The real cost of being in the wedding party (bridesmaid & groomsman budget)
Published August 17, 2026
Being asked to stand up in a wedding is an honor — and the single most expensive way to attend one. A bridesmaid or groomsman routinely spends $700 to $1,800 once you add attire, a bachelor or bachelorette trip, the shower, hair and makeup, and a gift — several times what an ordinary guest pays. Saying yes is lovely; saying yes with the number in front of you is smart.
Where the money actually goes
- Attire and alterations — $150–$400. A specific dress or suit, often non-negotiable on color and style, plus tailoring to fit.Rent the Runway#ad — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.
- The bachelor/bachelorette trip — $300–$900+. This is the real budget buster: it is frequently a flight and two or three hotel nights of its own — a whole second trip on top of the wedding.Compare flights#ad — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.
- Shower and pre-parties — $50–$200. A gift, sometimes a share of hosting.
- Hair and makeup — $75–$250. Often booked as a group on the wedding morning, and not always optional.
- The wedding gift itself — $75–$200. Yes, still expected on top of all of the above (though see our gift-amount guide — being in the party is fair reason to give at the lower end).
Add the low ends and you are near $650; the high ends clear $1,900 — and that is one wedding.
Budgeting the bach trip
The bachelor/bachelorette weekend is the part that behaves like a destination trip, so budget it like one: book the flight in its cheapest window, split lodging as many ways as the group allows, and set expectations early on the total. If you can share a room and travel light, you can often halve your share.Booking.com#ad — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you.Our cheap-flights guide applies directly — a bach trip is a fixed-date event you can book early.
How to say yes without going broke
- Be honest early. A quiet word with the couple about what you can manage is normal, and most will happily flex on an optional expense rather than lose you.
- Separate must-do from nice-to-do. The dress and the wedding day are fixed; a spa add-on to the bach weekend is not.
- Reuse and share. Re-wearable attire, a shared room, a group gift — the same levers that save an ordinary guest save a party member more, because there is more to save on.
See your party-member total
Estimate the whole thing in PlusOne — attire, the bach trip's travel and lodging, the shower, the gift — so the honor comes with a real number, not a running series of surprises. If this is one of several weddings this year, add it to your season budget so the big one does not blindside the rest. It all stays in your browser.