Wondering who pays for the wedding party's accommodation? You're not alone! When it comes to weddings, we get so many questions about who's supposed to pay for what, and wedding accommodation is a source of much confusion. We're often asked, "Should I offer to pay for hotel rooms for the Maid of Honour/bridesmaids/Best Man/groomsmen/parents on the night of the wedding?" so today, we're providing a straight-forward answer!
Who pays for the wedding party's accommodation?
As a general rule, the couple aren't expected to pay for anyone's accommodation but their own. In Ireland, the UK, and most regions, it's not all that common for the couple to pay for wedding party accommodation. So, as long as there are reasonably affordable accommodation options available, either at your venue, or nearby, there's no need for you to offer to pay for these rooms. If your venue's room rate was very expensive you could offer to subsidise the rooms, but this wouldn't be expected. But there are a few exceptions to this rule:
- In some parts of the world, like the USA and Australia, it's fairly common for the couple to pay for the bridesmaids' and/or groomsmen's accommodation on the night of the wedding, so there's a chance that wedding party members in these regions, or from these regions, might expect it.
- If you've requested that the wedding party stay overnight in your venue (this is most common for bridesmaids staying the night before the wedding), and your venue is very expensive, this puts your wedding party members in a tricky position, where they feel obliged to spend more than they had previously budgeted on accommodation. In this case, it's only fair that you offer to pay for part or all of the room cost.
Why do some couples pay for wedding party accommodation?
Whether or not you want to cover this is largely up to you, and how generous you'd like to be. While it's generally not expected, some couples like to pay for one night's accommodation for their bridesmaids or groomsmen as a thank you for everything they've done in the lead up to the big day, and on the day itself. Couples might pay for their parents' accommodation for the same reason, or because their parents have made financial contributions to the wedding. Some wedding venues include a number of on-site bedrooms in their package, which means that guests can't pay for these rooms separately. In this case, it's usually easier for couple to absorb this cost into their wedding budget and assign the rooms to their wedding party members.
What about the night before the wedding, or Day Two?
In general, the couple isn't expected to pay for wedding party's accommodation the night before, the night of, or the night after the wedding, unless one of the exceptions above apply.
Who pays for accommodation at destination weddings?
In general, the couple isn't expected to pay for guest or wedding party accommodation at destination weddings, so long as the accommodation is reasonably affordable. While it would be a lovely gesture to offer to pay for guest or wedding party accommodation, most guests attending a destination wedding will be expecting to pay for their flights and accommodation. However, as the cost of a destination wedding is almost always higher for guests, most couples try to be generous in other areas, for example, drinks, food, entertainment, or transport to and from the airport - you'll find more information on this here.
How to Avoid Awkwardness
If you are covering the cost of the accommodation be sure to say it early on to avoid your wedding party having to have awkward chats. They might be trying to manage their own budgets around your celebration and will welcome any clarity. If you aren't covering it but want to make sure they know this, you can subtley share the room rates with them via email and tell them that a room is provisionally held under their name, which they can confirm or cancel. Most hotels and venues will have a special wedding rate for the wedding party and guests.
Got another burning wedding planning question? You will find the answer here!
