Who paid for bridesmaid dresses, you or them?

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Thinking if they're dresses they could wear again, who paid for them?
Bridesmaids?
You?
Someone else?

[emsyj]

I paid for my bridesmaids' dresses, accessories & hair & makeup - but they bought their own shoes, as they both have odd feet and wanted to be comfortable.

I'm bridesmaid for a friend later this year, am waiting to see if I have to buy my dress (which I don't want to, as it will have to be a maternity number that will probably never be worn again!) I will if she asks, although I think generally it is up to the couple to pay.

[IslaValargeone]

I think it's up to the bride to pay for dresses. I'd be quite pissed off tbh if I was expected to pay.
I also think it's irrelevant if you can wear the dress again.

[YouGoonie]

I bought my bridesmaids dresses and never got them back. I am bridesmaid this year at one of my bridesmaid's weddings and I've got to pay for my dress.

[Nobhead]

I paid for my DSIL bridesmaid dress and silver jewellry (she was my only one)- it wasn't one she could wear again really as it was a full length fuschia made to measure dress. She bought her own shoes.
IMO if you are choosing the dress and it isn't one they could realistically get their wear out of after the wedding then the couple should pay.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

The bride should pay.

Very unlikely they'll wear them again based on most bridesmaid dresses.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I think the only way they should pay is if they have total free-reign over what they choose to wear.

[WowOoo]

I've had mine bought for me, even ones that I could wear again and got to choose them from a selection.

[CMOTDibbler]

I think unless the bridesmaids have total control over what they wear, the bride should pay

[BellaVita]

When I got married, my parents paid for them. I wouldn't expect the bridesmaids to pay.

[bagelmonkey]

I paid. I had one bridesmaid and she chose her dress, with the hope that she might be able to wear it again.

[Pascha]

I paid for my bridesmaids dresses. It wouldn't cross my mind to ask them to pay for it, its my choice and my day so its my money that gets spent as far as I'm concerned.

What they did with the dresses after I neither know nor care about.

[RubyrooUK]

I bought my bridesmaids their dresses. I felt that if I asked them to be a bridesmaid, that should not be something that cost them money. I was the one who wanted to get married after all and if they weren't bridesmaids, they could have just worn a dress they already owned to the wedding.

Plus even though mine were not bridesmaid dresses, I am not sure they would ever get worn again as they were to my taste rather than the bridesmaids (there were five, so varying tastes). Not that I think my taste was horrible, clearly, but I have got several bridesmaid dresses from friends' weddings that were nice but not to my exact personal taste and will never wear again.

I didn't buy shoes as I asked everyone what they wanted to wear and they all had very varied opinions (flat, big heels, small heels). I didn't care about them perfectly matching the dress so they all just wore their own shoes.

[SarkyWench]

My bridesmaid had free choice of dress.
I paid.
She wore her own shoes.

[chipsandpeas]

imo the bride should pay
however if money was tight and the bride wasnt going completely bridezilla about it then i wouldnt mind paying for it myself if it were something i would wear again (like dresses from high street shops) but if this were the case i would be expected to be told up front

[IslaValargeone]

Yougoonie, why would you expect them back?

[BellaOfTheBalls]

I paid for my bridesmaids dresses but we got them half price in the sale and the entire outfits with shoes, shrugs and dresses cost less than £180 for the two

When I was a bridesmaid mine was paid for.

[PrimaBallerina]

I paid. I can't believe anyone would expect the bridesmaid to pay!

They bought their own shoes but I was happy for them to wear whatever they liked and didn't expect them to buy new ones for the occasion. They were black knee length so most things would have matched.

And I didn't ask for the dresses back either.

[PorkyandBess]

Would anyone really expect their bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses?

[YouGoonie]

Hi Isla, long boring story but bridesmaids weren't particularly keen on dresses and all said they wouldn't wear them again and I'd rather have ebayed them (as money was very tight at the time) or if no one else wanted them given them to a charity shop. Saying that I obviously wasn't that bothered because this is the first time I've thought about them in a very long time :)

[canyou]

I have been bridesmaid 3 times, In Irl the bride paid for everything, in The UK the bride paid for dress and make up we did our own hair and bought our own shoes and in America I paid for everything and it was a awful dress I forgot to pack and bring home
We are getting married next year I am buying all the bridesmaid dresses shoes,hair and makeup and DP paying for the grooms men suits and a visit to the Turkish barber. We are also buying all our nieces the same dresses so they look pretty and cuts down their parents expense and we will also dress our 3 nephews.

[mamalovesmojitos]

The bride pays.

[BackforGood]

Agree with everyone else - the bride pays (or whoever is hosting the wedding).

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Bride / bride's parents pays, surely?

I gave my bridesmaids some money towards shoes and headdresses,but let them choose what they wanted as long as they were cream. They wore the dresses I chose (though I know they have all got lots of use of out them, as they weren't very "bridesmaid-y").

Surely if you can't afford to buy the outfits, you cut down on the number of bridesmaids you have??

[DontmindifIdo]

Bride/bride's family pays, every time. Even if it is something they could wear again, they probably won't if all their friends have seen it as the bridesmaid dress (which they will, even if they aren't guests, they will see photos of the bridesmaid).

If you can't afford bridesmaids, don't have them. (I only had 1)