The Shocking Amount of Money It Really Costs to Be a Bridesmaid

So, you've been asked to be a bridesmaid at your BFF's wedding. What an honor! But here's the thing most people don't think about until they find themselves dealing with it firsthand: Many bridesmaids secretly shell out a huge chunk of their savings just to make sure that their dear friend's big day is absolutely perfect. (OK, fine, it's still an honor.)

In a Buzzfeed post titled "Here's How Much It Actually Costs To Be A Bridesmaid," seven women got honest about exactly how much they spent in order to be a bridesmaid for their friend's big day. And what's more, they detailed exactly where all of that cash went. Of all the women in the story, the least any of them spent was $310 (a not-insignificant sum, if you ask us). And the highest amount any of them spent was $3,000. Yes, one woman spent roughly the amount of cash it costs to rent a (really nice!) two-bedroom apartment in New York City for a whole month in order to participate in her friend's festivities. The woman, a 30-year-old living on the East Coast named Ali, spent most of her bridesmaid's budget on travel to the wedding was in Seattle and the bachelorette party. After paying for a flight to San Francisco and for the wine tour and limo rental, Ali's portion for the bachelorette party alone amounted to more than $1,000.

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Even more extreme, one U.K.-based bridesmaid named Kitty spent around $1,000—only to end up getting kicked out of the wedding. After dropping 25 euros on jewelry that the bride later changed her mind about, 20 euros on a specific lipstick, and close to 300 euros on trips to London for dress fittings, Kitty was told she would no longer be a part of the bridal party. Why, you're probably wondering? Kitty's hair wasn't an "acceptable color." Kitty had pink hair, and because the bride also planned to have pink hair for the big day, that was simply unacceptable. "I began receiving dozens of messages a day, via Facebook, email, and text, from the bride and her mom, asking questions and making demands," she told Buzzfeed. "I was told I wasn't dedicated enough, or giving enough of my time to being bridesmaid. In the end, she told me I wasn't focused on her wedding and that I was no longer welcome in her bridal party." Oof.

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