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I hate "how much was yours" kinds of questions, but... how much was your wedding dress? My fiance had the first (of likely many!) talks about how much our wedding budget should be. I would like to budget $3000 for a dress, and he says he wants me to cap it at $1000.
If I do try to go with a less expensive dress, what kinds of places should I look? What brands/designers are in the $1000-$2000 range?
Thank you!!
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It all depends on your budget, a lot of sites suggest 10% of your budget to go toward a dress... at first I thought that was reasonable then kinda scoffed at the idea.. 10% for one dress??? for one day??? really???
BUT I will tell you that you can find NICE dresses for about $1000. Casablanca and Maggie Sottero are about that much.
I bought mine for $600 and theres no looking back. Sure I've had second thoughts but always end up falling in love with it when i try it on. But remember the day isn't about the dress, its about my commitment to my husband.
I haven't bought my dress yet but I've budgeted $3000 for the dress. Of course it would be great if I could find something cheaper. :-)
for that price range, check out pronovias, casablanca, saison blanche, alfred angelo, and maggie sottero. $1000-2000 really isn't a ridiculous price for dresses at all - you can find a lot of nice dresses for that price! if you buy used or sample, you'll be able to find a lot more stuff in that price range.
Honestly, if you look at $1000 and under dresses ONLY you will find a dress you love; if you look for dresses at $3000 you will find a dress you love; if you look for dresses at $10,000 you will find a dress you love.
I spent less than $700 for mine and it was the perfect dress for me. I never looked at dresses over $1000 because I didn't want to fall in love with a dress I could not afford. I wanted to fall in love with my dress, so I only tried on dresses in my price range - and walla!
To see a pic of me in my perfect dress (Maggie Sottero "colby") click here!
One thing I would like to add or recommend is that you should think about the cost of alterations as well. I've set a budget of $2000 for my dress which includes alterations. I think it might be helpful to add that cushion to your budget. Good Luck!
Some people say that a wedding dress will be the most important dress you'll ever wear. I, on the other hand, think that it'll be a shame to spend so much money on a beautiful wedding dress only to have it hanging in your closet for the next 20 years.
I initially had a budget of $500 (actually went to Hong Kong to try to buy a dress, but unfortunately, though the price was right in the neighborhood of $250-$300 for a gorgeous custom-made wedding dress, the time constraint of a 1-month waiting period made it too late for me since I went dress shopping a little late!). In the end, I saw a beautiful Pronovias wedding dress at a wedding photography studio that I decided to rent for only $180 which includes custom alterations and gown cleaning. I highy recommend purchasing a pre-own wedding dress or even give consideration of renting a dress, especially if you're on a budget and would like to spend your monney on other aspects of the wedding. I compromised on my wedding dress but splurged on an awesome but higher-end real photojournalistic photographer who's L.A. Times portfolio reflected his talent.
I agree with calliocteach - its the only way I could stay sane. I refused to look at a dress that was over $1,000. In fact, I rejected a dress because it was exactly $1,000. It would have left me no money for my veil or my alterations. I think in the end my dress was $700 or so.
I haven't priced out all the alterations yet, but if I loose all the weight I'd like to we'll probably go a bit over the budget (shocking I know).
The $1000-2000 range will get you stunning designer sample dresses; for the same price as David's Bridal, you can get a dress that is beautifully made and retails for five times as much if you were to purchase it new at a salon. I got my Monique Lhuillier at Dream Bridal LA for less than $2000, and it's lovely! Here's a link to my post on purchasing sample dresses online: http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/08/05/the-internet-is-not-just-for-porn/
Hope it helps!
I was thinking $1,000 for my budget but I ended up falling in love with one that was being discontinued and it was less than $600.
It all depends on how much You and your Finance are willing to pay for the dress. You will find a fabulous dress you love at any price range nonetheless!
My dress was $250, including alterations. David's Bridal T8778, on sale. :]
http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?prodgroup=10&stid=2027
I'm really glad I didn't spend more than that. My dress is just sort of heaped in my closet now, and even at $250, that's kind of sad... but anyway, my advice would be not to start at $1000 and go up. Look at everything, and you might be surprised!
Kara, Sometimes in weddings we get lost in who the wedding is actually for friends, family, or friends of family. Listen the most important thing about any clothes shopping is not the designer or how much it cost it is how you feel when you see it and even when you put it on. Well here is a website may help or may not Bridal Online Store. Just remember who you are you trying to look good for everyone else or them man of your going to marry. Because after everyone leaves he will remain.
Hey Kara. I had the SAME problem, I tried on dresses for 6 months and all the ones I tried on and liked were WAY over my 1000 budget. I thought I was going to DIE. haha....how much I stressed over it. ARGH!
I DID however study EVERY site/budget friendly way of getting a reasonable dress. I was even soo close to having it made in China (littlecoral.com). If I would have known anyone who had used them I would have chanced it. I also faithfully looked at preownedweddingdresses.com daily and even tried one on in a town nearby from that site. It didn't work out but the price was right! BUT my ABSOLUTE FAVE FAVE site I found was jennyyoo.com. Their wedding dress alternatives are the exact styles I was looking for and you get to choose the fabrics which controls the price.
I hope this helps! Good luck
I got David's Bridal T8778 dress also!!! 
Except I found another bride that was selling hers, and I got it for half off. It worked out really well!
Alfred Angelo also has some really pretty dresses. David's Bridal also has a line of dresses that is around a thousand.
Is that a thousand for just the dress, or the dress and accessories? Just keep in mind, depends on what you want to go with the dress, the accessories can add up quick too.
One other thing that I didn't do but I thought was a really interesting idea (and maybe someone who did it can chime in) is purchase a bridesmaid dress in white (or ivory etc) -- clearly a cheaper alternative but still a beautifully crafted designer dress!
Good luck!
You have to check out Sophia Tolli (SophiaTolli.com) her dresses are amazing! Although they arent sold many places, they are super affordable and the quality is amazing! I'm between two: Alexandria ($1225) and Skye ($925).
I actually went dress shopping without a budget and looked at all dresses in various price ranges. I ended up with a dress that set me back only $500 (brand new Alfred Angelo)! It ended up being about $800 with alterations and veil...
Like many posters have said before me, there are a ton of options for less than $1000 and you will likely be suprised when you start the dress shopping.
Good Luck!
Your profile says you are in Seattle...there are lots of places that have dresses in various price ranges (from $500 to over $20,000). Here are a few:
I Do Bridal (in the Wallingford area) (they have lots of the Maggie Sottero and Casablanca gowns) http://www.idobridal.com/I_Do_Bridal/Home.html
La Belle Elaine (by Fisher Plaza) http://www.labelleelaines.com/
La Belle Reve (down the street from Bellevue Square) http://www.labellereve.com/
I got my dress (by Jasmine) from Amanda's Bridal Boutique in Redmond (down the street from Redmond Town Center) http://www.amandasbridalboutique.com/. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a dress and my top three ranged from $600 to $2000, but I ended up picking the least expensive one...and I'm glad I did because alterations were pretty pricey (almost as much as the dress!).
GOOD LUCK!
Great advice here! I had a $1000 dollar budget, but I was willing to try on anything. Two dresses I really liked (Augusta Jones Betinna and a Vera Wang) were $1800 and $6000 respectively. I'm glad I tried them on, though, because they gave me great ideas about elements I was looking for. I wouldn't limit yourself in the try-ons, but you can't fall in love with dresses outside your budget.
I ended up with a Sophia Tolli (as mentioned above). I got the Dolce, which after discounts was exactly $1000.
If you are in Seattle, consider a weekend trip to Portland to go to Charlotte's Bridal. Do your homework on-line, call ahead and see if they have the dresses you are interested in. They were extremely helpful to me and were even going to order in the one dress they didn't have. They were extremely diligent and kind about everything.
You'll eliminate sales tax by going to Oregon and they have some online coupons that can knock down the price. Also, Charlotte's doesn't have an in-house seamstress, so you can save money on alterations as well.
Good luck! I absolutely love my dress, and it just came in before Christmas, so it's hanging in my closet right now!
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Such great advice here!
I found myself in the situation no one wants to be in, I fell in love with a dress way out of my price rance. My budget was under $1000, this dress was almost double that.
But, I stayed strong and kept looking. Trying to find a dress that had many of the same elements of the "love" dress. I tried on a similar dress and really liked it. The sales girl gave me the website for the designer so I could check out the dress later and as I was browsing the site, I found it. Maggie Sottero has some beautiful dresses and the fabrics (my big thing) are great. I chose "Vernice" and got it for under my budget!!!! YAY! Plus I paid in full and got a free veil or headpiece thrown in. Bonus!
Good luck all you brides to be in your search for the perfect dress!
Whatever you decide on, be sure to include enough for alterations. In my opinion, fit is way more important than the designer or embellishment. Depending on your size, I'd say a sample dress is the way to go. But if you are much smaller or shorter than the sample, alterations might be difficult. I would talk to a few tailors first to find out what can and can't easily be altered. You might try yelp.com for some tailor recommendations.
Also, as someone else mentioned, it is worth it to stop by La Belle Reve in Bellevue even if you don't find your dress there. I can't remember the name of the woman who helped me (I think Alvina), but she had great suggestions about fit etc. Since they do custom alterations of designer gowns, I felt like they really know what they're talking about. When I was there they also had a heavily discounted rack of last season's samples.
Good luck...and just remember you'll look beautiful and the price tag on your dress won't have anything to do with it.
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i second (or fifth or tenth or whatnot) the suggestion to check out maggie sottero dresses. they have absolutely beautiful dresses with a much higher quality than what i've seen at other stores with similar prices (david's bridal, etc).
also, try to find a bridal store in a lower income area that might carry (or be able to order) dresses for a lower price. i tried on some maggie dresses in some nicer city shops that were about $1000-$1300, and then i found a shop that carries the same dresses for $700-$1000 - the dress i love is just over $700! in fact, this shop told me they can even order dresses from almost any other designer for a lower price than other shops.
I would also like to throw out J. Crew, they have some nice dresses in the $1,000 and under category.
I budgeted $2000 but fell in love with a Pronovias that cost $1400. I talked them down to $1100.
I also agree about Maggie gowns. I've never seen one I didn't like :)
How much do alterations usually cost on average?
Also, how many of you have sold your dress after the wedding?
What are your thoughts on renting a wedding dress? My fiance asked me last night about this after talking with his best friend who noticed that his wife's dress is hanging in the garage. He thinks its absurd that the dress is only worn for one day. I told him that if I rent a dress, I cannot make alterations and it might be dirty. I do love the idea of having my own custom fit beautiful wedding dress, but I agree that its absurd that it will hang in the closet thereafter.
BTW, I love the dress shopping suggestions. I'm going tomorrow to try on some more and I'll be sure to check out Maggie Sottero dresses.
I read a wedding budget tip on theknot.com which suggested prioritizing what means the most to you on the day and allocate more money to that. The examples they gave were the dress, catering, and the band.
For me, my attire for the day ranks very low on the priority list so I ordered a light coloured cotton dress from J. Crew for $128.
Hi there - lots of good advice! I had budgeted for $3,000 myself (and I think my father fully expected me to go over it) and tried on lots of dresses, the one I fell in love with was by Marisa - the company doesn't do national advertising so the price is lower for the quality and we paid $2,200 (with taxes, the $150 expedition cost was also waived due to a mix up at the salon re: my appointment). I loved a lot of the other Marisa dresses I tried on too so that's another brand you might want to check out. They seem to range from 1000-2500. Another thing I noticed was the beading seemed to increase the cost, and this can also increase the cost of your alterations. Lucky for me I went in not really liking a lot of beading and the dress I fell in love with didn't have any.
Good luck!
I had the same budget problem! I was looking at dresses that were more like 3k+ when my realistic cap was 1k.
You should look into La Sposa, that's who is making my dress and it's 1k! Alterations will make it more, but I budgeted separately for that. Also Pronovias (I think it's La Sposa's parent line) has some dresses for around 1k and up.
Oh Aerika - I completely agree, although even they were out of my price range because I had set $1,000 to include veil, etc. Pronovias and La Sposa have some absolutely BEAUTIFUL dresses (I am in love with the romantic lace) that are between $1000-$2000. These are very good quality. I am sure you will find The One wherever you look and whichever price rance you decide on!
This may sound silly, but it made sense to (and worked for) me. I knew I wanted something from the Priscilla of Boston company -- and most likely from the Melissa Sweet line.
I knew I'd be able to be reasonable about the price from there -- aiming for no more than about $3,000 -- so I didn't try on another that cost more than I wanted to spend. That was really my only restriction, because I wanted to have FUN and not feel like there were too many "rules" keeping me from finding my dress...which, of course, I did.
I budgeted $500 for my dress and ended up finding one for $220 on ebay! I bought it from another bride and the dress is still in perfect condition. I plan on reselling my dress after my wedding too.
Oh, another thing to add to my comment: I knew I would be paying the entire cost myself, and that's why I made the "rules" that I did.
If you don't mind my asking, is your fiance paying for it? Or are you sharing the cost?
My dress was $600 and I am looking at about $300 in alterations. Let me explain...
I bought my dress at the charity gown sale Brides Against Breast Cancer. Designers donate gowns (many are samples) and the charity prices it (much lower than retail) and the proceeds go to the charity. My gown was a Carmela Sutera originally $3300!!! It is a sample (bridal size 10) so it is too big for me (street size 4), thus the high alteration cost. However, I am still coming in at under $1000 with a beautiful designer gown that I absolutely LOVE!
Visit http://www.bridesagainstbreastcancer.org/ and click on "Gown Sale Calendar" to find when the sale will be coming to your area. It travels around and usually visits each area about twice a year. For me, I felt wonderful knowing that I got a high qaulity gown at an affordable price AND was helping a good cause at the same time. Plus, it is tax deductable!
I paid around $700 for mine and alterations were included at the shop I got it.
More words of advice:
Once you know what dress you want call Pearl's Place with the designer and style, their prices are usually quite a bit lower than the retail price you will see in your salon. Then, go to your salon and tell them that you found the same dress for $XXX, but the salon is out of town (they don't need to know it is in New Orleans) and you'd rather buy from them for convienence. Or if you don't mind ordering online, you could always purchased your dress from Pearl's Place.
I did this and got my Maggie Sottero gown that was priced at $850 at my local bridal salon in Irvine for $650.00. You CAN negotiate, you just need to know how and you have to be realistic with the price (which is why it is good to call Pearl's Place).
The salon wanted to charge me $250 for alterations and one bustle. I ended up having my best friend do the alterations and I made my own bustle.
I absolutely understand your dilemma!!
I fell in love with a $1400 Pronovias stunner, but was wary about the price because I wanted to spend the majority of our budget on a fantastic reception at The Parker Palm Springs (a little pricey). Then I happened to be shopping with my fiance at Nordstrom's Rack and found a floor length silk chiffon Nicole Miller wedding dress hung on one of the rack from her 2007 collection. I tried it on and immediately new I had found a better dress at 1/10 the price...it was $149.97!!
Of course, I'm going to have it cleaned and altered a bit, but in total I will end up spending less than $350 on a fabulous DESIGNER dress at a fraction of the price.
I know this is just my experience, but definitely keep your eyes open, you never know what you may find!! :)
i tried on dresses and wrote down styles i liked, and then stalked ebay for the styles i liked :) bought a dress, veil and the underskirt thingy for less than 1/3 of the original cost :)
Check out Watters! They're dresses are beautiful. I found my Watters dress 1048B at a bridal salon for $1,200 and I bought it for $800 from Netbride.
Find out about when bridal shops have their trunk sales. I got an email today from a local shop that carries a few of the designers I like in the ranges that are acceptable to my budget. They will do cash & carry (and of course alter too if needed) and you can buy the dress at a substantial discount also.
I've found over the years that if you offer a cash deal ;) you can get a BETTER deal! :)
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My grandmom was nice enough to offer to pay for my dress (she has paid for all three grandaughters). My dress/headpiece came to $2000. I sort of balked but she told me to get whatever I wanted-including this dress that was like $2700 but I had to say no way to that ( the dress was awesome though).
A lot of times if you get a dress that is from a few seasons ago it will be cheaper.
Good luck finding one!
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