http://boards.weddingbee.com/ Weddingbee Boards Topic: Cost of being a BM en Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:34:49 +0000 http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449985 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:12:26 +0000 Kittyachi 449985@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>I've never paid less than $200 before alterations and the dresses I think I'm going to pick will be about the same. I could have found something cheaper I'm sure except that they all wanted dresses where they could have different tops that flattered their body type&nbsp;so that limited the choices. DB would have worked except they don't have my color really so I had to go with something else.</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449959 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:06:39 +0000 rabbit 449959@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>The first wedding I was in, the dress was...$200-250 at a bridal salon. I still have the dress, but I've never worn it since because where in the world do you wear a lilac floor length gown? Seriously? i should just donate it to Goodwill and stop dragging it from apartment to apartment. The second wedding I was in, I bought my dress off the rack for $50. I still own that too, but at least I was able to wear that dress multiple times after the wedding, as it just looks like a really nice dress. Just fancy enough to go out to a nice dinner in.</p> <p>For my BMs, I promised them I'd find them a dress for $100 or less. None of them have good jobs or a lot of money. In fact, I'll probably end up buying the dresses for them, if I can find something inexpensive enough. We can't really afford it, but neither can they. I am hoping, hoping, hoping to find navy knee length sundresses of some sort or another for sale come Spring. If we all had money, I'd ask the girls to get J Crew dresses because I LOVE their dresses! But my colors never seem to hit their sales racks! Booo! My BMs are getting their wedding jewelery as Christmas presents (matching pearl earrings and necklaces). They can wear whatever shoes they want which match with their dresses and our colors (blue, brown, white, red, or green). So I feel they are likely to already have something nice to wear for their feet.</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449809 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:21:33 +0000 Gilneas 449809@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>I feel soooo guilty as a bride asking my bridal party members to spend money on me because of how much I spent on other people's weddings...</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449735 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:54:36 +0000 smy 449735@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>I think it depends on where you live. Here in NYC, the most expensive (which I'd say is average) dress I've had was $250 from J.Crew. But I know girls who paid $400 for a dress once! I've definitely paid over $1,000 to be in a wedding locally. Hopefully for my girls I'll be able to pay part of the dresses, or something, since my wedding will be out of town!</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449716 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:47:09 +0000 jocelyn3476 449716@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>I think that there is no one answer on how much everything would cost.&nbsp; You need to get a feel for your friends and their comfort level.&nbsp; Personally, I figured that my three bridesmaids like to spend money to get dressed up and would have rather spent more money on a nicer quality dress than less money on a dress they would feel uncomfortable in.&nbsp; They are quite comfortable financially, so I figured they would want me to choose a dress for them of the same price and quality they would have chosen for themselves.&nbsp; Just in case, I whipped out my credit card when we were picking them up and told them I was paying half.&nbsp; Two refused.&nbsp; One accepted.&nbsp; I had my answer.</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449703 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:43:03 +0000 hotchildinthecity 449703@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>My BM dresses are all under $150 (David's) and some are as low as $80.&nbsp; I'm going to let everyone pick their own shoes (silver) so that they can wear them again.</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449702 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:42:29 +0000 ejs4y8 449702@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>The most i've paid is $160 for a dress and we got to pick our own shoes. All of my friends are in the same boat as me--none fo us have oodles of money to spend on dresses adn we are all really respectful of that. I would say "no" at a dress over $200 because I need someone to respect that I don't have $1,000+ to spend on their wedding. I just don't have it, plain and simple.</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449699 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:40:40 +0000 crebre80 449699@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>@laural: i noticed that you were in louisiana, have you checked with pearl's place about purchasing the designer dresses from there?</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449696 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:37:36 +0000 msbuttons 449696@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>Wow...those have been some expensive dresses! My BM dresses are from J Crew, so they range from 120-160 (depending on which style they chose...I let them select which one is most flattering on them). I'm probably going to have to make them purchase shoes to match as well, so that will be an added cost, but I'm hoping that I can find some that are relatively reasonable in price!</p> http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cost-of-being-a-bm#post-449689 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:35:43 +0000 Jacqi 449689@http://boards.weddingbee.com/ <p>I tried having the girls pick out their own different dresses at whatever price they wanted... didn't work.</p> <p>So now I will go the traditional BM dress route and definitely keep it under $150. I'm trying to involve them as much as possible in the dress selection process so they don't have to drop all that money on a dress they hate.&nbsp;I'll let them pick out their own shoes and jewelry so they can wear something they already have. I'm also hoping to not need alterations, so I may pick something with a sash or waist band to help it fit without alterations. I don't really like the idea of making the BMs pay more than they would have paid if they were just a guest.</p>