With the average cost of a wedding hovering around $19,000 these days, Dear Old Dad can hardly be expected to foot the bill. Instead, many couples pay for the wedding themselves, and even more share the expenses with both sets of parents. If you fall into the second category, use this information as a guideline, tailoring it to your family's situation. Most importantly though, be sure to make all expectations, agreements and offers very clear to all parties involved. No one wants a family feud to start over something as small as who's paying for those corsages...

• Expenses of the Bride and Bride's Family:
• Rings: Groom's ring.
• Pre-wedding parties: (Host) first engagement party.
• Stationery: Invitations, announcements, enclosures, personal stationery, newsletters, postage, wedding programs and thank-you notes.
• Clothes: Bride's wedding gown, shoes and accessories, formalwear for bride's parents, bride's honeymoon trousseau (honeymoon clothes and lingerie).
• Bridal consultant's fees.
• Flowers: Ceremony and reception decorations (except bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages), bouquets and corsages for bridesmaids and flower girls.
• Ceremony: Fee for space (church, synagogue, etc.), sexton, organist and soloist, rental of aisle carpet, marquee and huppah.
• Reception: All professional service providers: caterer, bartender, musician(s) or DJ.
• Photography: Engagement and wedding photos and wedding video.
• Transportation: Bride's attendants and bride's family to and from ceremony and reception.
• Gifts: Bride's gifts to bridesmaids and flower girl and bride's gift to her groom.
• Optional: Bridesmaids' and flower girl's dresses, shoes and accessories, bridesmaid luncheon or dinner.

  Expenses of the Groom and Groom's Family

• Rings: Bride's engagement and wedding rings.
• Groom's attire, shoes and accessories.
• Pre-wedding parties: May host an engagement party (after the bride's family first has the honor) and bachelor dinner, and usually hosts the rehearsal dinner.
• Clothes: Groom's formalwear, his mother's dress and his father's attire.
• Flowers: Bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages (mothers, grandmothers, bride's going-away).
• Ceremony: Marriage license and officiant's fee.
• Reception: Transportation to the airport and entire honeymoon.
• Gifts: Groom's gift his bride, groomsmen and ushers.
• Optional: Attire, transportation and accommodations for groomsmen and ushers; transportation and accommodations for groom's family.

  On the next page: expenses of the bridesmaids, groomsmen and ushers and options to share

  
  
  Expenses of the Bridesmaids

• Pre-wedding parties: Maid of honor usually hosts bridal shower and bachelorette party; friends may host engagement party.
• Stationery: May help bride and groom assemble, address and mail invitations.
• Clothes: Their attire, shoes and accessories, if not provided by bride.
• Ceremony: May provide or help assemble packets of birdseed, bubbles, etc. to toss as the couple leaves.
• Transportation: Their own transportation and accommodations if not provided by bride; attendants who live in the wedding area may offer out-of-town attendants a place to stay.
• Gifts: Individual wedding gift, contribution to bridesmaid's group gift.

  Expenses of the Groomsmen and Ushers

• Pre-wedding parties: Best man usually hosts a bachelor party or dinner; friends may host an engagement party.
• Clothes: Their attire, shoes and accessories.
• Transportation: Their own transportation and accommodations, if not provided by groom.
• Gifts: Individual wedding gift, contribution to groomsmen's group gift.

  Options to Share

• Rings: Bride or groom's families may hand down heirloom rings.
• Pre-wedding parties: Bride's family may host the rehearsal dinner, or an out-of-towner's brunch, barbecue, etc.
• Flowers: Bride's family may buy bouquets and corsages.
• Ceremony: Couple may cover all ceremony costs.
• Reception: Groom's family may share the cost of the reception by covering specific services (musicians, liquor, etc.).
• Photography: One family may cover photography and the other pay for videography.
• Transportation: Either family may arrange transportation or pay for welcome baskets, baby-sitters, a welcome buffet or lodging for out-of-town guests.
• Gifts: Couple may buy thank-you gifts for parents, friends and relatives who helped with planning.

Still have money questions? The Wedding Budget Survival Kit can help! Try it now!