The bride wants to have a “fundraising” party to help the bridesmaids pay for their dresses, hair, shoes, and limo. The groom feels uncomfortable with it and the bride is worried that her bridesmaids may have a hard time paying for such expenses. In terms of wedding etiquette, is it acceptable to have a fundraising party to raise money to help pay for the bridesmaids’ expenses?
Traditionally, it is up to the bridesmaids themselves to cover the cost of their dress and their accessories. To have a fundraiser for such things may seem awkward to those who are asked to purchase tickets as well as for the bridesmaids. Add the groom’s level of discomfort and you may have a potential hazard waiting to happen.
There are fundraising Jack and Jills that are intended to raise money for the new couple but I would advise against having a fundraiser to cover the costs for the bridal party.
Some other options to cut costs would be:
- Find an alternate design of bridesmaid dress that looks similar to the original but costs significantly less.
- Rather than a limo, consider a high end car that can be rented for the full day for a fraction of the cost.
- Search out different makeup and hair stylists for more affordable pricing.