In decades gone by, the bride's family took care of most all the wedding costs. However, times have changed. Now it's extremely common for the bride and groom to pay for the wedding expenses themselves, or to more evenly split the wedding related expenses among both sets of parents.

The reasons for the change in tradition are varied. First of all, people are getting married later in life than in the past and thus are more financially established at the time of their wedding. Secondly, with more women than ever in the workplace, brides are often able to help pay for their own weddings nowadays. A third reason is the rising costs of weddings. In recent years, the price for weddings and all related expenses has risen substantially.

While the bride's family is no longer expected to cover the entire cost of the wedding, here is what the bride and her family are still traditionally expected to cover:

• The costs related to the reception.

• The costs related to the ceremony.

• The wedding dress.

• The groom's ring.

• Wedding invitations.

• Wedding favors and related gifts.

• Any fee related to the bridal consultant.

• Any entertainment related expenses.

• Any decorations related expenses.

• Any photography needed.

The groom and his family are expected to cover the following costs:

• The bride's ring (both the engagement ring and the wedding ring).

• The costs related to the marriage license and the clergyman.

• The rehearsal dinner and related expenses.

• The bouquet for the bride.

• The corsages for mothers and grandmothers.

• The honeymoon.

The bride and her family can also optionally cover the costs of the transportation and dresses for the bridesmaids, while the groom can do the same for the groomsmen.

The above list is just a guideline. You can split the costs of your wedding in whichever way is most convenient for everyone involved. However, you should sit down with both families soon after you announce your engagement to work out the details on who will pay for what. Budget is a big part of wedding planning and is something that should be set very early in the process.