Who pays for the bridal shower?

It is traditional for the bride's Maid of Honor to hold a bridal shower for her close friend. It is also etiquette that she pays for all expenses. The shower can be held anywhere, from someone's home, to a hall to a restaurant, but the costs have to be covered by the Maid of Honor. It is very bad form if any of the guests have to pay for anything, however, if they communicate that they would like to contribute financially it is up to the Maid of Honor whether to accept or not. The bridal shower can be as lavish or as simple as the Maid of Honor decides, and the meal and games are up to her to organize.

This is a honor and a privilege for her, but obviously something that she will have to take into serious consideration if she decides to accept being the Maid. If she feels that she cannot undertake the financial obligation of the bridal shower, or the organization of the guests then she must let the bride know immediately so that another Maid of Honor can be chosen. Never feel ashamed if you cannot undertake the task, it is perfectly acceptable to refuse.

The groom is not responsible for any finances where the bridal shower is concerned, and it would not be acceptable for any guests not to be invited simply because of financial reasons. The groom also has the choice of attending the shower or not, it is entirely up to him. It has become less traditional for the shower to be comprised purely of women, and it is becoming more common for the groom and his friends to attend. They have the option of contributing financially for the shower but are not under any obligation.

Keep in mind that the guest's have already spend a considerable sum on gifts for the wedding and for the shower. Not only that, new outfits have probably also been purchased for the wedding and the reception. The costs involved for everyone are quite high. These are all factors to remember in today's economic climate, where every dollar counts.

There are years of tradition behind us that shows who is expected to pay for what when it comes to weddings. From the engagement to the honeymoon so there is no excuse for the Maid of Honor not to realize that one of her obligations is to finance the bridal shower. This means, of course, that the venue is her choice and so is the type of meal offered. To be a Maid of Honor is truly an honor, and a great privilege. It shows that she and the bride have a close friendship that will continue on into the future.