From the dress to the bachelorette, this is what it costs to be a bridesmaid in 2023

Your best friend finally popped the question: Will you be my bridesmaid?

You teared up and accepted. It’s an honor. But then you remembered your budget; with inflation, money’s been tight. Can you actually afford to be in the wedding?

Being a bridesmaid comes with a cost — several of them in fact. From buying the bridesmaid dress to the bachelorette trip, the expenses can add up fast. And not everyone has the honor of being a bridesmaid for a bride who came prepared with a PowerPoint on the expected cost, allowing you to budget 10 months in advance.

A 2017 study from WeddingWire found bridesmaids spent about $1,200 or up to $1,800 — with inflation, that’s a range of $1,478 to $2,218 today. The amount it’ll cost you also depends on where you live: bridesmaids in the Northeast might spend more than those in the Midwest.

What do bridesmaids traditionally pay for?

Every wedding and wedding party is different. Bridesmaids might pay entirely (or help pay) for the dress, accessories, the wedding shower, a shower gift, the bachelorette party, travel and hotel for the wedding day, and a wedding gift.

Bridesmaids might also pay for their hair and makeup on the day of. But if the bride requires this, the bride might cover it. None of these are strict rules though.

How much do dresses, showers or bachelorettes cost?

WeddingWire reported the average bridesmaid dress cost $208, plus costs for alterations, another $120 on accessories, and $132 on professional hair and makeup.

If traveling to another city for the wedding, bridesmaids average $115 on travel and $205 on accommodations.

For the parties, such as the bridal shower and bachelorette, bridesmaids can spend several hundred dollars or upwards of $1,000.

Family or family friends could also host and pay for the shower, which could cost between $500 to $2,500, according to Yeah Weddings. Gifts for the shower typically range between $25 to $75.

A weekend bachelorette trip of two days has a median cost of $350 while a five-day trip costs a median of $525, according to The Knot.

Bridesmaids don’t necessarily have to give a wedding gift since they’re already contributing financially, but if they want to, one wedding planner gave Bustle a recommendation of between $50 to $100.

How can you save money?

Make sure you go over your financial situation before accepting the offer of being a bridesmaid.

“It’s an honor to be asked to be someone’s bridesmaid, but agreeing to this shouldn’t set you back financially,” Sara Kalsman, a certified financial planner at Betterment, told The Knot.

You should also get an idea of what you’ll have to pay for, such as whether or not the bride will cover hair and makeup or if you’re buying your own dress.

If you have enough advance notice (or even want to prepare yourself in the event you are asked to be a bridesmaid), you can add your expected bridesmaid costs into your budget and save up so you’re ready when the time comes.

How far in advance should you start saving?

It’s better to start saving sooner rather than later, especially if money is tight or you’re in more than one wedding. The budget will vary person to person, depending on what you’re expected to contribute.

Renting your bridesmaid dress or doing your own hair and makeup can help save money, especially if you’re in multiple weddings.

For example: If you know the bachelorette party will cost you $600, but you have six months to budget for it, you can set aside $100 each month until the date. That way, you’re not frantically coming up with an extra $600 you might not have.

Some savings accounts offer buckets: This means you can sort all the money in that account into different categories. You could create a bucket for your emergency fund, car repairs and bridesmaid fund. Friendly reminder: Your immediate savings should be in a high-yield savings account.

You can also keep your budget organized with tools such as templates on platforms Google Sheets or Notion or through budgeting apps such as YNAB, Mint or RocketMoney.

This story was originally published March 10, 2023 at 7:07 AM with the headline "From the dress to the bachelorette, this is what it costs to be a bridesmaid in 2023."