It is a tradition that the bride’s parents pay for most of the wedding cost. However, due to the large number of costs involved today, there are no rules and both sets of parents would possibly contribute to the expenses. No matter who pays, it is important to limit the budget within the means and not tempt to over commit. Nowadays, a popular solution to distribute the costs is: the expenses traditionally paid by the groom’s parents are shared between the couple; and the costs traditionally paid by the bride’s parents are shared between both sets of parents.
The problem of “who pays” might be the main cause for tension between the families. It is vital to define a budget. It is strongly recommended that all parties discuss and agree who pay for what at the earliest opportunity to avoid any confusion.