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I hadn't really thought about it. That's so crazy! I wouldn't expect the dress mark up to average so much. Must just depend on the area or something?
The dress I bought was listed at $2100 (CAD) in the Canadian salon I saw it in, but when I looked online and saw various mentions of my dress in the media, it was $1300 and $1400 in US publications (in magazines articles, not the discount dress sites). Although, I also saw it on a used wedding dress site, and the person claimed they bought it for 1800 or something.
So yeah, seems like it really varies. It's definitely upsetting, because it makes the wedding industry seem even more like a mad cash-grab.
I'm not surprised the Beverly Hills store has it at a higher price, but I am shocked at how big the price difference is all over the country!
I was just corresponding with a bride curious about my gown, and she was quoted $1200 on the same dress that I was quoted $900, and she is about 30 minutes away from where I got my dress.
I am ALL FOR paying for the service that I receive when trying on the gown, but I also went in knowing what the best price was, online and at nearby salons before going in to the negotiations.
ooooo great topic!
I think the mark-up on most wedding dresses is absolutely HUGE.
I tried on a Lazaro dress in their current line and was quoted 4k. Because I had read online reviews of this particular bridal salon over-charging for their dresses, I decided to attempt to find the exact same dress for cheaper. I called another bridal salon across town and was quoted 3200, just like that. :) That probably isn't a great example, since Lazaro dresses are usually in that general price range, but you know what I mean...
I've gotten very bold in my dress-hunting and now I always try to negotiate.
The other thing I've discovered through these boards and other sites are -- RK Bridal no-frills program and Netbride . I'm seriously considering ordering my gown like this to save money.
I understand bridal salons have to make money but sometimes I think it borders on a scam.
And have you noticed how much some of the salons charge for alterations?? I was told $450 for alterations by a bridal salon near me. I think that's way too much.
Ah, the bridal industry. They have us right where they want us. LOL
if i had known wedding/wedding dress industry is SO lucritive i should've gone into that industry industry!
Typical retail markup in keystone or basically doubling the price; however I think wedding industry mark ups and especially dresses are significanly more.
I live in Connecticut and most places around me charge you and arm and leg for things- the mark ups are Nuts!
I wanted Justin Alexander Dress 9552- loved it! I expected it to be 2000 or so... I called around and I know everyone hates giving prices over the phone. The highest I was quoted was 3500. The lowest was 1700. Also it was impossible to find, the closest state that had is was MI- which I was not driving there for it.
Anyways I ended up going with Justin Alexander 8483 (second pic) It cost me 990 which isn't bad considering. Another Bee told me she paid 1500 for the same dress. But it depends on the area- I drove two hours out of my way to look at the dresses because it was that much cheaper
8483_jar_fa_sff_0012.jpg (90.3 KB, 59 downloads) 2 years old 9552_jac_main_sales_crop_front_39l.jpg (94.2 KB, 60 downloads) 2 years old 
I was shocked when I first noticed differences in markups. I guess I had never thought about it. I found my dress in three different stores (all within about 30 miles of each other). I got three different prices.....as much as $400 more in one place (but they gave 20% discount if you paid in full which STILL didn't get it at the same price as another place)....and then $100 more in another place and finally the lowest where i ended up buying. I remarked on that to this particular store..they say they get told that they mis-mark gowns all the time by customers because they can't believe how low they are! It's the same dress, and th retailers all pay the same price....I find it amazing that people have no qualms jacking up prices. It pays to look around though, that's for sure!
My dress is a Casablanca from Fall 2007. I bought it from a bridal store in November 2009 for $704 including tax. I've heard of others buying the same dress for around $900. So I guess it really depends on the store and area.
it's good to shop around i guess, unbelievable about the price difference....
You guys are paying way too much! It really is kind of a scam but it's only because brides are willing to pay that much. There are a few really good online companies that can custom make a dress for you from a photo. And the prices are much much lower--they're actually fair!
I wanted the Belle dress by Alfred Angelo which online said it was under $1300, but the shop i went into wanted $2,450 for it!
I actually found a pdf file online by searching google for lazaro or jim hjlem on what they charge the stores for the samples. I tried to post it put it wouldn't let me.
Yep, I live in NYC and trust me, the mark up is ridiculous. The dress I wanted, a Pronovias, from the 2009 line no less, the lady told me that she would give it to me at a 15% discount if I paid in cash, in full. Huh? I went on line and found someone selling it for almost $800 less. WTH???? I also have learned to shop online a lot to get the best prices!
designers will pull the dresses from the store if the store goes below a certain msrp that has been set. A store taking that kind of risk isn't the kind of store I would want to trust with the most important dress of my life. Small family owned salons are not the enemy here, they are just trying to survive. Sooo many have gone out of business near me in the past few years, and they were the ones with the "best deals" they also gave a discount for paying in full in cash, then they locked their doors and left the brides stranded. I have also seen some really embarrassing internet dresses "straight from the designer" one smelled like fish. I bought my dress from a salon that has been in business for 67 years, has an A+ with the BBB, and not only supplied my dress but the "experience" of buying your dress. This only happens once ladies, don't cheat yourselves out of the pampering and fun of wedding dress shopping!
If we just talk about the fabric and labor cost of a dress, it is around $300. But most shops need to add rent fee and designers' salary on the dress and that does not stay the same with every company.
That is why most online shops are very cheap. Their dress can be around $300 such as jesslynbridal.com and other sites.
I am not very business minded, but prices are different depending on the region. I live in Boston and grew up in rural PA. The cost of living is so different therefore prices vary. I pay more in Boston for everything, but I also make a salary that is more than a teacher in my hometown would make. I am not surprised the wedding industry also has price variance.
I am an impulse buyer to, learn my lesson the sales lady pressure you and make you think it might not be avabile anymore.Sometimes the sales Lady would have attitudes if you did not purchase something you would hear them say under there breath she wasted my time.
I actually was in a store once and the sales lady pulled up a screen from her pronovias price list and the costs were between 500-700. I realiized the mark up she was using was 3 time mark up. I found a shop that marked em up 2.5 times and i think that is much more fair.
This is very similar to jewelry mark up (not diamond mark up) like settings...
900 is entirely possibly the price marked very low.
But I think 2.5 is a fair mark up
Ugh these markups make my stomach turn. My Allure gown was $1650 and the bridal salon gave me $150 off just for asking, but it looks like they could have given me $1000 off according to these markups. Oh well, I love my dress and had a great experience. Everyone needs to make money I guess!
There was only one shop within a three hour radius that carries my gown - so I actually have no idea if I got hosed on my dress! It's frustrating to not know, and when I did do some calling around, many salons were not willing to give price quotes over the phone.
My bridal consultant told me it's about a 40-50% markup (of course depending on the salon). So if it's $500 wholesale, they may sell it for $1000 or more.
If you can, try to find other stores near your area that can do a lower price. The best places to go are the non-American stores. Usually you can bargain with them. Plus, they may throw in free alterations and free rental veils. That's what I did!!
When you bargain, tell them what you're getting it for at another place. There is probably a high chance that they will lower their asking price. They may throw in some nice perks too!
Just avoid those boutique fancy stores when purchasing. For sure the prices are marked up really high. Plus alteration costs are usually on the high side too.
I'm in New Zealand and the bridal stores I visited all charged roughly the same price for the same range of dresses. I think the dress makers set the price and the stores have to stick with it as a part of their sales agreements.
For what it's worth when I looked into having a dress made I was looking at roughly $800 - $1,000 for fabric and a further $800 to have a dress made so I was pretty ok with paying $1900 for my dress.
I expereienced the exact same thing with this dress. I found a shady shop in Los Angeles called Minguites that was selling the dress for 750 but had horrible reviews. Everything from ordering the wrong dress, botched altering, and trying to pass of floor models as the brand new ordered gown even though it has make up stains from women trying it on. Anyway, I found a great shop in Arizona called Kiaras (I'm in San Diego so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I have a good experience ordering from a different state) that was willing to match the price for me. I put the deposit down the very same day, Hollywood can keep its 1800 gown, I'm not paying the mark up just so I can say I bought my dress in Hollywood. Its insane! Maybe I should have gone into the wedding buisness, these people make a killing off of us!
@The Average Bride: I think this is more or less accurate. standard retail markup is about double wholesale and then some...(for regular clothes/accesories) I can't imagine that wedding dresses are all that different. Since pricing information on dresses is not as clear (you don't buy dresses online and there isn't as much data available) I think salons are able to have more freedom in deciding how much they will mark things up.
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I was wondering if anyone know what the average mark up for a wedding dress is.
I am an impulse buyer and have bought 3 dresses so far. I finally got smart with my 3rd dress - a Justin Alexander dress. I initially wanted to buy it used if people on this board is selling, but no one seems to be selling thei dress so being the impulse buyer that i am, i had to go get it ASAP.
Here is my finding:
A store in Beverly Hills sells it for $1950
A store in Orange County sells it for $1200-$1300 (the lady didn't want to give me the exact price)
A store in Pennsylvania sells it for $1200
A store in Arizona sells it for $900 (originally $1000, lady agreed to give me a discount of $100)
Because SF sells it for more, I give up on trying to buy it in my home city.
It just bothered me today how much the SAME dress can differ in price. How can Beverly Hills sell it for $1950 whie AZ sells it for $900? I assume AZ still makes money... i don't want to imagine how much the mark up is!
Anyone know or experienced heavy price differences?