Every bride wants her wedding day to be special but it is important to remember your bridesmaids. We’ve all heard the expression, “always a bridesmaid, never a bride”. If you have a large wedding party, it’s likely that many of your bridesmaids have served as bridesmaids in other wedding parties. It can be expensive being a bridesmaid and you certainly don’t want your bridesmaids to suffer because of your wedding. To make sure that your bridesmaids aren’t financially drained, keep these tips in mind.
• Choose affordable bridesmaid dresses. You don’t need designer dresses to have a beautiful wedding. Consider the price range and ask your bridesmaids what their ideal price point is.
• If you can’t find inexpensive dresses at your bridal salon keep in mind that you can choose dresses from online shops and catalogue stores that may be less expensive.
• Don’t insist on bridesmaids wearing the same shoes and other accessories. If you do prefer that they are exactly alike you should consider purchasing some of the items for your gals.
• Remember that bridesmaids need to take time off from work to attend some of your functions. With that in mind, try to schedule your pre-wedding events on days and times when they aren’t working.
• When choosing bridesmaid dresses consider the ability to wear them again. Your bridesmaids will be more agreeable to paying for dresses that they will be able to wear later on. Street length dresses are an option to consider.
• If you want to set up a bridesmaid spa or salon day be prepared to pay for it. It’s best not to expect your bridesmaids to pay for the added expense of getting salon treatments, nails, hair, or makeup appointments.
• Your bridesmaids may not want to tell you that they can’t afford your wedding, but they may begin to resent you for it if the expenses start to add up. Before asking a bridesmaid to participate you should estimate the expenses and let each one know what items you and they will each be paying for.
• Avoid extravagant pre-wedding parties. Invite your bridesmaids to only one shower where they are expected to bring a gift.
• If some of your bridesmaids are coming in from out of town, offer to pay for their accommodations. In some cases you may also want to pay for travel expenses as well.