The Price of Being a Bridesmaid

You meet your friend for lunch and she proceeds to tell you that her boyfriend has proposed and once you have gotten past the initial excitement of the news you quickly ask for all the details.  Once all the major details have been explained such as when, how and where the proposal took place she remembers the most important detail of all and with a smile on her face as large as the Joker from Batman she extends her hand to show you her new shinny piece of jewelry. As you stare at the ring and take in the news, the bride-to-be asks you to be a part of her wedding as a bridesmaid.  As we all know being asked to be a bridesmaid is an amazing honor and of course your first thought is “yes” but what most women don’t realize is the expense they have signed up for when they agree to be a bridesmaid.  It’s exciting to stand at the altar and watch your friend(s) get married but not if it will break the bank.

According to www.weddingchannel.com when you add up the cost of travel, shoes, dress, jewelry, hair, makeup and gifts, the average cost of being a bridesmaid today is about $1700.  I decided to do some research of my own and ask friends to estimate what they spent as bridesmaids recently and the average answer was $800 - $1000 for a local wedding.  

Tips for the bridesmaid –to-be:

1. Just because the bride asks you to be in the bridal party, doesn’t mean you have to say yes. Speak up at the beginning in regards to your budget and whether or not you can afford the expense, you shouldn’t go into debt for anyone’s wedding.
2. There is nothing wrong with a low cost alternative. If the bride chooses a dress that is way over you budget feel free to research and suggest some less expensive alternatives similar to the bride’s choice.
3.  Being in the bridal party should feel like a prom committee. The bride should let the maid of honor know not to make major decision without consulting everyone involved. The maid of honor should discuss with all the bridesmaids any ideas or plans she might have for the bridal shower or bachelorette party ahead of time to make sure it is within everyone’s budget.
4.  Lodging doesn’t have to be lonely. When you’re in a bridal party for a destination wedding don’t feel like you have take on all the expense yourself. If possible find out if there are other single girls going and discuss splitting the room cost.  

The important detail to remember is the marriage is what’s important and all the bells and whistles are just a bonus. Brides should not impose large costs on their loved ones because a happy bridesmaid leads to a much smoother wedding day! After all weddings should be a time to celebrate so above all have a good time!