Fortunately for parents blessed with daughters, the modern trend is for the families of the bride and groom to share the expenses involved in a wedding, so that the bride’s parents are not lumbered with the full amount. The following outlines the usual payment arrangements.
Generally speaking, the bride’s family pay for:
- invitations and all wedding stationery for church and reception
- bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses and accessories
- flowers for the church and reception
- photographer/videographer
- all reception costs, music, etc. (excluding drinks, barmen and related expenses)
- the wedding cake.
The groom and his family pay for:
- legal expenses (antenuptial contract)
- ceremony expenses (marriage officer’s fee, organist, choir, soloist, tips, etc.)
- the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets, as well as buttonholes and corsages for the wedding party
- hiring of clothes for himself and best man, if necessary
- gifts for the bridesmaids and best man
- drinks at the reception and related expenses, i.e hiring of barmen, hiring of glasses, etc.
- transport for the bride to the church and reception
- accommodation on the wedding night and for the honeymoon.
