Budget Wedding Tips: How to Help Bridesmaids Save Money

In tough economic times, it can hardly be expected that bridesmaids will be able to shell out a thousand dollars to be in a wedding, but that is exactly what many of them are being asked to do. Although some brides will help their bridesmaids out with costs for things such as the dress, it would be much easier on the bridesmaids if the bride paid more attention to helping her bridesmaids spend less money on the wedding.

Help Bridesmaids Save Money: Flexible Dress Selection

One great way to help your bridesmaids to save some money is to be flexible with what dress they are wearing. This will allow them to not only pick a dress that they actually like and will wear again, but to get one for a price they can afford, and maybe even use one they already have or have borrowed from somebody.

A good option for a flexible dress scheme is to have your bridesmaids all wear a simple black dress, and then to have them each somehow incorporate a thick satin ribbon of your wedding color into the dress. Some can affix it as an empire waist, others can tie it in their hair, and others may tie it in a bow in the back at the true waist of the dress.

Black dresses don't work nearly as well for outdoor weddings, so for those, it might be wiser to just choose a color and let the bridesmaids pick a dress in that color. It is also good to give some guidance on the shade of that color (if there are options that would clash with each other) and the length and style of the dress. If you are feeling adventurous, you can just leave it up to them and be happy with whatever they choose, knowing that it will express their personalities.

Help Bridesmaids Save Money: Wedding Location

If your bridesmaids are all college friends who are in one part of the country, but your hometown is very far away, one option would be to hold your wedding near where you went to college to make it easier for your bridesmaids (and other college friends) to come to your wedding. This is not a good idea as the only reason to hold your wedding in that location, but it is an idea to consider when planning your wedding, especially if not many of the guests coming to the wedding will be from your hometown.

Help Bridesmaids Save Money: Provide Accommodations

If your bridesmaids do not live in the city where your wedding is taking place, you could save them a lot of money in hotels and eating out by providing room and board for them. It doesn't necessarily have to be in the same place as you, but instead you could put them up with family friends, or your other bridesmaids, if you have some who do live in the area.

Regardless of the ways in which you choose to cut costs for your bridesmaids, they will greatly appreciate the help for their checking account, while still enjoying all the benefits of being intimately involved with your wedding day!