Who paid for your bridesmaids dresses?

[FutureAshleyDukes]

I was just curious if most brides bought their bridesmaid's dresses or if you had your bridesmaids pay for them. My mom and her friend are actually making the dresses for our party. I have paid for two of the three wedding's I have been in. I just thought it was kind of a norm to pay for your own dress, but I was reading an article in the newspaper this morning and it said to expect to pay about $700 for your bridesmaids dresses for your wedding. Now I'm wondering which is right ettiquette-wise.

Anyone know?

 

[WDWAurora]

Never heard of not paying for your own. Mine all did-I initially paid for 2 of the out of town girls, but it was just for convenience and they paid me back immediately. I do not think it's common to purchase them for your girls unless you want something exceptionally expensive and feel guilty asking them to spend so much.

 

[*DisneyBride*]

I don't know about ettiquite, but I paid for my MOH, BM and 2 Flowergirls, in total about $1000CDN. If I had my wedding here in Toronto I would have had them pay, but i'm making them travel to Disney, so my mother thought it would be a nice guesture if we paid.

 

[Glass Slipper]

Mine are paying for their dresses and shoes and their way down to Disney, but we are paying for their rooms and food while they are there. So for them it's just dress and transport.

 

[JandJ]

I think it just depends, honestly.

For my wedding I only had a MOH (my then 17-year old niece) and of course I paid for her dress, shoes, jewelry, etc. I chose a designer dress and her mom couldn't afford it and it's not like a 17-year old has that kind of money. I figured it was a splurge but it didn't look like a "BM" dress so she'll wear it again for her homecoming and any other special occasions that come up.

I've been a BM or MOH 5 times and only once did I not have to pay for my dress, and that was when the bride's mother made the dresses for all of the BMs. She made my dress and I only paid for my shoes. The other 4 times I paid for the dress (anywhere from $80 - $400).

 

[cryssi]

They paid for their own. I bought them all chiffon shawls as part of their gifts, though...they ended up wearing them for the ceremony...

 

[faeriegrl]

I paid for the girls that had to travel to Orlando. I think if it were an at-home wedding, it would be ludicrous for me to pay for them. However, asking each person to spend AT LEAST $500 in travel & lodging, it would be very selfish of me to ask them to pay for the dress, too.

That was my personal feeling on it, not judging how anyone else does their wedding.

 

[hmgolden]

My bridesmaids paid for their own dresses and the mothers of my jr. bridesmaids and flower girl paid for theirs. If I had had the money in my budget I would have paid for the girls dresses since they were coming to Disney for my wedding, but I didn't have the money at the time. I did try to give them extra special gifts at the rehearsal dinner to show them how much I appreciated all the time and money they spent coming to our wedding.

 

[Cinderella Fan]

I am paying for my BMs dresses, and they are paying for their shoes. I figured since I was asking them to travel so far to be a part of my wedding, it was the least I could do.

 

[princessblueeyzes]

I will probably pay for my BM dresses too as I feel that it is unfair to ask them to pay for their way to WDW and then buy thier dresses too! Luckily I will only have to pay for 4 dresses including the FG's dress plus of course my own. I have always had to pay for my BM dress for the wedding that I've been in but they were all in town weddings too!

 

[sajetto]

Just adding my two cents (not that it matters) I'm having an itimate but if I were having a custom I would definitely pay for the BM dresses b/c I would already be asking them to pay a fortune for travel and lodging. However if any of your BMs live in Orlando I would have them pay for the dress (so I guess it all just depends) Since I'm having an intimate I'm asking all the women to pick their outfits together (in pink) and all the guys wear a black suit (I'm paying for all outfits, of course)

 

[mindystar]

For my sister's DFTW we are paying for our own dresses. It's myself, our youngest sister, and her friend. It wasn't that much, and it's a black gown I can see myself wearing again. I was a bm in a friends wedding--and her dad paid for the all the bm dresses and shoes. He saw how much she had paid to be in other friend's weddings, and just couldn't do that to us But as a bm/moh I take it as part of the responsibility--and cost of the wedding.

 

[ead79]

Traditionally the bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. Of course, it is perfectly acceptable etiquette-wise to pay for their dresses for them since gifts are always acceptable. If a bridesmaid chooses to be in a wedding, she should mostly likely assume she will be paying for her own dress though.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

Let me preface this by saying I had 3 BMs and my brother on my side. Three of them are, in some way, "related by blood"- my brother, step-sister, and my brother's long-term girlfriend he lives with. My brother's girlfriend is just as good as blood.

We or my parents ended up paying for the dresses (for 2), tux (for 1), airfare (for 2), hair and make-up (for 3 girls), alterations (3 girls), accessories (for 3 girls), dress steaming (3 girls), and hotel nights (for 3) for our bridal party.

The one that was not paid for as far as the dress, airfare/transportation, and hotel nights was my MoH... not blood-related... I have a feeling that how we were affected.

 

[liamandcaili]

It is usual for the bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses and for the groomsmen to pay for their tuxes. That said, if you are expecting your bridal party to have a great many expenses to attend your wedding, then it might be a nice gesture to offer to pay. At SIL's wedding, I was a bridesmaid, DH was a groomsman, DS was the ring bearer and DD was the flower girl. It cost us a fortune, in our limited budget, to be in the wedding...especially since we had to travel and stay over one night. We were happy to be a part of it, but it was really burdensome financially. We would have been so grateful if the bride offered to pay for the outfits.

 

[twojo21]

i bought my mohs dress as a gift to her (shes a struggling pregnant newlywed).

ive also been a bm & moh a few times, ive had the dress paid for by the bride & family & other times paid for the dress on my own, i think it depends on the couple & their financial situation. its not required to pay for your bp attire.

 

[MrsTink04]

My younger sister was my MOH and DH's sister was my bridesmaid for our Intimate wedding. Since lil sis was only 19 at the time, I paid for hers (parents deceased - I am Mom and Dad) Since I paid for my sister's attire (including shoes) I felt it was only fair for me to pay for SIL's. I also paid for their park tickets AND though she was not a BM (would've been one at an at-home wedding), I paid for my friend's flight to Orlando.

 

[RangerPooh]

Each of my bridesm aids and MOH paid for their own dresses. As did our bestman who was my SIL. We did however pay for the tux rentals of SIL hubby and son and nieces FG dress as they wouldn't ahve been able to do so otherwise. But for each of my BM/MOH we did buy them APs to the parks as a thank up for being in our wedding party.

In the past when I was a BM I have alwasy had to pay for the dress myself, as well as the hair too. At least I paid for my girls hair.

 

[Fantasia Sam]

Because of all of our Bridal Party were travelling from the UK and had to pay for their tickets and accommodation we decided to pay for both BM dresses and the Best Man, Brother of the Bride (who gave me away) and 3 ushers/groomsmen tuxes.

To be honest I'm not really sure what the UK etiquette is but LOL no-one offered us any money so I guess they just all assumed we were paying

 

[Laurafoster]

I have no idea what is right but i will be paying for my own. But then again i only have 1 flower girl!