A Happy Bridesmaid
Mar 17, 2009 Wedding Planning Institute
According to The Wedding Report, bridesmaids will spend nearly $10 billion on weddings in 2009. It is often the job of the Certified Wedding Planner to help today’s bridesmaids, as well as their brides-to-be, get the most value out of their wedding budgets.
Here are the estimated cost breakdowns for the $1009 to $1405 spent by the average bridesmaid at a single wedding in 2009.
|
|
2009 |
|
Bridesmaid dress |
$178 |
|
Accessories |
$52 |
|
Alterations |
$56 |
|
Bachelorette party expenses |
$152 |
|
Bridal shower gift |
$72 |
|
Hair service |
$65 |
|
Hotel (per night) |
$140 |
|
Manicure (plus tip) |
$32 |
|
Outfit for rehearsal dinner |
$71 |
|
Pedicure |
$30 |
|
Plane fare |
$303 |
|
Rental car (per day) |
$88 |
|
Shoes |
$49 |
|
Wedding gift |
$117 |
Because most bridesmaids fulfill the role more than once, sometimes the costs can get out of control. On average, each bridesmaid takes on the role three times in her lifetime. Two-thirds of all bridesmaids participate in anywhere from two and five weddings. That translates to average costs of $3000 to $4000-plus per person.
The High Cost of Bridesmaiding
Combined with the fact that over 80% of bridesmaid dresses are worn only once and it is no wonder some bridesmaids are beginning to push back. In an advice column published in Baltimore, one besieged bridesmaid asks:
“At what point can a maid of honor for a wedding tell the bride that she can no longer keep up with the costs associated with being the head bridesmaid, and that the wedding-preparation bliss associated with her big day is so over?”
Even with the high cost of bridesmaiding, cash and gift cards are among the top three gifts given to a bride at showers and weddings by her attendees. The top three brand name gifts are Victoria Secret, Tiffany, and Vera Wang.
Part of learning how to become the most valuable wedding planner possible for your clients is creating a planning atmosphere of competence, efficiency, and harmony. One way to do that is by helping bridesmaids find peace with their mission and value for their contributions.
Tags: Become a wedding planner, Certified Wedding Planner, Wedding Industry News, Wedding Industry Statistics, Wedding Industry Trends, Wedding Planning News, Wedding Planning Statistics
Posted in Wedding Industry, Wedding Industry News, Wedding Industry Statistics, Wedding Industry Trends, Wedding Planning
and it makes him important, it adds...
March 18th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I was just amazed to see the actual breakdown of prices. You don’t really think about the small things like the manicure and daily car rental when budgeting for a wedding.
Thanks for your blog!
March 18th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I completely agree Megan! Sometimes I wonder when girls tell me that they have 9+ bridesmaids… not everyone has the budget to accommodate the expenses that wedding etiquette calls for. More brides and planners need to take this useful information into account.
Thanks so much for this great post!
March 24th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
i worked at a dress shop for a year, and it amazes me what brides expect their bridesmaids to chip in for. They pick the most expensve dresses and shoes and jewelery, etc…
March 26th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I was very surprice lauren, I think that some bridesmaid paid their dresses. And the bride just give to the bridesmaid a present !!!
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:12 am
I was surprised to see what the brides expected of their bridesmaids - no matter the cost - it is their wedding day and they feel as though the bridesmaids must have the very best… most expensive, shoes, and accessories.. I loved this post and it is sooooooooooo true!
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:17 am
I think seeing the breakdown like this is important for those of us in the industry. I think sometimes the bride forgets how expensive it can be for her friends and family. The last few weddings I have planned the bride and groom actually paid for their attendants dresses and rentals. I don’t know if this is a new trend or if people are just realizing that some of their friends and family just can’t afford to be in their wedding. I do think that it is an honor to be asked to participate in someones wedding and that most bridesmaids do realize that when they say yes, they are making that financial commitment. I think being an informed planner you can help keep the costs down for the bridal party by giving the bride options that may help.
April 6th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
After reading the above article I can not even believe how much emphasis is placed on the bridesmaids. The focus should really be ON THE BRIDE!:) she should have the VERY VERY best the expensive dress, shoes and accessories. Sometimes I think the bridesmaid’s ONE dress cost more than the brides own dress! The price breakdown is amazing!
April 6th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I’ve been a bridesmaid twice, and luckily enough I didn’t spend nearly that amount. The first time I was in a wedding, I’m sure I spent no more than $600, which included my airfare to Chicago from Albuquerque.
The second time, I imagine I spent more, but that included hosting the shower. Luckily I was able to get the shower venue for free; I asked a former boss if I could use their restaurant on a day they were closed.
Right now, a lot of people are having a rough time and cannot be expected to pay for ALL of that stuff, especially the unnecessary. Expensive jewelry, shoes, manicures and pedicures aren’t dire to the day. I find it always helps to have a crafty friend who can do hair, or make jewelry.
I find that if you search for the resources around you, it can save a ton of money.
A bridesmaid that doesn’t have to spend all of her money will for sure make for a Happy Bridesmaid.
April 8th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I’m going to be maid of honor in my first wedding this October, and I’m helping plan the wedding with the bride. I knew I was going to have to put out a lot of money, but I never thought I was going to have to spend that much! Thankfully I don’t have to spend money on airfare and rental cars, but goodness!
I’ve spoken with the bridesmaids too, and we’ve decided to try and stay on a budget, so we don’t go overboard. The bride thankfully is having a small wedding too, so we can use a lot of home remedies and make things on our own, but I found this blog really helpful. Thanks for all the great info!
April 9th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Whether someone is going to be a bride or a bridesmaid I think it is very important to read this article or something similar to it. The bride should know that her bridesmaid are required to spend a lot of money and if she knows they don’t have that kind of money than she can rearrange the way she does things. If the bridesmaids know ahead of time they are going to be spending a lot of money on the wedding they should start putting away money from every paycheck so they have the money to spend later on. A lot of the costs that were listed above are also unneccessary or you could find another way to buy certain things. For example I wanted all my bridemaids to wear matching necklaces and didn’t have the money to spend on something really expensive. So I made them each a necklace with the same stone so they all matched on my wedding day, and had a great gift to take home. It is just as important to try and make the bridesmaids happy so that they can keep the bride in check. Good luck all you future bridesmaids and remember even though its the brides day, if you’re not happy than you’re going to bring others down with you.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I am currently a student in WPi and I think that this is a great resource. I think this will save you tons of money because a happy bridesmaid makes a happy bride
April 9th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
My neice has been in over 10+ weddings as a bridesmaid. She has never worn a dress a second time though she has looked lovely in each one. There are two more weddings coming up that she has a strong feeling she will be asked to be in, how can she politely say “No, I’ve had enough?”
This article should be printed out and given to brides BEFORE she begins asking every friend they ever had to be in her wedding.
April 16th, 2009 at 6:54 am
Wow, I was shocked to see the expenses of today’s Bridesmaids. I haven’t been a bridesmaid for many, many years. This article is definitely an eye opener. I will include this article in my “bridesmaid responsibility” pamphlet.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
This is a great blurb to show brides! As a bridesmaid for multiple weddings I think wedding planners should encourage their brides to choose bridesmaids dresses that are more cocktail style, that way the bridesmaids could rewear them and won’t feel so forced into buying something just because they have to! Or if they want long gowns for their bridesmaids try to find a style that could be altered into cocktail length after the wedding if the bridesmaids want.
April 16th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
What a wonderful article. It’s quite amazing the cost it is to be a bridesmaid. It certainly has changed since my “bridesmaid” days. I will incorporate this article when handing out the “Bridesmaid Responsibility pamphlet” to my bridal parties.
April 16th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Wow this was quite an eye opener! However this does seem about right. Having been in a few weddings myself, no matter how much the bride tries to keep everything budget friendly, things just add up! This would be a great resourceful article to give to brides.
April 20th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Wow it’s a lot for bridesmaids to spend. Looking at the breakdown it doesn’t seem out-of-reach either. I think the breakdown is great for brides to understand as well. I think the bridesmaids would appreciate thoughtful budgeted planning for them as well.
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 am
This is a great article for bridesmaids to see what is required of them! I never knew how much responsibilities and cost are incorperated in this postition! I am a student at WPI and this information is very useful to show brides and bridesmaids, the expense of things and how we can make it more affordable for them!
April 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
This was very interesting. I never imagined the cost of being a bridesmaid was so expensive. I will be including this in my wedding information packet. It’s important that couples getting married and their bridesmaids understand the costs associated with being in a wedding before they make the commitment to participate.
April 27th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Since we are living in recessionary times, keeping costs down are crucial in planning a wedding today. Most Brided I meet today understand this. There are many second hand stores that sell designer dresse3s that have been worn only once. There are also many seamstresses who can alter those dresses at a fraction of the cost of a big name store. Another option would be to rent a dress instead of owning one.
April 28th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
It has been many, many years since I have been in a wedding and I don’t recall spending quite that much. Things have certaintly changed! I think it’s an honor to be asked to be in someone’s wedding, but I think I would do to for a very close and dear long term friend
May 7th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Wow, it’s crazy actually seeing the breakdown. That is quite a lot of money. I think that anyone that is about to accept the responsibility of being a bridesmaid should see this first. It’s an honor, but its also a financial obligation. Any friend giving you the honor to be a bridesmaid (unless she has a dozen) is worth the money. The key is planning ahead. I have been requested to be a bridesmaid of one of my good friends who lives in Seattle, I live in NYC. So already I have spent $800 on the hotel and $450 on airfare, but she is worth it and it’s an experience. Money is made to be spent.
PS- $56 average spent on alterations seems like a lot, I think it may be wrong… or am I wrong?
May 14th, 2009 at 11:41 am
I can certainly believe that bridesmaid pay a pretty penny to be in a wedding. However, for the figures listed above, I’m shocked at because I can see them being for a traveling bridesmaid and not one that is in a wedding that is local with no airplane, train, etc. travel to get to the wedding.
The most I spent in being in a friend’s wedding was about $850. However, I spent that much because it included my airfare. Local weddings I have been in, I’ve spent about $250 because I was able to cut costs on travel, manicure/pedicures, etc. Anything that I could do myself and it looked nice, I saved money on. Guess, I’m a DIY bridesmaid…lol.
Great post!
May 16th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
I noticed the breakdown of costs for the bridesmaids and I find them pretty high. As a future wedding planner, I suggest that the bride should set up the meeting with her bridesmaids to discuss and NOT TO INFORM about the costs of participating in the wedding. The significant role can be played by the wedding planner who may help to decrease the costs by offering the services of particular vendors who provide discounts (i.e. manicure, pedicure, hair, dresses). I think that discussing the costs rather than dictating them will go a long way towards solving these problems.
June 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Great article! Bridesmaids really do have to spend a lot of money! The break down of what you need to pay for is very interesting. Maybe if there are a lot of bridesmaids going to get their nails or hair done they can get a group discount. I enjoyed this article!
June 8th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I found this article very informative and shocking! wow!!… bridesmaids really have to fork out a lot of money!! I think that it is good for bridesmaids to know what is expected of them but at the same time this does seem very expensive and I don’t believe that it should be this way.
June 10th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
I have only been a bridesmaid once and that was shortly after I graduated from high school. The costs were not astronomical but for me being so young and so broke it was much more of a burden in the beginning. Luckily, the bride was my best friend and knew that there was no way I would be able to afford to do everything. We talked a lot and she wanted my opinion on everything. I felt that because of that understanding and openess everything was so much better and less stressful. There are a lot of costs associated with being a bridesmaid as well as a bride for that matter. The bottom line for me was to be up front and honest about what I could and could not do so that there was no problems later on. Communication is key when planning anything where there are multiple people involved. No bride will want their wedding to be a burden on anyone so by opening up that line of communciation about cost will increase the reward of the whole planning and enjoyment of the days events.
June 11th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I had never considered how much it would cost to be a bridesmaid until my friend asked me to be in her wedding. Luckily, her wedding is a very small casual event and still I’ve spent just about $300 and with the bachlorette party, a wedding gift, travel expenses still ahead of me my pocket book isn’t too excited. In the end the bride is happy and one day she will be in my wedding. So in a way it all evens out in the end.
June 11th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
wow…. that is a lot of money for bridesmaids to pay just for being in a wedding!!! I do not think it should cost that much. but anyways… it was pretty interesting to read.
June 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I have just had my own wedding - not only did my sister agree to be my bridesmaid, but because we have our own wedding planner business, we organised the whole thing together. Her time, energy and efficiency was worth millions, so I happily paid for everything and all her expenses. It was a real learning curve for both of us and has invigorated us with ideas and excitement that will pass on to our future clients. My final take on the whole subject is that a bride should pay for everything for those who agree to be part of her wedding party - it is an honour to have your closest family and friends on your big day and money should never be put before that sentiment.
June 30th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Thanks for sharing that information. I think brides sometimes overlook all of the little things that they expect from their bridesmaids. This is really great info to share with my clients~!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Today’s Bridesmaids budget is affected by many reasons so, to make sure that your bride is happy; you got to help her find the best deals through your best vendors. In today’s market there are many reasonable prices to choose the bridesmaids dresses from, give your bride few price suggestion and few vendor’s names and addresses to visit that way you do your part as a wedding planner and your bride is a lot happier that she got a plan.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Bridesmaids are aquired over time, through friendships and family. If a bride knows that she would love to have you a part of her wedding in the future its a great idea to plan ahead. Even if its a dollar a day. When it comes the the wedding year your money will go a long way!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
In the excitement of planning a wedding, the bride-to-be might overlook the expense her attendants will incur to be in her wedding. This information should be shared with and considered by every bride-to-be before she extends invitations to be in her bridal party. There are, however, ways the bride can help lower bridesmaid expenses. For example, she could let her bridesmaids know that she considers their participating in her wedding to be their gift to her.