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Jenna
Devoted October 2018

What does the Grooms family Typically pay for?

Jenna, on July 31, 2018 at 10:37 AM

Posted in Etiquette and Advice 36

Hey WW family! So I got a little thing in the mail from Mr. Tux and it has like a list of stuff that the brides family pays for and what the Grooms family pays for. However, it is super outdated and looks like it was last updated in the 70's. So I was doing some research on my finances and seeing...

Hey WW family!

So I got a little thing in the mail from Mr. Tux and it has like a list of stuff that the brides family pays for and what the Grooms family pays for. However, it is super outdated and looks like it was last updated in the 70's. So I was doing some research on my finances and seeing what I have paid for, what my parents paid for and what FH's parents have paid for. Here is the break down:

My Parents: $4,000 toward Venue

My parents (my daddy) $2,000 photographer

Me: $4500 for honeymoon

Me: $1,200 for my dress

Me:- $330.20 MUA

FH- $229.32 Flowers

FH- $354.74 Chair covers/table runner decor

Me: $320 alterations

Me: $250 on centerpiece decor

Me: $200 misc wedding stuff

FH- $150 STD

Me and FH- $383.74 invitations (We split the cost in half

That's what I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. His mom contacted me not to long ago and said they wanted to pay for the rehearsal dinner, which I was happy with, but my plan was to have the ceremony rehearsal and then go to chili's since we love chili's and the manager know us and our orders by heart. But she wanted it at County line bbq. That's fine, it's not fancy and both sides of the family are meat eaters so no big deal. I wasn't keen on it being further away from the ceremony location, but again I'm not paying so I can't really dictate and I really do love me so BBQ, so I'm willing to drive. We (meaning FH and I) sat down and spoke with his parents if they were willing/able to contribute anything. I gave them a printed out excel sheet that was modified with the last 4 things they we still had to pay for. She said they could help a little with he DJ which is $1,480. She said they would put down $500. But hasn't said anything else and also hasn't paid toward it yet and we spoke to them in Feb. I know families aren't obligated to pay for anything now and days and I am so grateful my parents have been a huge help but I was just curious if any of you guys had any help from your family, or grooms family.

I know on the list it doesn't look like FH has paid for anything but I lost my job in February, I was out of work for 3 months, then I had to put my dog down (He was going to be my ring bearer) so FH covered all house expenses and mortgage so during that time we didn't really pay anything toward the wedding. But we are caught up, I have a great job now and we only have two big tickets items to pay for still and that is $1,480 for DJ and $2,800 for food for the reception.

36 Comments

  • futuremrsS
    Devoted December 2018
    futuremrsS ·
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    FH and I are covering the entire expense of our wedding. Neither of us have parents who could or would offer to pay for anything. I think it would make me very uncomfortable to ask anyone to chip in in any way shape or from. If someone goes out of their way to offer I suppose it would feel diffrent. I think I would still find it hard to accept. Consider yourself blessed by the contributions from your parents. I wouldn't push much with the FIL you may not be fully aware of their finanancial situation. Maybe they actually can't and are too embarrassed to say they can't afford it. Or they simply don't want to because they don't feel it's their responsibility. (maybe their parents didn't help with -their wedding and don't feel they should help with their sons) I would let FH handle that. Don't want to cause unnecessary animosity.
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  • Jenna
    Devoted October 2018
    Jenna ·
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    I'm sorry you had to compromise, that was another big thing for me, I am very Type A and know exactly what I want so if someone tries to tell me something different it usually ends with an argument. FH's family and mine have a lot of similarities and get along wonderfully, I think they wanted to help out because of how my FH was upset about them not contributing. Again like I mentioned I tried to explain to him how things work but I felt like it was in one ear out of the other.

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  • Jenna
    Devoted October 2018
    Jenna ·
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    That is a fantastic idea! I will probably do that!

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  • Jenna
    Devoted October 2018
    Jenna ·
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    Hi Daisy! I know they had a few unexpected costs with the house, that's why I really haven't pushed or done anything. I definitely don't want to cause any animosity, so I figured if it, its truly bothering my FH he can talk to them about it.

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  • futuremrsS
    Devoted December 2018
    futuremrsS ·
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    Best way to go about it! And hey if they do end up helping out. You have a little extra money for things you might have decided to opt out of in the efforts to cut cost. Who can't use a little extra honeymoon money. ☺️
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  • Jenna
    Devoted October 2018
    Jenna ·
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    Amen to that! I think I am more excited about our honeymoon then everything else.

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  • Happy Hedgie
    VIP September 2018
    Happy Hedgie ·
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    What a weird for thing for them to mail out. I'd be turned off shopping with them but, that's not what you asked.

    FH and I are paying for almost everything ourselves. Our families offered to help but, we politely turned down the offers because we wanted to throw the wedding we wanted and we knew accepting money meant giving up some control over the planning. My parents are paying for my alterations though because they were insistent we let them help with something. Last evening his parents asked if they could host our rehearsal dinner so, that will knock one thing off of our planning list (and save us some money).

    Nowadays, nothing in traditional when it comes to money. I always think the couple should plan for the wedding they can afford and if someone offers to help/contribute than that is a nice bonus.

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  • Jenna
    Devoted October 2018
    Jenna ·
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    Thank you! I found it truly enlightening to see just how much "traditions" changed or or no longer a tradition. I think my family would throw a fit if they didn't help out with something, and like you said it was a nice bonus even though it wasn't needed.

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  • MelisM
    Expert January 2019
    MelisM ·
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    My FIL's are paying for the rehearsal dinner and the cake $550. My parents paid the deposit for the flowers $600 and my FH and I are paying for everything else ourselves.


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  • Gipperkm
    Super September 2018
    Gipperkm ·
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    My FMIL (FH's father passed away) is hosting and paying for the rehearsal dinner. She wanted to do this for us.

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  • M
    Dedicated October 2019
    Maggie ·
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    Our parents are very old fashioned and my dad would be pretty embarrassed if someone else paid for my wedding. He gave me my budget, and my FH’s parents are taking care of the open bar and rehearsal dinner.
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  • Brae
    VIP September 2019
    Brae ·
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    The only thing I knew we had paid by someone else was my dress. While shopping for my sisters wedding dress over 2 years ago, my mom surprised her and paid for it and told me she was sorry that it wouldn't be a surprise for me when my turn came lol. Other than that my ffil and his wife paid for our photographer. They told us the day we booked, and we told them we appreciated it and how much it was. But my sisters fils offered to pay for something and never followed through, so we werent relying on it. We paid the deposit without waiting for them to give us money just in case and we reimbursed ourselves when they gave it to us. So now with the extra money we weren't planning on originally we are going to add videography. We probably would have added it anyways, but now it's much less stressful. Lol
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  • 2d Bride
    Champion October 2009
    2d Bride ·
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    The traditions about what the bride's and groom's family paid for arose when a) couples were getting married at age 18, and b) a wedding was a church ceremony followed by cake and punch in the church hall. These days, couples pay for their own weddings, except to the extent that parents volunteer to contribute.

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  • Mrs. Cohen
    Super October 2018
    Mrs. Cohen ·
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    Everything I've researched and heard from friends is that really all the groom's parents are responsible for is the Rehearsal Dinner and Bridal Bouquets, although most usually chip in for other wedding expenses.

    I was definitely hoping my FIL's could help out with more (my parents have doubled their initial budget for our wedding, plus my FH and I have had to shell out almost $10,000 ourselves, which includes the honeymoon), so some extra financial help from them would have been really helpful and appreciated, but alas they rather spend money on concerts every weekend and dining out at nice restaurants than to help us out a little :-/ As it is, our rehearsal dinner is at their house with a deli platter (seriously) and no help with the bridal bouquets... so I'd say you lucked out with them putting some money towards your DJ and wanting to pay for bbq rehearsal dinner!

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  • Melinda
    Super August 2018
    Melinda ·
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    I agree with PP that there really isn’t much of a tradition now-a-days with who “should” pay for what. I’d say you’re very lucky to have either set of parents contribute.

    My FH’s Mom passed away and his father was never in the picture. His Step Dad is like his real Dad but we would never expect him to offer and even if he did, would turn the offer down due to our knowledge of his financial situation. My parents haven’t offered to contribute so we are paying for everything ourselves. We actually landed on a super intimate destination wedding so some would say we are passing the costs off to our guests that way but we did vet this out with our parents and two best friends (that’s our whole guest list right there) and they were ok with it.

    My parents are extending their vacation for our wedding by going to Hawaii the week before and have been very forthcoming about how they are dropping 10k + on the trip to Hawaii which honestly has rubbed my FH the wrong way at times. I just keep reminding him that in this day and age, no one is obligated to contribute and we should be proud that we can afford to host our own event considering our backstory.
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  • Tpatb
    Master August 2019
    Tpatb ·
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    I talked to my mom last week and she asked if I would like money for the honeymoon or towards the wedding (I said wedding), & FH mom has offered to pay for the cupcakes, dj & rehearsal dinner..but nothing as of yet lol we still have a yr until the wedding so we’re not counting on anything honestly until something has been paid on.
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