{"id":21660,"date":"2017-05-01T23:06:29","date_gmt":"2017-05-01T13:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.easyweddings.com\/uk\/articles\/pays-bridesmaid-dresses-shoes\/"},"modified":"2021-11-11T16:29:04","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T05:29:04","slug":"pays-bridesmaid-dresses-shoes","status":"publish","type":"uk-article","link":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/articles\/pays-bridesmaid-dresses-shoes\/","title":{"rendered":"Bridesmaid dresses and shoes: who pays?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The question of who pays for what at a wedding is an etiquette minefield. Some people have stringent traditional views whilst others take a very flexible approach, and the clashing of ideas can lead to arguments, tears, and tantrums <\/a>before the big day is even in sight. Bridesmaid dresses, shoes, and accessories<\/a> are one of the biggest grey areas around, and opinions differ widely even across bridal advice columns and forums. Like every stage of your wedding, you will need to find your own way. To help you decide how to approach this thorny issue, we have brought together some key considerations below.<\/p>\n

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Browse bridesmaid dress designers across the UK<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What\u2019s the traditional approach?<\/h2>\n

Traditionally a bridesmaid or groomsman would pay for all attire<\/a> and accessories <\/a>themselves. To be asked to be part of the wedding party was an honour and paying your own way was simply a way to show support and commitment to the happy couple. This makes a lot of sense looking back, a cash-strapped young couple would have struggled to cover the cost of attendant attire.<\/p>\n

Now, however, the couple or couple\u2019s family often do pay for bridesmaid\u2019s outfits and shoes, and there is no single right answer to this question.<\/p>\n

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Read related: Do bridesmaids have to look the same?<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What if my bridesmaid can\u2019t afford to pay?<\/h2>\n

If you would like your bridesmaid to pay for her dress, you should take a moment to consider how this may impact her financially<\/a>. If you have your eye on an\u00a0expensive dress and your bridesmaid is struggling by on an internship, then it could cause a lot of friction to ask her to pay.<\/p>\n

If you want to ask your bridesmaid to cover the costs, prepare to be flexible in the choice of dress and try to consider options she can feasibly wear again. An alternate approach is to offer to put in a percentage of the total cost; finding a balance that works for you both.<\/p>\n

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Read related: How to choose your bridesmaids<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What if I don\u2019t feel comfortable with the situation?<\/h2>\n

For many modern brides, asking their bridesmaid to contribute financially to their wedding is something they simply don\u2019t feel comfortable with. That\u2019s not only completely understandable, but a view that is becoming more and more common. Taking control financially can not only ease a moral pressure, but also give you greater stylistic control over what your bridesmaids wear on the day. Remember to consider accommodation<\/a>, hair, makeup<\/a>, and nails too, and be clear with your bridal party just what will and won\u2019t be covered.<\/p>\n

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Find out how to rein in bratty bridesmaids<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Will a gift help to balance the scales?<\/h2>\n

A gift to your bridesmaid may be a way to thank her for contribution to your wedding, but it should recognise more than a financial contribution. A bridesmaid has given the gift of her time, love, and support. Remembering these contributions should be the primary factor when choosing a thank you gift.<\/p>\n

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Find out why to give bridesmaid jewellery gifts<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The bottom line<\/h2>\n

Remember that wedding etiquette is a guide, not a rulebook. You ultimately decide how to plan, pay and organise your wedding. Do what feels right and always make your bridesmaids aware of what will and won\u2019t be covered in your budget as early as possible.<\/p>\n

Browse bridesmaid dress designers across the UK<\/a><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":21662,"parent":0,"template":"","uk_article_category":[6795],"uk_article_tag":[2146,2664,2222],"class_list":["post-21660","uk-article","type-uk-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","uk_article_category-bridesmaids","uk_article_tag-bridal-party","uk_article_tag-bridesmaid-dresses","uk_article_tag-bridesmaids"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uk-article\/21660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uk-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/uk-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uk-article\/21660\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"uk_article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uk_article_category?post=21660"},{"taxonomy":"uk_article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.easyweddings.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/uk_article_tag?post=21660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}