Who Pays?

Who Pays?

Last weekend we took my h2b’s best man to be measured for his suit. He looked really amazing in the suit and I got quite emotional imaging him standing next to my h2b as I walk down the aisle.

However, as the best man was getting changed out of his suit, his wife asked the suit man how much the suits would cost. When I said that we were paying, she objected because she’s very nice. However, I insisted, we’re paying.

So this raises an interesting question: Who pays?

In The Olden Days

Traditionally, the bridal party pay for their outfits, the bridesmaids paying for their dresses and the ushers paying for their suits. However, more recently the bride and groom pay for their clothes. There are a few reasons for this but I feel the most important reason would be that brides these days are choosing what the bridesmaids are wearing.

Personally, I do feel it’s a bit unfair for the bridesmaids to have to pay for their outfits. My feelings are that if I’m telling them what to wear, I should buy it. The dresses I choose may not be to their taste, and with dresses costing upwards of £100, I don’t think it’s fair to as the bridesmaids to buy them. And if we’re paying for the girls, it’s only fair to pay for the boys.

I noticed on Bridezillas, the American version, that the bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. Each culture has their own traditions, but I do think it’s nice to pay for your bridal party. It’s a perk of having to listen to your friends going on and on and on about their wedding. (True for our bridal party anyway!)

I’d be interested to hear the traditions on who pays from people in other countries so please leave a  message!