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FAQs

Who is financially responsible for a wedding? ›

The bride's family pays for the wedding, but that custom is rapidly changing. Couples are increasingly choosing to handle at least half of the wedding expenses on their own. Early planning and a written budget can help avoid miscommunication when deciding who pays for what.

If you don't feel you can be on the hook for an entire wedding, you have statistics that can back you up. So here's how it breaks down. On average, the bride's parents usually spend 44 percent of the overall budget, while the couple contributes 43 percent and the groom's parents pop for about 12 percent.

"Every single couple is unique, which means every single wedding's finances will be unique. Some couples might choose to stick with the tradition, some might be paying for their own wedding in full, and others might be receiving financial help from both families in some way."

There's no universal age at which parents stop contributing to their children's weddings. The decision varies from family to family and is influenced by factors such as cultural norms, financial stability, and individual preferences.

It may seem old-fashioned, but many couples today divide financial responsibilities along gender lines, according to financial professionals. Yet even if the division isn't by gender, there's often still a division: One partner takes on the role of money manager while the other just follows along.

The groom's family traditionally paid for all costs associated with the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon, wedding day transportation, and the officiant. The groom paid for the bride's engagement ring, wedding ring, and groomsmen gifts. It is also common for the groom's family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.

While it is tradition that the parents pay for the daughter's wedding, some people are trying to stay away from this tradition. This is not mandatory if the couple is in good financial health. If both of you are covering a bigger portion of the expenses, it makes sense to ask for help from the parents.

Of course, this all depends on a parent's financial situation and the wedding's overall budget—and not every family has the means to pay for their child's big day. "Some parents still contribute to their child's wedding, especially in cultures or families where it's traditional or expected.

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.

The old-school etiquette books would dictate that the parents of the bride should foot most of the bill for the wedding but the reality is that most couples end up working together with their families to cover the cost.

Who pays for a wedding dress? ›

Who traditionally pays for the wedding dress? One of the most closely stuck-to traditions is that the bride's family will pay for the wedding dress. This also includes any accessories the bride may wear, such as a veil, a bag and shoes. For modern weddings, the bride may want to pay for her own dress.

Traditionally, the groom's parents' financial responsibilities include paying for the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon. In some parts of the country, it may be tradition for the groom's family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.

Whether it's their second marriage or they want independence from their parents, many couples are choosing to take on all wedding costs on their own. In some situations, it's also possible that their parents simply aren't in a place to financially contribute.

A: No! Under U.S. law, gifts aren't deductible. But they also aren't taxable to the giver except to the extent they exceed annual limits and lifetime caps. (The per-person limits for gifts that don't trigger filing requirements for 2023 and 2024 are $17,000 and $18,000, respectively.

In other words, gifts can be $72,000 per parent couple, or up to $144,000 if both sets of parents gift to each child. That's typically enough to pay for the average wedding, even in New York City. If the wedding is going to cost even more, O'Leary recommends spreading the gift money over more than a year.

As a chivalrous and considerate gesture, the groom's family tends to be responsible for the expenses of the flowers that decorate the ceremony, as well as the bride's bouquet. If they wish, this can be extended to also take care of the boutonnieres for the groomsmen and the bouquets for the bridesmaids.

Traditionally, the groom's mother will take care of the rehearsal dinner arrangements and help prepare the guest list for the groom's side of the family. Both tasks should be done with both the bride and the groom's input. Any other responsibilities can be negotiated among the families.

Some common resolutions today are for the couple to pay for everything; for the bride's family to pay for half and the groom's family for half; or, for the couple to pay one third and each side of the family fund another third. If another combination works best for you, then it's the right one.

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.