Who buys the bridesmaid dresses?

[SpiderStardust]

Do I buy them??

I've been a bridesmaid 3 times and I've always had my dress bought for me but I've bought my own shoes and paid for hair etc.

I paid for everything.

I'm a bride in a few weeks time, and while I have bought all accessories for the adult bridesmaids they are getting their own dresses. All I told them when I asked them was it had to be a certain colour (I didnt care if they werent exactly the same shade) in whatever budget/style they wanted, and that they would be able to wear again.

I also made it clear that I would understand if they couldn't, and to feel no obligation to accept. Both were fine. I got the children's outfits, partly because one is DSD and the other is my god daughter and we have shared finances. I think it depends on what you want/ what your bridesmaid want and if you discuss it before hand.

Everyone's different. If I'd picked out a specific dress and told them to buy it, I think that would have been wrong. If any bride expects the bridal party to pay, then the bridal party need to have total choice over the items xx

The Bride pays for bridesmaids. I'm paying for dress, (using her own shoes by choice, I have offered to buy some) flowers, hairdresser, jewellery. But I only have 1 bridesmaid.

One time I was a bridesmaid, I got the impression the wedding was a bit of a financial stretch and as I could afford it, I offered to pay for my dress. This was gratefully accepted, but a couple of weeks later I was told dear old great aunt Betty (I can't recall exactly) had asked to pay for all the bridesmaid's dresses so my money would go on something else. She's still a good pal but I did find it a bit cheeky
(And I paid for her dress without question when she was later my bridesmaid)

I gave each a £70 budget, principally for the dress, but if they could include other accessories, then fine (I didn't specify jewellery or shoes). Specified colours, but let them pick a dress that suited them.

One knocked it out of the park with a sale dress and shoes for £18 altogether.

One got a second hand dress for just £38.

The last one was a bloody nightmare, kept trying to get an outfit that was the same as my wedding dress style, and spent hours and hours harrassing me with dresses the wrong colour.

I’ve been a grown up bridesmaid 3 times.
I’ve always been asked to choose from eg 3 dresses within a colour scheme. I’ve never paid. Always bought my own shoes and jewellery.
Brides have paid for hair and makeup.

Didn’t realise this was originally a zombie thread!!