When you’re a bridesmaid, you shell out cash so often you start to feel like an ATM. You’ll pay for your portion of the bridal shower… a piece of the bachelorette party… shower and wedding gifts… and don’t forget the all-important bridesmaid dress with all the necessary accessories. You’ll definitely have to spend some money carrying out your commitment but don’t panic that you’ll have to sell off your possessions or take out a second mortgage to raise funds. There are ways to save some green and keep your bank account in the black.
The amount you can expect to pay is often proportional to the type of wedding the bride’s planning. If the bride has champagne-and-caviar tastes and is planning a lavish destination wedding, then the designer duds and travel costs will set you back a pretty penny. Not to mention that the bride might want a swank shower or bachelorette party in a pricey locale to match her fondness for the fancier things. If the bride is budget conscious, however, chances are she’ll be sympathetic to your spending concerns and will help you find ways to keep the events classy but not costly.
BridesmaidEssentials.com created a Bridesmaid Budget Worksheet to give you a “guesstimate” of how much you might need to allocate for this turn as a bridesmaid. You can also use the worksheet to track your expenses as the wedding nears. Be prepared: you could spend as little as several hundred dollars or as much as several thousand dollars! But there are ways to shave the costs and be mindful of your own wallet. You can encourage the bride to let you do your own hair, makeup and nails. She can also help you conserve cash by allowing you and the other bridesmaids to wear a dress you already own instead of buying a new one.
If you’re having serious financial problems – not the typical “strapped for cash” situation – then be honest with the bride as soon as possible. She might find ways to help ease the sometimes hefty costs of being a bridesmaid. Otherwise, just accept that there’s literally a price to pay when you accept the role. But remember that you should be honored to share this incredible experience with such a special friend. Suck it up: plan and pay for the costs of bridesmaidhood with a smile. Being by the bride’s side as she celebrates the start of a new life with her husband is truly… priceless.