parents

Wedding gifts for the newly-weds.

In this day and age, quite often the groom's parents do contribute to the cost of the proceedings, usually by covering the cost of the drinks at the reception.

• Banks have credit lines available to couples specifically for events such as Weddings? This allows you to only borrow as much as you need while paying as much back as you want with minimal interest.
• A Wedding is one of the single largest purchases a couple will make in their lifetime apart from a car and a mortgage for a house?
• Insurance companies offer event insurance for your wedding? We recommend this highly to cover any unexpected mishaps or theft.

1. Decide what element of your wedding is the most important to you and to your fiancé. Yours may be the flowers, and his may be the photographs. Plan to spend more than average price for these two elements
2. Find out what money you have, from both of your own savings and income, as well as that money coming in from parents or other family members. Have a sit-down meal with these dearly beloved's and tactfully explain that you are working out your wedding budget and that it would help you if you knew what contributions they may be making.
3. Once you know what you have, you can work out how much you are willing to spend on each individual element of your wedding from the Bride's Gown and Attendants' gifts to the type of mint you are including your guests wedding favors.

   You can do this by assigning each thing an actual amount (i.e., $750 for your gown, $200 for the attendant’s gifts), OR by assigning them percentages of your budget. For example, while you may be prepared to spend 30% of your budget on good food and wine, you may only want to put 5% towards wedding favors. By putting percentages on the different elements of your wedding, it helps you put things in perspective, as it is very easy to lose sight of the big picture.

4. Write all of this down in some way, whether through a graph or simple chart, and write down how much you plan to spend, and then how much you did. Obviously, if you go over budget in one area, you will have to reduce your spending in another.