How Much Does Each Mom Spend on Their Child’s Wedding?

Helping to pay for your child’s wedding may seem like a big commitment, you want to ensure you’re giving them enough so they can have a dream day. However, you also need to think about your own expenses. Every parent and mom (especially) will end up spending a lot more than they ever imagine on their child’s wedding which is why it’s important to consider everything you’ll be spending the money on. We’ve created a short list of things you may buy for your child’s wedding and how much it will cost to give you a realistic expectation of how much you’re going to spend. After all, their wedding is likely to only come once in their lifetime, so you may have to spend a little more than you wish too.

Food and Catering (around $5,000)

Typically, the parents of the bride or groom will offer to split the funds of the catering as this is one of the most expensive factors on any wedding. Paying for your child’s catering at their wedding will allow them to spend more on other aspects of the wedding and can lift a weight from their shoulders. However, you may want to see how much the venue or caterer is charging per guest as you don’t want to leave yourself out of pocket. On average, the venue or caterer will charge around $50 to $70 per guest which end up around $5,000 with 100 guests.

Outfits and Mother of the Bride Dresses (between $50 to $400)

Everyone needs to look beautiful at a wedding, especially if you’re the parent of the bride or groom who’s getting married. All eyes will be on you and your child during the reception and ceremony, so a stunning and elegant outfit is all you need. Mother of the bride dresses are best bought online if you’re looking for something a little more affordable. There are many boutiques that won’t sell these outfits for any less than a few hundred dollars but it’s understandable that you would want to save money wherever you can and try out cheap mother of the bride dresses, along with the dress petticoat, headpieces, jewelleries and shoes that can be worn both during the entourage and as dance shoes.

Venue and Photographer

Traditionally, a bride and groom will not pay for everything on their big day. It is most likely that you as their parent will have to pay for something they would like or something they simply cannot afford. The venue, including the decors such as wedding flowers and ornaments, and photographer are another expense that many couples can’t afford to pay in a lumpsum so you will end up paying for it. We do not recommend you overspending and offering to pay for everything, but you should take your fair share as it will ensure they get the day they have always dreamt of without having to worry about the smaller costs too.

Being a parent of the bride or groom, you’ll consider paying for some aspects of their wedding. After all, you love and cherish them dearly so it’s only fair that you pay for something for them. Choose what you pay for wisely though as some things can end up costing a lot more than you originally thought.