How Much Should the Bride Pay for Bridesmaids’ Expenses?

When you plan a Hawaii wedding, it’s a thrill to choose your bridesmaids. Your attendants are the closest women in your life, be they friends or family. They will want to help you have the wedding of your dreams, but they may be concerned about the cost of being a bridesmaid.

The biggest expense for any bridesmaid will be the dress. This is something each attendant should pay for herself. It’s the bride’s responsibility to be considerate of the financial situation of the ladies in her bridal party. This could mean choosing a budget-friendly dress for them, or helping to pay a portion of the cost of the dresses.

The bride should always pay for any extras, such as matching accessories or professional hair and make up. The bride should also pay for the bouquets, as these are part of the overall wedding flowers.
Maids should pay for their transportation to Hawaii, if they do not live here, but the bride should pay for transportation on the wedding day. For out-of-town attendants, the bride should also provide accommodation.

Overall, the cost for each bridesmaid should be split between the bride and the maid. This should allow each attendant to be a part of your special day without it being a financial strain.

Planning everything for your bridesmaids is part of planning the perfect wedding. If you want help planning your dream Hawaii wedding, give us a call today!

How to Create Your Wedding Budget

Before you start shopping for your wedding dress or booking your entertainment, the first part of your wedding planning should be setting a budget. Whether you have a few thousand dollars to spend or a few hundred thousand dollars to spend, a budget is a way to allocate that money in the way that best suits your personal preferences.

Total budget
First off, figure out what you have to spend on the wedding as a whole. Be realistic about this. After all, it’s always better to aim for a lower budget and be able to spend more on your honeymoon than to set a budget you really can’t afford.

Priorities
The next step is to think about what your priorities are. Whether it’s a particular dress, venue, caterer, band, or anything else, if there is something that you simply cannot bear to compromise on, make sure you are clear on this from the start. You can then build the rest of your budget around the cost of this part.

Line items
To complete your wedding budget, you’ll need to figure out what you have to spend on each individual part of your wedding. This requires you to make a list of everything that will require money. A consultation with an experienced Hawaii wedding planner can help ensure you haven’t forgotten anything.

A wedding planner can also be a great help in getting the most from your wedding budget, however big or small it is. To find out how we can help you create the perfect wedding within your budget, give us a call today!

Photo: Flickr/kimubert