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## Pessimistic

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## Pops

We are paying for everyones outfits that we have asked to be involved. The way we look at it is that we are asking them to wear something in particular and are therefore causing the cost to be incurred and so we will pay for it. I wouldn't dream of asking for any of it back either but maybe that is just us! I also left her to choose the dress and shoes etc, just told her the colour I'd like and left her to it knowing she would pick something gorgeous and she did.

I don't know about the tradition of bridesmaids buying their own, I always thought the Bride did, but I don't know anyone that has been asked and been expected to pay for their things.

xxx


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## binxyboo

Actually - it is the UK tradition for the bride to pay for the bridesmaids dresses, and the USA tradition for them to buy their own.
I paid for my bridesmaids dress. I felt that as I was asking her to wear a particular colour/style, I should be paying for it.
She had a lot of input in the dress, coming shopping with me to choose something she liked.
She used her own necklace (one from when she got married), and bought her own bag and shoes (but sent me pictures to see if I liked them first).


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## booflebump

I thought it was tradition that the bride/brides father paid for the bm dresses. That said, lots of brides are now asking bms to pay for their own shoes/accessories if they buy their dresses. Or the bms buy the dresses if they are from places such as Coast as they can be worn again. 

I am going to be buying my bridesmaids dresses for them 

ETA - if your other bms have kindly paid for their own outfits, I think it is a little unfair for the 3rd to refuse (unless the dresses were very expensive and she genuinely cant afford it?) xxx


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## dizzyspells

We have bought the bridesmaids dresses,shoes,jewelery etc.x


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## pip holder

I bought the dresses, shoes, jewellery etc as _*I*_ was essentially dictating what they should wear - a couple offered to help out though :hugs:


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## sparkle

We (well my parents) have paid for their dresses and other bits too. But then two out of 3 of my bridesmaids are my sisters!!


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## todteach

We paid for our maid of honour (dress, hair, makeup) and best man's attire, only because it was a small wedding. In Canada they pay their own typically. But, my maid of honour was my sister and best man might as well be family to us.


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## Miss_d

i am bridesmaid for my friend and shes paying for everything for me and the other 2 bridesmaids, ie, dress, hair, make up etc and also shes givin us a night in a hotel as a present :)


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## Mrs Doddy

I paid for the dresses and the jewellery, the younger ones I paid for their shoes but the older one paid for her own - that way everyone was the same and there was no arguements about money


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## Sovereign

I'm paying for my bridesmaids dresses, shoes, jewellery and hair and make up x


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## buttonnose82

we have paid for everything


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## Happy

I am buying the dresses for my bridesmaids.


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## babybump2010

We have paid for the dresses and brought them a necklace to wear on the day as their gift! Think we will probably get their tiaras but they are getting their own shoes!


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## Vici

We have paid for all our BMs dresses (although i did get them cheap ;)) After speaking to them, they all expected to pay for their own. 

I ahve been a BM a couple of times and always paid for my dress and shoes - IMO it just depends on the people involved x


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## chelseaharvey

Im not having a bridesmaid, im having a flowergirl & will be buying the dress, shoes & anything else to go with it

The same as the outfits for the ushers/best man/page boy etc

We are paying for the people that we want involved in our BIG day


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## polo_princess

I agree with Vici, i think it entriely depends on the people involed and the type of the wedding, some weddings are on such a tight budget everyone helps out y paying for their own outfits, sometimes even food etc.

I only have 1 bridesmaid which is Brooke so obviously i paid for her entire outfit, my MOH i have paid for her dress and she is paying for everything else, shoe's, hair, makeup etc, but that works out best for us all, he sister is a hairdresser so will be doing her hair, and im not having my makeup done professionally as my skills are good enough not to warrant having one :)


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## pinkmummy

Our bridesmaids have paid for their own dresses as we are on quite a tight budget but we have bought their necklaces, hair accessories (clips and pins) and also bought their shoes.

As for their hair my friend who is training to be a hairdresser is doing their hairs x


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## princess_bump

having two bridesmaids :cloud9: maddi and my wonderful cousin - we (well my parents) are paying for both dresses, shoes and accessories (no matter how much my cousin wants to pay her own way). for us, we've asked her to be involved in our big day, she's made a huge commitment to travel and spend a week in florida with us, and i wanted to give something back to her! she's a brilliant bridesmaid and i feel so honoured and happy she's part of it :D


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## subaru555

I never paid for them but that was because my dress was 4 times over budget.


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## Kimboowee

My bms are paying for everything (minus jewellery - that will be a gift)
We didn't have the money to pay for everything, so asked them to contribute and they offered to pay for everything =]


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## buttonnose82

we have paid for everything except my sisters shoes, she picked them and paid for them herself, everything else we have paid for (including stuff like hair dresser appointments), my sister is picking something for her hair and i just told her buy whatever she wants and we will give her money back

way i see it is we have asked people to play a part and therefore we pay for them to do so :shrug:

even ushers, all they have had to provide is their own black shoes ...... but they all had a pair anyway so didn't cost them anything :)


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## cloud9

i paid for my bridesmaids dresses and plan to pay for the accessories, shoes, jewellery and hair and beauty appointments too. when i was bridesmaid for my friend i got mine paid for, i would say it would be tradition that it was paid for rather than the other way round!! i dont think it should be their responsibility. imagine if your best friend couldnt afford to buy their dress, then they couldnt be your bridesmaid...
i watched an episode of dont tell the bride where the men plan the weddings, he had a budget of £14,000 and didnt have enough money to buy the bridesmaid dresses - i thought it was a bit of a cheek- since they are a really big part of your day!!!


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## Lisalovesbean

I agree with the bride and groom or the parents if paying to pay for the bridesmaid, you are asking them to do something for you so therefore you repay that by paying for their outfits, shoes, hair etc...

I never had any bridesmaids, as my wedding was planned and over and done with within six weeks and my budget would have increased alot to have afforded bm's, so we forgoed them...I take the stance if you can't afford to buy their dresses etc, don't have them or wait until you have funds!!

I know the US ladies tend to buy their own!


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## mushmouth

We had 6 BMs, and 6 GMs and they all paid for their own, but we bought them necklaces/cufflinks as thank you gifts.

I think if I had only 1 or 2 I'd have paid, but as hubbys family is so big (4 of the BMs where is sisters who all wanted to be BMs!) and 3 of the men too... We couldnt afford to pay for all of them. 

Gladly the dresses we bought were debenhams and so cute, and can be worn to other things too!


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## Niki

Hmm not sure if its trradition but my dad is paying for my bridal party outfits :)


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## babytots

I'm buying my bridesmiad dresses I have 4 in total and god knows where I am going to find the money for all their dresses but find it cheeky asking them to contribute as like someone said we are asking them to be part of our big day so we should be the ones to pay for thie dresses.

Just struggling to find where I'm getting the money from to buy their dresses :cry: x


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## dreamofabean

I paid for everything and then bought them thank you presents too! I see it that they were doing me a favour so deserved to be treated!!x


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## Sofiekirsten

I managed to work my way round this by not having any brides maids just a maid of honour but my sister in law had 8 bridesmaids and paid for all of the dress, makeup, hair, shoes and accessories


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## Dream.A.Dream

I would love to buy all their dresses but I just can't afford to. I've spoken to them and basically told them straight, either they have to pay for half their dresses and I will pay the other half, or I will have to only have my sister as bridesmaid. 

They all said they'd rather pay half than not be bridesmaid. The dresses will be coast, monsoon or warehouse so they'll be able to wear them again. xx


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## llamedos

I bought the ones for my little bridesmaids (two of them), and my two adult bridesmaids paid for their own - but they offered to do that, rather than me telling them to.


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