While expectations are changing in modern weddings, the traditional wedding budget and the breakdown of who pays for what is fairly straightforward. In the United States, Europe, and most western cultures, the bride's family traditionally bears the brunt of the wedding cost. The following are the costs typically paid for by each of the primary people involved in a wedding. These are not hard and fast rules, and they vary a little from country to country, but they are the most common.

The Bride's Family 

The bride's family, as we said, traditionally pays for the bulk of the wedding. This may be based on the old custom of paying a dowry. In other cultures, such as in Asia, it is the groom's family that pays for most expenses. Here are the main items the bride's parents pay for in Western society:

• Invitations and wedding announcements
• The bride's wedding gown, shoes, accessories, hair and makeup
• A wedding planner or consultant
• The whole reception, including site for ceremony and reception, food, decorations, rentals, wedding favors, wedding cake, photographer, videographer, music and entertainment, and all gratuities
• Transportation for the wedding party
• Gifts for the couple

The Groom's Family

The groom's family still has a fair amount of expenses to cover, albeit significantly less than the bride's. These are the items the groom's parents' are traditionally responsible for:

• A rehearsal dinner
• The marriage license and officiant
• The bride's bouquet (and usually those of the bridesmaids)
• The men's boutonnieres
• The honeymoon
• Drinks at the reception
• Shipping the gifts to the newlyweds' home, if needed
• Gifts for the bride and groom

Bride and Groom

The bride and groom are expected to pay for at least a few things themselves. However, depending on their finances, their parents may help out. They are typically responsible for:

• Wedding rings for each other
• Presents for each other
• Gifts for maid of honor, bridesmaids, best man, and groomsmen
• It is also appropriate to get gifts for their parents, since they are contributing so much

Maid of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

The rest of the wedding party, except for other family such as grandparents, have specific financial responsibilities as well. Depending on the couple's preferences, these can sometimes get a little expensive. If you are invited to participate, hopefully your bride/groom will be sensitive to this. These are the costs you would be expected to cover:

• Bridal shower and bachelorette party/hen night (done by the maid of honor, but bridesmaids can help)
• Bachelor party/stag night (typically done by the best man, but groomsmen can help)
• Your own dresses/suits, shoes, and accessories (except for bouquets and boutonnieres)
• Presents for the couple

A few debatable expenses are the drinks at the reception and accommodation for out-of-town members of the wedding party. Many people say that the groom's family is responsible for the drinks at the reception. For accommodation of the wedding party, it is common for the bride or groom's family to pay in order to alleviate the expense for them.

Luckily for parents today, only about a third of weddings are paid for primarily by the bride's family. It is far more common for the cost to be split more equally between bride's family, groom's family, and the couple themselves. For couples who are a little older and more financially secure, often they are paying for it themselves.

While there is always much emphasis placed on the bride and her dress, a wedding is also the most important day for the groom and he will also want to be looking his best.

It is important for the groom to look his best and this will usually require him to be coordinated with the rest of the wedding party, which will include his attire, accessories and to coordinate with the colour scheme that has been chosen for the special day.

For a formal wedding, tradition will usually dictate what is required to be worn by the groom, and this will usually consist of a tuxedo with a waistcoat, a dress shirt, tie or bow tie and cufflinks, which are essential accessories. There is scope, however, to allow the groom to show a touch of individualism and add personal touch to his attire with the use of his accessories. A bow tie, for example, can make a huge statement of individualism without being over the top or too garish, a solid colour, oversized, satin bow tie would look very stylish with a tuxedo and dress shirt.

Cufflinks make great accessories and can cater for individual taste, mother of pearl cufflinks are available in many designs and look very subtle and stylish if they are coordinated by all the men in many wedding party.

Individualised cufflinks that are engraved with the groom, best man and father of the bride are a great novelty without being brash, and they make a great keepsake too.

Choosing the colour of your waistcoat and tie to compliment the wedding theme will ensure you have a stylish look, especially if the theme is worn by all the men in the main wedding party. The bow tie is also making a resurgence in popularity, opting for a large, oversized velvet bow tie will certainly make a statement and look very impressive. Varying your tuxedo colour can also be very effective, opting for a dark blue or grey rather than the traditional black can be very effective and look very stylish too.

The number of less formal weddings continues to increase, and it estimated than less than half of grooms actually wear a tuxedo, but that doesn't mean you have to lack style. Many are opting for cotton and linen suits which are perfect for summer weddings, while a darker suit made from a heavier material is usually the choice for autumn and winter weddings.

Beach weddings continue to increase in popularity and this allows for a very informal dress code, with some thought you can still coordinate the main wedding party even if you choose khakis and sandals or even a Hawaiian theme.

However formal or informal your special day, with some thought the groom can have an individual, stylish attire that will compliment the bride.