[KSUViolet06]

Full disclosure: I think brides should be paying for hair/manicures.

However, I am aware that everyone's budget does not allow for that.

I think that a lot of these sorts of discussions come down to knowing your party and what they can/can't afford and making sure that if you ask them to pay, you select a salon that fits into their collective spending range.

For example, many of the brides I work with are in their 30s. They're more established in their careers. So are the members of their bridal parties. Therefore, it's not a big deal for them to have hair services set up at the $200 updo salon.

If you're say, 23, and your bridal party members are all still in college, you need to either set up services at a salon that they can afford, or allow them to get their hair done wherever they would like.

This is also the same for dresses. If you're asking them to pay for that, you need to consider what they can afford.

If you're in your 30s, and your maids are all settled into their careers, Marchesa evening gowns are no big deal. However, if your maids are all under 22 and in school, you need to be looking at styles/designers that they can afford OR providing fabric/color/style guidelines and letting them choose their own.