Consider Who Traditionally Pays for the Wedding “It's harder to think about this now, and I am a feminist, but historically it has to do with the ancient practice of a bride's family giving a dowry to the groom's for assuming the 'burden' of a bride,” Post says.
Do I Have to Follow Tradition? Traditionally, it is the responsibility of the bride's family – specifically, her mother and father – to pay for most of the wedding. It's not clear exactly how this tradition started, but it's thought to have evolved from the practice of the bride's family paying a dowry to the husband.
While traditionally the bride's parents were responsible for hosting (and paying for) the entire celebration, today many couples join both sets of parents in contributing.
Traditionally, the father of the bride is financially responsible for the wedding. Nowadays, that's not always the case, and that's okay. Sometimes the bride and groom will contribute, as well the parents of the groom. Even if you're not paying for the wedding, offer to help deliver payments to the vendors.
The bride's family often pays for the majority of the wedding, including the ceremony, reception, and any other associated costs. In contrast, the groom's side of the family is expected to pay for the wedding's rehearsal dinner and honeymoon.
According to a recent survey by The Knot, on average, parents contribute to 51% of the wedding budget, while couples cover the remaining 49% percent.
Depending on their relationship with the bride, wedding guests typically give between $50 – $150 when making a monetary gift. As parents of the bride, it's standard to give significantly more. However, you should first consider what is financially comfortable for your budget.
A ring dish or jewelry box is a great wedding day gift. Many ring dishes and jewelry boxes can also be personalized with the bride's new name and wedding date to make it a keepsake she will never forget. If you want to give a really generous gift, you could gift a piece of jewelry with the ring dish or jewelry box.
Traditionally, the bride's parents pay for the wedding ceremony and reception which is why they take on the role of host/hostess. This responsibility includes determining the final guest count, making guests feel welcomed and seeing that everything goes smoothly. Oversee the closing of the reception.
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.
Who Traditionally Pays for the Honeymoon. "'Traditional' older etiquette states that the groom and his parents are supposed to fund the honeymoon because the bride and her family are paying for the wedding," explains Forrest Skurnik while noting that these rules no longer apply.
The verdict is in: it's no longer customary for a bride's parents to foot the wedding bill. But that doesn't mean there aren't significant budgeting conversations to be had.
The average wedding held in 2022, including both the ceremony and reception, cost $30,000, according to The Knot. That's the most couples have spent since 2018 ($33,931), before COVID-19. It's also $2,000 more than the 2021 average, which totaled $28,000 for the ceremony and reception.
It's tradition for the bride's family to pay for the ceremony venue, while the groom would pay for the celebrant and the marriage license.
The bride's side of the family traditionally pays for the bride's wedding dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Increasingly, however, bridesmaids are paying for their own dresses.
Traditionally, the bride's family pays for the majority of the wedding expenses, including the ceremony and reception. This is because, historically, the bride's family was responsible for providing a dowry or a portion of their wealth to the groom's family.
The mother of the bride should avoid trying to control every aspect of the wedding, criticizing the bride's decisions, or creating unnecessary drama.
The mother of the bride is traditionally escorted by her son if she has one. Otherwise, any close male relative, the best man, or a groomsman walks with the mother of the bride during the procession.
It's the mother of the bride's responsibility to greet all the guests she knows, and introduce herself to those she doesn't. The MOB should be part of the receiving line (if the couple is having one), and if not, she should go table to table to say hello to guests and thank them for attending.
In this role you are literally giving your daughter away to her new husband and his family. Your main duty is to get her to the church on time and walk her down the aisle to where the groom is waiting.
However, if the fathers are wearing more casual outfits, perhaps a black, navy, or grey lounge suit, then it would be appropriate to buy them as they will get plenty of use after the wedding. Generally the fathers will be happy to pay for these types of suits themselves.
"It's common to give anywhere from $100 to $1,000. I often see the card box on the gift table oozing with overstuffed envelopes," Burton says. "As a bride myself, I received one $1,000 check. However, this was from an uncle who is well off.
What is a good cash wedding gift amount for one person? If you're flying solo and just a casual friend of the bride or groom, then you can spend $75-$100 on your gift. Even if you're a super close friend of the couple, $500 is the most you should give. $2,000 might be too much.
$100 to $250 is a safe range for a cash gift at a wedding
How much you give at a destination or local wedding depends on your relationship with them and your budget,” he says.