Unless you are the first of your friends to get engaged, you probably know what an honor it is to be a bridesmaid. You may also know that it can be really expensive to be in someone’s wedding. A bridesmaid can be expected to budget for all or any of the following:

Dress

Shoes

Bridal Shower

Bachelorette Party (dinner, drinks, entertainment, maybe flight/hotel, plus penis straws)

Gifts (shower and wedding)

Travel expenses (hotel the night of the wedding)

When it comes to the wedding day, all the money has been spent and noting is left in their budget for your girls of honor to get their hair and makeup done. I think a nice way to honor the girls is to offer to pay a portion of their hair and makeup. More often the girls will opt to be pampered along with you if they know they are getting charged a lower rate. The better the whole party looks, the more smiles and laughs you will have the entire day. It’s also very obvious in photos when some members of the bridal party have their hair/makeup done and others do not. If you have to meet a minimum number of people for your beauty team, consider offering hair and makeup to your mom, FMIL, grandmothers, and other special people who will be in photos or a guests may be traveling a distance to witness your big day.

I know weddings are expensive but look at the big picture – your photos are forever and ever and that is what remains after the cake is cut and the thank you notes are written. In the end it may be worth a few more bucks to have the women most important to you look and feel their best on your wedding day. Best of all, your photos will all look amazing!