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.

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.