Handle Bridesmaids on a Budget

For anyone who has been a bridesmaid as many as five times and as little as one time knows that it is no secret that being a bridesmaid can be wildly expensive. Before you know it, you could find yourself reaching deep into your pockets, or your savings account, to spend close to $1,000 on a wedding for your good friend or family member, just to claim the spot as a member of their bridal party.

There’s the dress, the pre-wedding parties (bachelorette, bridal, engagement), the gifts, and of course, all of the travel and accommodations, so that you can make sure you make it to all things wedding, all of the time.

So if you find that you have bridesmaids who are on a tight budget, but still want to take on the honor of standing beside you on your special day, it’s important that you acknowledge their spending limit and make sure that you take that into consideration when you’re starting to plan the ins and outs of your wedding adventure.

Here are 6 ways to handle any bridesmaid, or bridal party, on a budget.

 

1. Pay Attention to Their Numbers

Ask your bridesmaids to give you a heads up on how much they are able, and would like to, spend on things like the bridesmaid dress, the bachelorette party, or even for the bridal shower if you are asking them to chip in and pay for that. Do this early on so that you’re aware of the dollar amount before you or your maid-of-honor starts the spending and the planning.

 

2. Set a Max Budget for the Bridal Party

Chat with your maid-of-honor and have her set a max-spending budget for the whole bridal party to follow. That way, your one or two bridesmaids who are on a strict spending freeze don’t have to feel alone, left out, or even singled out.

 

3. Ditch Your First Choice

When you’re working with their budget, you may find that the dress you want them to buy is $100 too much or the hotel you want everyone to stay at for the bachelorette party is way more than what your gal pals can afford, decide on a more affordable plan B.

 

4. Give Them an Out

In the end, it is your wedding. So if you’re not looking to compromise on the activities you plan or the bridesmaid dress you’d like all your girls to wear, then the best way for you to deal with a bridesmaid on a budget is to let them know that they don’t have to take on the role if they don’t want to or don’t feel like they can afford it.

 

5. Find Activities That Don’t Cost a Ton

If you’re looking to plan a bachelorette party that everyone can attend, consider doing something local and researching free or low-cost activities in the area. If you do want to plan the bachelorette party in a location that requires your bridal party to travel, try to at least plan activities that don’t require them to buy tickets or reach for their wallet throughout the weekend.

 

6. Pick Up the Tab When You Can

Whether it’s gifting your bridal party their glam squad for the wedding day (paying for their hair and makeup) or buying their bridesmaid dresses for them, try to pay for what you can so that you don’t have to put a huge financial strain on your bridesmaids, especially when they aren’t in a position to be spending cash on your wedding day.