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Wedding dress budget--what was yours and did you stick to it?

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

There is a huge range in bridal wear prices (just the dress/suit for now, forget the footwear), and I'm wondering what people typically spend on their garment. Obviously, this will vary depending on how much importance you place on finding the right dress, whether you intend to wear it again, new vs used, etc. For those of you who bought your own gowns, what was the price range you were looking for and were you ultimately able to find something within that range? The few garments I have found that I liked are in the $1400 range. I thought that was extremely expensive, but now see that the numbers are frequently much steeper than that!

Shopping

42 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

Zibbets

Veteran

I wore my mother's dress, but the enormous amount of work it needed meant I spent close to $1,000 in 1993. It took months of stress and drama.

My sister bought a dress off the rack at Dillards for under $200, and realized only when people told her, that the dress was just like the one Pippa Middleton wore in her sister's wedding. She looked amazing and didn't stress over it at all.

carter

Veteran

My first one was $1600 in 1988. Using the inflation calculator, that comes to just over $3200 in today's dollars. Ugh. My second "wedding dress" was a cocktail/party dress that was around $300. First marriage=Yuck! Second marriage=Yay! Spend $300;-)

Anonymous

I spent a $1000 in 1987 on a white silk dress. The marriage did not last, but I still have the dress. I was so proud of that dress. It was perfect in every way ... in 1987. I think today I would do things completely different though.

froggiebecky

Veteran

I ended up in the ~$700 range (new, including alterations), in 2006. I went to shop after shop, and stayed away from the fancy areas of town. I knew I had found the right place when I walked in, the shop keeper looked me up and down, and said "I have some ideas that might look good on you. What are you looking for?" My answer was "Something interesting." She picked more things that suited me in 20 minutes than I'd found in the previous 2 months. Even though the wedding didn't take, I still like the dress. If I got married again, I might have it altered. Or it might have too much bad mojo with it. Who knows.

For shoes, I stayed away from any sort of dyeable or 'wedding' shoe. I bought some blue strappy sandals at Macy's for $65, and wore them several times after.

Thistle

Veteran

I spent $300 in 2004 and had a seamstress make one for me. The $300 included the labor and the material.

I brought her a picture of a Vera Wang dress I loved but couldn't afford (it was over $12k). She made me one similar, but made a few tweaks to it so it would work better for my body shape and the fact I was getting married on a beach.

Laurinda

Veteran

It all depends on what is important to you. I was never into white lacy gowns, let alone the archival boxing/storage etc, so I bought a midi-length sleeveless linen sundress for $70 from Coldwater Creek. Ten years later I can still wear it for our anniversary dinner. My shoes were off-white suede slides from Lands End; I still wear those too.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

My mom and a friend of hers helped me make mine. The skirt fabric came from my mother's wedding dress (free, obviously), and the lace overlay and the satin for the bodice were relatively expensive fabric; I don't remember how much, but probably around $100 (11 years ago). Of course, if we counted the cost of our labor (and the sewing machines etc. that we already had) it would have been a lot more expensive.

I remember when I was looking at wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses, David's Bridal was one of the places that had wedding dresses at a reasonable price, especially if they were 'last year's model' or you wore one of the sizes that they got for try-ons. That, and there were several bridal outlets where costs were much lower, but there was no option to order a different size or anything - what they had was what you had to choose from.

$1400 is a relative bargain for a traditional wedding dress these days, but it's still a significant chunk of change, so I understand thinking about the possibility of alternatives.

Alassë

Veteran

I didn't have a specific range in mind, but probably <$140. I found a vintage dress on eBay for $75 (and a family member paid for dry cleaning - $125).

Diana

Veteran

My budget was <$1000 but I ended up finding a dress that fit straight off the rack for ~$250. It was technically a white evening gown and not strictly a wedding dress which kept the price lower, I think. Because the dress was so reasonable I didn't feel bad spending more on my hair.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I was expecting to pay $1000-$1500 and ended up finding the perfect one for $450. It had a square neck and empire waist, and had long straight column silhouette -- think Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, except it wasn't a heavy expensive material, but rather several layers of floaty chiffon with an opaque underlayer. The sample I saw was designed by a super-young local designer (he looked about nineteen, but was probably in his mid-twenties) and because he was just starting out, he made one to measure for me. It was perfect for my short slim shape, I felt fab, and was quite pleased not to have paid a lot for yards of silk.

To answer your questions -- yes, it was very important to find the right dress, but I wasn't stressed out about it. I had great fun looking! As for wearing it again -- no. I definitely wanted my bridal gown to be a costume, which meant I would wear it precisely once. I wasn't about to get married in a outfit that could pass as a cocktail dress for some other occasion. I wanted my wedding gown to look unmistakably like, well, a wedding gown! Some women are of the opposite opinion, of course. My own mother got married, in the 1960s, in a fabulous pale blue sheath mini-dress with matching jacket (with gorgeous pearl buttons), which I happily wore for my high school graduation in 1990! It's all good, as long as you know what you want.

Also, new was important to me. I wasn't going to rent, or wear someone else's gown. However, one of my husband's friends got married a year after we did, and the bride asked to borrow my gown. I said yes. It looked better on me, though.

Style Fan

Veteran

I lucked out with both of my wedding dresses. For my first wedding I used some beautiful cream raw silk material with gold embroidery that my first DH had bought me from Thialand. He travelled a lot for his job and had worked in Thialand. The silk material was a present from him. My sister in law is a seamstress and taught fashion design at a community college. She helped me design the dress and she made it for me. I bought the materials she needed. The total cost was $50.00. The dress was gorgeous. I still have it.

For my second wedding I wanted to wear a red dress. I found a strapless red satin gown on a sales rack for $100.00. The alterations were about $40.00. Loved the dress.

I wouldn't change either dress. They were perfect for the wedding.

Anonymous

Brings back fun memories! I made and embroidered my own . If I do say so myself, it was the most stunning thing I have ever seen Didn't spend a whole lot on it at all. I had no money saved up for it, and was not counting on my parents to pay , and....I found nothing in stores that moved me. So - out came the sewing stuff, and away I went. Finished the embroidery the night before - lol.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I didn't wear a dress - it was my special day & I knew I wouldn't feel right in a dress so I wore a cream silk pants suit. It cost a lot for the time; around the $400 mark but I felt fantastic on the day & wore heaps afterwards. I had a cloche hat made to wear with it too.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Free. Borrowed a dress. Used limited money available for honeymoon in Cyprus (closest honeymooning destination at the time.)

Anonymous

My budget was as little as possible because my parents could not afford to help. in 1970 I bought my dress new at a boutique for $60. It fit perfectly with out alterations. I can't say that I loved the dress. It was more a matter of finding anything to fit someone weighing under 100 pounds and petite and flat chested in a Midwest city. Everything was huge.

Helena

Veteran

I got a $1500 bonus at work right around dress shopping time (my boss was pretty awesome!). That became my budget, and I loved my dress. That said - at the end of the day, its hanging in my closet 12 years later, still stained on the bottom as it eventually becomes a mop for spilled wine and floor dirt at the reception ... Set your budget and then get the very best u can ... Splurge as much as u are comfortable for sure, but invest in your life, not your dress

Kristin L

Veteran

Mine was $600 and it was bought last year. I knew I wanted to stay as far below $1000 as I could. I knew I wanted a "shorter" dress - I wanted tea length - and those dresses seemed to cost less than their floor length counterparts from the same brands. While they were typically a little less expensive, it was harder to find them. The best advice I can give is what I was told. If you dress is important to you, then find what works for you. Just remember that some things may have to cut or changed to fit your new budget. Another idea that I heard a few girls doing was trying on some of the fancier bridesmaid dresses. Most of them come in white/ivory/what shade you'll be wearing, and they typically cheaper.

Below are a few of my wedding pics from this past September. Even though my dress wasn't a more traditional length, I loved it. And I got a lot of compliments on the length as well.
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....dding-pics

MsMaven

Veteran

I wore my sister's dress. My Mom made the dress 7 years earlier and she altered it to fit me and updated it. Sis kept it in case her daughter wanted it, but styles had changed. I felt neutral about it--I had no money at that time, and I was used to wearing my sister's and aunts' hand me downs.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I rented my dress - it was altered to fit and then back it went.

Echo

Veteran

Mine was purchased from a shop local to my mum 18 years ago, and it was $350. At the time I knew precisely nothing about dresses and what their expected cost might be, so I hadn't the foggiest clue whether it was expensive or a bargain then. It was beautiful and totally '80's-tastic (even though it was not the '80's!), but unmistakably "me". And I was of the same opinion as Aziraphale in that I wanted something I never could/would wear again - a dress that screamed wedding. Never before had I ever worn a white dress, and never again did I, so it was worth the investment.

deb

Veteran

I did not have a choice, I had to wear my mom's. Just the way it was.

Jen

The one I really wanted was over $2000. My budget was $1000. I ended up with one for around $800. I would pick a totally different dress if I had to do it all over again. Not the one I really wanted at that time either! It's not that I dislike the dress I picked, I just was never totally in love with it.

fuzzylogic

Veteran

Your marriage is more than one day and what you pay for a dress is largely irrelevant in the longer term. Find a gorgeous man. Then find a dress you love and are happy with!!! It's likely you will never wear it again.

tulle

Veteran

Fascinating, such a variety of experiences! For our small wedding in 1986, I sewed my dress, and my biggest investment was the $5 Folkwear pattern based on an ankle-length Edwardian tea dress. I already owned a few yards of sheer white-on-cream patterned lawn, and a piece of antique lace for neckline detail. I put my hair up in a loose bun secured by a small netted cap--also homemade--of fine brass wire & pearls, and felt lovely. I find the cost of wedding gowns--and weddings!--today pretty shocking, I must admit.

Minnie

There is a recent study that shows that the more expensive a wedding is, the more likely it is to end in divorce.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/13/.....ses-study/

My first wedding was fairly expensive and I filed for divorce 7 months later.
My second wedding was very low budget, I bought a sale-dress for under $100 at a department store and 19 years later our marriage is still going strong.

Spend what you feel you can comfortably afford.

rachylou

Veteran

Hmm. Never been a bride, but was maid of honor and my friend spent $4000. I told her she couldn't get married in the synagogue showing her shoulders to God. She didn't believe me. She had an outdoors wedding instead. My idea of the right price is $25 from Big Lots. It may explain why she's married and I've never been. Hehe.

Natalie

I bought both my wedding dresses at small boutiques. I never thought of a big traditional gown. The first -- 1987 -- was tea length, high necked, long-sleeved cream lace sheath over a cream slip. It cost about $250, and when I was divorced 20 years later, I threw it away. The dress I intend to wear this summer for a small civil service is a sleeveless, knee-length white (!) dress by Tahari that has lace insets around the shoulders and hem. I bought it on sale at the end of last summer for $75, and I love it!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I went into the shopping process thinking I'd spend up to $1500 for just the right one. This was almost 12 years ago. It was not so easy to find something to my taste for my budget. I was finding lots of too-fussy, too-ornate, cheap or typical looking styles that were way too expensive for what they were, and I was 36 years old, so not exactly a really young bride with visions of princess dresses -- in fact, quite the contrary. So, I ended up working with a local costume designer who also specializes in bridal dresses, and upped my budget to $2000. It was a fantastic experience -- the only time in my life I've had a custom-made, just-for-me garment. If you're only going to have that once in your life, it should be your wedding day.

I'm OK with what I spent because we met our budget overall and saved money in other ways. We had the wedding in our back yard (no venue rental), the cake was free (one of my BFFs is an amazing cake designer), music was free, and flowers and photography were a great deal, thanks to friends and clients. Our biggest expenses were renting a tent and the catering. We had fewer than 50 guests and a full sit-down dinner and an open bar (including cocktails before the ceremony, which people loved!). All in all, it was well-budgeted for where we were financially at the time. No regrets here. I still have my wedding dress, boxed up and saved. One of my nieces has expressed interest in it, so who knows, maybe someday it will get worn again!

Jem

Veteran

We ordered my daughters dress from China. It seems like it was around 300.00. She had tried on dresses, so she had an idea what she liked. There were way more choices and we only had minor adjustments that needed to made.

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