Update an old dogie

Knottie16449772

I am helping my son and his fiancee plan their May 2015 wedding.  They both live abroad but the wedding is in our hometown so I'm handling most everything.  When I got married back in the 80s, attendants paid for their outfits.  Is that still the custom, or do the bride and groom pay for the wedding party's clothing?  And do we pay for lodging as well?

Knottie16449772

Oops!  I meant to type "old Fogie," not dogie!

Maggie0829

Yes, typically the wedding party buys their own attire, meaning just the dress for the female attendants and suits/tuxes for the men.  Typically if you require specific shoes or jewelry then the bride should be paying for those things.  Same with hair and makeup.  If the bride is requiring that it be done professionally or a certain way then she needs to cover the costs.  But really when it comes down to it, the hair, makeup, shoes and jewelry of the BMs is really not something that should be worried about.  Jewelry and shoes aren't really noticeable and everyone has their own specific way they like and are comfortable with their hair and makeup.

Just make sure to find out the budgets of each person separately and then use that to find the appropriate attire.  It is also popular these days to tell the attendants a certain color, length and fabric for the dresses and color of the suits and let them buy whatever they like.

As for lodging, if you have it in your budget and you want to pay for it you most certainly can.  If not, it is not a requirement to pay for lodging and is the responsibility of the attendants or any guests to pay their own way.

CMGragain

I am a old time MOB.  Daughter was married in 2011.  If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.  My daughter and son-in-law said their wedding was perfect!

Jen4948

It's still done that the attendants purchase their own outfits and pay for their own lodging, but etiquette calls for the couple to ask their budgets and factor them into their choices of attendants' outfits and lodging.