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Wedding Etiquette
Expenses - Who pays for what & how much?
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The Bride & her family usually pay for: ·
The Bride's Dress & accessories |
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The groom's wedding ring and gift · Photography · Housing & gifts for the bridesmaids · Limousines or other car rentals · All reception costs, including site rental, food, liquor, and decorations |
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The Groom & his family usually pay for:
· The Bride's wedding & engagement ringsThe Bride's Attendants pay for:
· The Bride's bouquet & gift
· The marriage license
· The officiate's fee
· Corsages for the mothers and grandmothers
· The boutonnieres for himself, his wedding party, his father, and grandfathers
· The usher's housing and gifts
· The rehearsal dinner
· The honeymoon
· Their dresses & accessoriesThe Groom's Attendants pay for:
· A shower gift
· The Bridal shower and Bachelorette party
· Transportation to & from the wedding
· A gift for the couple
· Their tuxedos or suitsTipping - Many wedding professionals include gratuity in their contract, and then expect additional at the reception! Here are some guidelines that might help:
· The Bachelor party
· Transportation to and from the wedding
· A gift for the couple
· An officiate is never tipped! They may ask for a donation for their
house of worship, but they are not allowed to accept tips.
· Florists, Photographers and Bakers are not usually tipped. They
charge a flat fee for their service.
· Limousine drivers usually receive 15-20% of the bill. Any more is
to the host's discretion.
· DJ's usually receive 20% of their fee and Musicians are tipped $25
per band member, but not exceed 20% of the fee.
· Caterers & reception site managers usually have gratuity included
in their contracts. If they have been exceptionally helpful you may
give them an additional $1-2 per guest.
· Bar tenders, 15-20% of the total bar bill. If gratuity is already
included in contract, and additional 10% should be paid during
reception. Don't allow the bartender to accept tips from guests.
Wait staff 15-20% of food bill (if it is not included in contract,
then give to head waiter). Parking Valet $1-2 per car.
Do I hire a DJ, Band or have none? - It is possible to have music at a reception without forfeiting elegance. Traditionally, bands have been considered to be more formal than a DJ. But since bands are also considerably more expensive, either has become perfectly acceptable at any type of wedding. Music and entertainment can often determine the tone of the whole party. Make sure that whom ever you hire, can play a mix of music, with different eras, ethnicity (if chosen), as well as styles of music.
Traditional Dances & Events - For more details on the specific dances view our Reception Page
· Bride and Groom's First DanceThe Final Word - Etiquette is constantly evolving. Most of today's wedding etiquette is fairly flexible, but there are still some etiquette "absolutes", like writing Thank-You's when you receive gifts and not indicating where you've registered on your invitations. But, if you do something "wrong", it's not the end of the world. There's no etiquette police to arrest you. If you are unsure of how to handle a particular situation, or if you'd like to try something new at your wedding, but are not sure if it's proper, just use your best judgment. Common sense & good judgment are often the quickest & easiest answers to all your wedding dilemmas. Remember, it's your wedding, so have fun!!!
· Bride's dance with her father
· Groom's dance with his mother
· Bride's dance with her father-in-law*
· Groom's dance with his mother-in-law*
· Bridal Party Dance (Bridesmaids with Groomsmen & Ushers)
· Bouquet & Garter Toss
· Garter replacement*
· Bouquet Award (to couple married the longest)*
· Ethical Dances*
· Participation Dances*
· Cake cutting & feeding of one another