According to a recent study by The Knot, the average bridesmaid these days is spending an average of $1,154 per wedding. This includes the cost of a bridesmaids dress and accessories, travel, gifts, bridal shower and bachelorette party costs, and all of the other small expenses that can pile up during the process of a wedding.
While your bridesmaids may feel loved and honored to be a part of your wedding, these are not small costs, especially during uncertain economic times. So how are modern bridesmaids balancing this cost?
Here are a few tips on how to keep costs down for your bridesmaids, while still enjoying all the things that make a wedding special.
Keep It Local
Destination weddings are increasingly popular options for couples who want to throw a wedding to remember. White sandy beaches and sprawling green vineyards are some of the most sought-after locations for weddings for good reason. They provide a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos, and they make guests feel like they are on vacation while they are there.
However, that beautiful view comes with a price tag, and not just for the bride and groom. Traveling to a destination wedding can often cost just as much as the happy couple paid to rent the space, with airfare, gas, and lodging prices sometimes creeping into the thousands.
Keeping your wedding local can help your bridesmaids cut down on these costs. If one of the bridal party lives nearby, they can offer a spare bedroom or a fold-out sofa for one or more of the other bridesmaids if needed. This also helps them to save on the cost of gas, especially if they can carpool to the wedding venue together.
Forgo Matching Dresses
While bridesmaids dresses tend to cost much less than bridal gowns, they can still be a large expense. Many bridesmaids may never even wear their dress again after the big day, which can add to the sting of paying for a brand new dress out of pocket.
Your bridesmaids don’t have to wear matching dresses to look and feel beautiful at your wedding, however. In fact, many modern brides are ditching the matching dress tradition altogether.
Letting your bridesmaids pick out their own dresses not only cuts down on costs, but it lets each of them express their individuality. As an added bonus, they are much more likely to end up with a dress that they like enough to wear again in the future.
If you are unsure where to look, we cannot recommend Bella Bridesmaids enough for their vast selection of beautiful and affordable dresses that you will want to wear again and again. They also offer custom alterations, as well as a wide variety of sizes and styles.
Host Your Own Bachelorette Party
The bachelorette party is a tried and true tradition for brides and their bridesmaids to celebrate together. This affair is usually planned by the bridesmaids, and often involves a night out on the town, a fancy dinner, or some other fun way to spend time together.
But, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Your girls can plan something just as fun without dropping hundreds of dollars at a bar or a club. Offering to let them throw you a party at your own place keeps costs low, as well as giving your bridesmaids the opportunity to really get creative with their planning.
Say Thank You With Gifts
If your bridesmaids are having to pinch pennies while still doing their best to help you with your big day, there’s no better way to say thank you than with a gift. Many modern brides-to-be are offering accessories, reimbursing travel costs, and even paying for the bridesmaid dresses themselves, as their way of saying thank you to their bridal party.
If you can’t find room in your budget to pay for all your girls’ dresses, you can still let them know how much they mean to you with small favors, or even a gift card to their favorite coffee shop or spa.
Conclusion
When looking back on your wedding years later, no one wants to think about how much money they spent. The important things are to remember all your friends and family who showed up for you, and all of the happy memories you made together.
With these tips in mind, it won’t be hard to make beautiful memories for yourself and your bridesmaids without breaking the bank.
