Who Pays?

Variations by Culture

In Mexico and some Latin American countries, for example, the bride and groom might find as many as fifteen couples to be their sponsors, called padrinos and madrinas. These couples are responsible for the bride's bouquet or for the music at the reception. In fact, there is a padrino and madrina for almost all wedding categories so that the costs are divided among the couples. The groom pays for the wedding dress; the sponsors pay for almost everything else. This custom is sometimes practiced in the United States by families of Mexican and Latin American ancestry, particularly in the southwestern states that border Mexico. In Egypt, the groom pays a bridal price to her and her family, but part of that price is used to pay for the costs of the wedding. Additionally, the groom and his family customarily pay for the couple's apartment, appliances, kitchen furniture, and lighting, and the bride's dress.

Non-Traditionally

These days up to 70 percent of weddings are paid for by either the couple or by some combination of the bride's and groom's parents. It's quite common for both the bride's and groom's families to share the costs of the celebration, or for the bride and groom to pay for all or part of the expenses themselves. Modern couples are older and generally employed and independent by the time they get married, enabling them to plan and pay for their own weddings.

When families are willing to share the costs, the bride and groom should consider the range of possibilities ahead of time and be certain that they are in agreement with each other before sitting down with their parents to discuss the budget. If they want financial help, they must be willing to compromise on some of their wishes for the wedding. Any conversion about money should be both dignified and candid.