Do Bridesmaids Pay for Their Own Hair?

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Nothing beats the fun of flaunting a beautiful gown, nice makeover and gorgeous hair on the wedding party of your girlfriend, especially if you are the bridesmaid. It is undoubtedly a great honor and privilege to look prominent among all the guests at the wedding, but when it comes to money matters, such as travel and lodging expenditure, cost of the bachelorette party, wedding day make-over etc. you may wonder who will pay for these expenses?

Do Bridesmaids Pay for Their Own Hair?

Wedding day make-over and hair-do costs a fortune, which often makes the bridesmaids question, who pays for their hair and makeup? The answer is pretty complex. In old days, bridesmaids used to fix their own hair and makeup, before helping the bride get ready for her big day. However, with weddings getting so commercialized in current days, most brides-to-be want their bridesmaids to look more elegant for wedding pictures with professional makeup and hairdo.

If the bride makes it a requirement to have professional makeup and hairdo for her bridesmaids, then she should take care of the tab. However, if the bride doesn’t want to pay for the extra expenses or simply cannot, she can share her wish with her bridesmaids, giving them a choice (not a condition) to get prepared at home or opt for professional services but with limits, such as some explained below.

What Others Say About This Issue:

“I was asked to pay for my makeup and hairdo services, but that was when the bride took care of my bridesmaid gown. At another wedding, the bride paid for my hairdo as well as makeup. At my wedding, I am paying for the hair of bridesmaid and giving them an option to get a $30 discount if they opt for professional makeup services with my makeup artist.”

“I covered the hairdo and makeup expenses for my bridesmaid because I didn’t wanted to overburden them. However, not every bride is obligated to do so. If you can easily afford, take care of the tab, otherwise, give your bridesmaid other options so they can take a decision according to their financial scenario.”

“If you can cover the hairdo and makeup expenses, why not; I am going to pay for my girls’ hairdo but not their makeup.”

“I gave my bridesmaid a choice if they want to go for professional hairdo or not. Because of my budget constraints, I only paid for mother and my mother-in-law’s hair and makeup.”

What About Other Costs?

Do bridesmaids pay for their own hair? Probably not. But there are other expenses that are typically covered by the bridesmaid:

  • Bridesmaid dress: Generally the bridesmaid is expected to pay for her own dress, along with all the other wedding day ensembles such as shoes, jewelry, etc. If you are concerned about the price of the dress, discuss freely with the bride so she can either choose a more reasonably priced dress or give you the liberty to pick your own (based on theme, such as purple color, knee length, sleeveless etc.)

  • Bridal shower: As a rule of thumb, maid of honor and other bridesmaids cover the entire cost of bridal shower. It is a good idea to not ask for contributions from the guests/ attendees of the shower. You can throw a more budget-friendly shower if funds are low.

  • Bachelorette bash: Unlike bridal shower (which is mostly taken care by maid of honor and bridesmaid), all the invitees can chip in for the bachelorette bash. It is perfectly okay to share the details of the plans with the invitees so everyone can contribute in showing the bride a great time ahead of her wedding day.

  • Travel and accommodation cost: If the wedding is in another town, you should arrange for your own transportation and accommodation. Although, in most cases bride/groom family arrange for some extra rooms in the nearby hotels and you can get benefitted from a little discount if you communicate in time. If you are traveling with other bridesmaids, you can also share the room to lower the overall cost.

In addition, you should also reserve some cash to buy gift for the couple. A better alternative (if your situation allows) is to bunk in the money to get a combined gift with other bridesmaid.

Costs that the Bride Typically Covers for Her Bridesmaids

Do bridesmaids pay for their own hair? Bride usually covers these expenses for her bridesmaid crew. However, depending upon her budget and preferences, this list can be much longer or shorter:

  • The flower bouquet that each bridesmaid carry is usually ordered and paid for by the bride.

  • The lodging arrangement for out of town guests. If you pre-book a certain number of hotel rooms, you can enjoy a decent discount, which you can share with other guests.

  • The “thank-you” gifts or cards for guests attending the wedding.

  • If you are throwing a party to honor/ thank your bridesmaids, you should pay for all the arrangements (such as venue and food).

  • The transportation expenses of your bridal crew from their accommodation (or a pickup spot) to the venue of the wedding. 

  • If you have certain matching accessories as a compulsory part of the bridesmaid attire (such as a tiara or headband etc.), you should pay for that also. However, other matching jewelry and accessories that your bridesmaids pick with their dress should be paid for by them.