Page 146 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2019

ROMANCE & WEDDING working together
Among the wedding photos there’s sometimes a shot of the bride’s father with his empty pockets turned out, which is indicative of the tradition
that the bride’s family pays for almost everything. Popular wedding websites, theknot.com and weddingwire.com, provide detailed lists of the obligations normally assumed by the bride’s family, the groom’s family and the bridal couple. However, they also note that these hard-and-fast rules do not necessarily prevail in today’s world.
Jean McGrury of After The Proposal in Biloxi agrees. “You can go back to the traditional ways, but we’re seeing more of the modern three-way paying; both sets of parents and the bride and groom,” she said. “With older couples, they pay for most everything.”
Still, every situation is different. “I’ve had several brides with no parents and the groom’s family steps in,” McGrury said. “With Southern families both sides often want to invite a lot of guests so the groom’s family will help.”
The budget is usually the deciding factor for who pays for what. “When all parties involved see what things cost, that puts them back into reality,” she points out. “Generally, the average reception cost is $125 to $175 per guest; you’d be surprised how quickly the guest list gets reduced. I recommend going with $150 per guest and everyone working together.”
McGrury, who began working in the weddings and
events industry 35 years ago in California, says developing wedding
budgets is her specialty. “Everyone should be involved in the process,
and I try to create something within
their needs,” she explains. “Usually,
the bride’s family pays for most things, the
groom’s family has some responsibilities, and the bride and groom
pay for everything over that.”
Wedding Costs:
story by Lynn Lofton Who Pays for What?
CEREMONY
• Bride and family pay for church or synagogue, sexton, organist and so on.
• Groom and family pay for marriage license and officiant fee.
WEDDING ATTIRE
• Bride and family pay for bride’s dress, veil, accessories and trousseau.
• Groom and family pay for groom’s outfit.
• All attendants pay for their own clothing, including shoes.
FLOWERS & DECORATIONS
• Bride and family pay for floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception, plus bouquets and corsages for bridesmaids and flower girls.
• Groom and family pay for the bride’s bouquet, boutonnieres for men and corsages for mothers and grandmothers.
HONEYMOON
• Groom and family pay for the complete honeymoon.
PHOTOGRAPHY
• Bride and family pay for all wedding photos and video.
PRE-WEDDING PARTIES
• Bride’s or groom’s family plans and hosts the engagement party; if there’s more than one, the bride’s family hosts the first one.
• Groom’s family plans and hosts the rehearsal dinner.
• Maid of honor and bridesmaids host the bridal shower and
bachelorette party.
• Best man and groomsmen host the bachelor party.
• Friends may throw additional engagement parties or
showers.
RECEPTION
• Bride and family pay for all professional services, including food and decorations.
• Groom’s family pays for the DJ or band and liquor.
RINGS
• Bride and/or her family pay for the groom’s ring.
• Groom and/or his family pay for both of the bride’s rings.
STATIONERY
• Bride and family pay for invitations, announcements and wedding programs.
TRANSPORTATION
• Bride and family pay for wedding transportation of the wedding party to and from the ceremony and reception.
146 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • February 2019
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