Groomsmen Etiquette: Who Pays For What?

Image by Georgia Verrells via Micy & Jay’s Decadent Bram Leigh Wedding

With the average cost of a wedding in Australia sitting at over $35,000, getting the budget sorted from the start is crucial. There’s nothing worse than a debt hangover heading into a marriage, so it’s important to be clear on financial responsibilities and roles from the beginning. Here’s a breakdown of groomsmen financial etiquette and prices.

Bachelor parties

Traditionally, the best man and the groomsmen throw the groom’s pre-wedding party and cover all costs involved. From golf days to surf trips to the classic boys’ nights out, there are a huge range of activities suited for any type of groom. The wedding party usually pays for the activities, entertainment, food, drinks and accommodation for themselves and the groom, while attendees cover their own costs.

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Accommodation the night before the wedding

If you want to spend the night before the wedding in a shared hotel suite with your buddies, it’s usually on you, as the groom, to cover the cost. It’s always nice to be in the same place the morning of the wedding to suit up together and let the photographer do their thing. Although, accommodation won’t be necessary if it’s a local wedding and you’re all geographically close.

If it’s a destination wedding, groomsmen (and their plus ones) will have already forked out accommodation for the duration of their stay, so the groom covering night-before costs is always a good thing.

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Transportation to and from destination

This one’s usually only for weddings outside your home city. Flights to Bali, for example, or travel to the Hunter Valley or interstate comes down to the groomsmen and wedding party to cover. Just like any other wedding guest, getting to the general destination is all on the groomsmen.

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Wedding gift

Grooms can’t buy their own gifts, so this one falls fair and square on the groomsmen. However, if they’re already parting with lots of cash to attend your wedding, it’s more than acceptable to request no gifts from the groomsmen.

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Wedding day transportation

Not to be confused with transportation to the geographical destination, wedding day transportation is on the groom to pay for. The beginning will be travel to the church or ceremony location, followed by travel to the photo location then the reception venue, with the last two usually also with the bride and bridesmaids.

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Groomsmen suits

Traditionally, groomsmen rent their own suits (including tie, socks, and sometimes shoes) for the big day. If you’re financially able to, it’s fine for the groom to offer to pay for all or some of the suits, but be clear from the beginning. Tell groomsmen about the financial responsibility before they commit to the wedding party.

Everyone’s situation is different and it’s a big investment in terms of finances, time and effort. As long as expectations are set early on, everyone will be cheering!