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Youre probably ready tobook a venueand buy a dream dress.

From Father of the Bride 1950

Photo: Alamy

But first, theres one major question you have to address: who pays for the wedding?

While weddings were often paid by the couple’s parents in the past, the tides have changed.

These days, anything goes when it comes to paying for a wedding.

With some weddings, costs are split between the couples and other members of the family.

Youll also run into scenarios where parents are divorced or remarried, and splitting the costs.

Grandparents may chip init really does depend on each individual wedding.

When it comes to nuptials, it truly works on a case-by-case basis.

The brides parents also traditionally hosted the engagement party.

The groom also paid for the brides engagement ring, wedding ring, and groomsmen gifts.

It is also common for the grooms family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.

If certain family members are covering the majority of wedding costs, their contributions are traditionally noted on theinvitations.

Ahead, we break down the traditional breakdown of wedding costs.

It’s important to note that these traditions vary by thefamily’s background.

For same-sex or non-binary couples, the rules are much more fluid.

The wedding could be split evenly amongst the couple’s families or be paid for by themselves.

hey, hey talk about costs up front, says East Coast event expertRebecca Gardner.

She advises couples to then delicately broach the subject with family members.

Communication is key to keeping the peace.

How much couples contribute on average

Today, more couples are directly contributing to the wedding.

Simultaneously, more grooms families are also willing to split costs.

Meanwhile, Zola found that one-third of couples are covering all of their wedding costs on their own.

Curious if older couples are expected to pay more?

Age has very little to do with paying for the wedding, says Carlson.

Post agrees: Age shouldnt be a factor when contributing.

Wondering how to word invitations if the couple pays?

There also is the question of how the wedding party will contribute to other events.

If invited to a shower, the attending wedding party member will be expected to bring a gift.