Bridesmaid expenses

[mousette]

Hi Ladies,

Just a quick question......please don't think me rude.

We are having our wedding on Orlando....6th December this year

I have been avidly reading all of your planning journals and have gotten lots of great advice and tips.

I have 6 bridesmaids. I notice that some of you ladies have bought your bridesmaids dresses but then the bridesmaids have paid for their own alterations, shoes, jewelley, make up etc.

Is this what most of you ladies do? I ask as it's tradition here in Scotland that the bride (me!!!!!) pays foir everything connected with the bridesmaids, dress, hair, makeup, jewellery, shoes, bag etc.......the whole shebang!!!!

I'm just curious....please don't think me rude

 

[Bouncy bounce]

All the weddings I have been a maid of honor or bridesmaids I have paid for my dress, shoes, makeup etc. Also for the bridal shower and if we do any kinda of bachorlette party before hand.

With my bridesmaids since I only have two. For their gift for being the wedding since they are coming in from out of state.I tried to keep the cost as low as possible. This meant not having my wedding in october like i really wanted but having in it august during the value season. I have decided to pay for their airline tickets and the jewerly that will be worn.

So they are paying for their dress shoes, hair and makeup. Hotel and park tickets.

 

[lurkyloo]

I have always paid for my own bridesmaid dresses (much to my chagrin).
I think it's safe to say that in America 'maids generally pay their own way, but the practice of brides buying their dresses for them is becoming more common.

 

[disprincessatheart]

For a wedding i was in a couple years ago - we all paid for everything ourselves. For my wedding this year (YAY!!) my sister is paying for all of her own things except the hair which I'll be covering. That's partly though because I told her to pick out her own dress so she'll like it and can wear it again, and I'm not requiring any other purchases. plus, she's a flight attendant, so her flights (and her family's) are free, and she's staying with my parents in a condo, so that's free too. Her only expenses are park tickets and food for the week in addition to her dress and shoes.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

both of my sisters are in my wedding, they have purchased their own dresses, alterations, shoes and our jewelry will be family heirlooms. i am going to pay for their hair/make up on that day.

 

[cp_princess]

My party is small it's just me and my MOH I'll be paying for hair and make-up the day of. I also didn't pay for her dress but told her she could get whatever dress she wanted as long as it was one of our 3 colors (light blue, dark blue, silver) and figured if she can pick what she likes she'll have it for the future. I offered to help her with more but she's turned it down - lucky me I have a great best friend!

 

[helloirishkitty]

I have a MOH and two bridesmaids who will be paying for their own dresses. I've already bought their shoes, handbags, and jewelery. My parents are using their DVC to get a grand villa the week of my wedding so they don't have to pay for accommodation's, and I plan on paying for their plane tickets.

For every wedding I have ever been in, I've paid for all of my bridesmaid stuff. One of my male friends got married in August, and his fiance picked out a $400 bridesmaid dress . Hopefully I can wear it again for halloween or something...

 

[Keira1387]

My Bridemaids are paying for their dresses and shoes.
I am giving them their jewelry at the RD as their present, and I will also pay to get there hair done the morning of the wedding.

 

[BayouPrincess]

For every wedding I have ever been in, I've paid for all of my bridesmaid stuff. One of my male friends got married in August, and his fiance picked out a $400 bridesmaid dress . Hopefully I can wear it again for halloween or something...

WOW $400 bucks! I think I would have choked!

I have only been in a very few weddings as a bridesmaid, and each time I purchased my own dress, did my own make-up and hair, etc. For my VR my attendants will be my daughter and my sister and my neice. I will be paying for all of their things. My sister will have enough with trying to make the trip so I told her not to worry about her and the baby. I would take care of that.

I believe if you can do it, then go ahead, but if it makes you tight on things you want to do, then no.

Happy planning!

 

[Ember]

As a bridesmaid I expect to pay for:

1. My dress to an agreed upon amount
2. My shoes
3. Part of the cost of hosting a shower
4. Shower and wedding gift
5. Travel expenses - if there are any

I do not expect to pay for:

1. Jewelery (if the bride wants matching earrings and necklace, she should buy them)
2. Hair and make up (I am quite able to do this myself, so if the bride want it done professionally she should cover the cost)
3. Drinks as at a cash bar reception (the wedding party has put so much expense into the couples day, the couple can spring for drinks for the wedding party!)

Of course, before I ever agree to be in a wedding I check with the bride as to the expected costs. It may not me the funnest subject to talk about but it does get everything on the table. I will ask the cost of the dress. If I agree to pay a maximum of $250 when I agree to be a bridesmaid and the dress chosen is $400 I would expect the bride to cover the difference. I once spent over $2000 for the "privilege and honor" of being a bridesmaid and it will never happen again. I almost didn't make rent for two months and ate potatoes for weeks! (This is funny now, at the time I assure you it wasn't!)

 

[FIREFLY01]

I Was A Bm In Nov, I Paid For My Dress $120.00, My Shoes $40.00 And My Alterations. I Also Got Her A Gift For The Wedding And Shower.
She Paid For Us To Get Our Hair Done, And Bought Us Jewelery For A Gift Along W/ Some Bodywashes , Lotions Etc...

My Wedding Is In Feb. My Moh And Fg Bought Their Own Dress And Shoes, I Let My Moh Pick Out A Dress She Liked And Around Her Price, Im Getting Them Pashmina Wraps To Match (it'll Be Cold) And A Bracelet, Then Something Personal For Each.

 

[OhioGrumpyGirl]

All of my BM paid for their own dresses (we got an excellent deal -- clearance rack at Deb so they were $80 each). I got their purses (another Deb deal for $1 each), shoes (even though they are Kenneth Cole shoes, I got them for $5 a pair at Gabriel Brothers), their jewelry, hair accesories, some B&BW lotions, and I am also covering their hair & make-up (this is being done by a friend who works at a salon, but is doing this at my house, so I'm paying her a fair amount for 5 people even though she insists on taking nothing!!) So I would say my BM got off pretty easy in the $$ dept, and the dresses are nice enough so they could wear them again! I let them pick them out since they were paying........I had certain restrictions though (they had to be black, full length, and all the same style.) So amazingly enough, everyone agreed on the same one after only looking at David's, then Deb!!

 

[turtle51]

I was in my friends wedding last year. We each paid for our dresses $180. We were going to get matching shoes at $80 which I was not happy about but knew the bride wanted them. I got lucky because the shoes looked horrible on me and we ended up going with our own silver shoes. We each paid for the bachlorette party which was about $300. She gave us our jewlery and hair clip. We each paid for our own hair to be done also. Oh yeah we pitched in for the bridal shower and a gave a gift there as well as a gift at the wedding. We all paid for our own drinks at the wedding.

I think that it is expected that the bridal party will put in for their own expeneses unless the bride offers.

 

[turtle51]

I was in my friends wedding last year. We each paid for our dresses $180. We were going to get matching shoes at $80 which I was not happy about but knew the bride wanted them. I got lucky because the shoes looked horrible on me and we ended up going with our own silver shoes. We each paid for the bachlorette party which was about $300. She gave us our jewlery and hair clip. We each paid for our own hair to be done also. Oh yeah we pitched in for the bridal shower and a gave a gift there as well as a gift at the wedding. We all paid for our own drinks at the wedding.

I think that it is expected that the bridal party will put in for their own expeneses unless the bride offers.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

All of my BM paid for their own dresses (we got an excellent deal -- clearance rack at Deb so they were $80 each). I got their purses (another Deb deal for $1 each), shoes (even though they are Kenneth Cole shoes, I got them for $5 a pair at Gabriel Brothers), their jewelry, hair accesories, some B&BW lotions, and I am also covering their hair & make-up (this is being done by a friend who works at a salon, but is doing this at my house, so I'm paying her a fair amount for 5 people even though she insists on taking nothing!!) So I would say my BM got off pretty easy in the $$ dept, and the dresses are nice enough so they could wear them again! I let them pick them out since they were paying........I had certain restrictions though (they had to be black, full length, and all the same style.) So amazingly enough, everyone agreed on the same one after only looking at David's, then Deb!!

you got some great deals! i haven't thought about gabriel brothers (gabes) in years!!! they had one in the town i went to college in and i still have 2 designer dresses that i bought for under $20 but were selling at neiman's for thousands!!! you go girl!

 

[romymichelle21]

In Sept I was a MOH in my first wedding ever, to one of my best friends.

My expenses were:
* Dress (Davids Bridal) $150
* Shoes (our own choice, not dyed) $40
* Hotel room the night before (which DB paid for - and I can't remember the cost)

We all did our own hair and makeup, she gave us little gifts at the rehearsal, and luckily - I was able to return the shoes, since I only wore them until we walked out of the ceremony

I think for my own wedding though (someday), if my girls can't afford something, I would be happy to include it. It would be worth it to dish out a little extra, just to have them be a part of it

Oh - sidenote, actually - the dresses come made for super tall women, and Davids Bridal offered "rush alterations" (just to hem!) for a ridiculous fee. So I ended up taking my own scissors to it - with the help of another BM

 

[pixie08]

I think bridesmaids are typically used to paying thier own way, however since i was having a destination wedding and allmy bm's were in college I did do a fair amount of things for them. I had 5 bm's and 1 jr bm.

1. I paid for the dresses (they paid for alterations)
2. I let them all wear whatever shoes as long as they were silver and dress shoes...they were wearing long dresses so no one knew. Most of the girls had a pair already.
3. I bought their jewlery as part of their gift (very nice set of honora fresh water pearls that had a light pink cast)
4. I paid for their hair to be done but they did their own makeup. One of my bm's happened to be a makeup artist and helped the others.
5. I did pay for 3 nights hotel ( all the girls bunked up so it was only a few rooms)

Again this is more than needed but what i did.

 

[B2B-2008]

I'm paying for everything for my bridesmaids, dresses, shoes, hair etc. But they are my nieces. My friend is also being my MOH and I am also paying for all her items but if she offers to pay for anything I will not turn the money down.

When I was my cousins bridesmaid all I had to pay for was my shoes. I think in England it is expected that the bride pays for the dresses but I do think more brides are asking for money towards the cost.

 

[JandJ]

I only had one MOH, my niece, and I paid for her dress, shoes, jewelry, and MIL paid for all our hair. I also had MOH stay with me the night before the wedding so technically I paid for one night of her hotel stay.

I have been a BM and MOH so many times and only once did I not have to pay for my own dress, and that was when the bride's mother made our BM dresses. Oh, and for my sister's wedding my mom of course paid for my dress. I was just in a wedding in September and paid $130 for the dress, $90 for the shoes, and $100 for one night at the hotel, but the bride paid for our hair/make-up and jewelry. I'm lucky though because the dress and shoes are totally wearable and in fact I wore the outfit to DH's holiday party! No one could believe it was a BM dress!