Explain "Wedding Dresses" to us guys

[Sirron]

Now, my girl isn't a bride-zilla and she even bought a cheaper wedding dress than the one her mom liked because she didn't want to spend a ton.

But no matter how I rationalize every penny you can spend at a wedding, The insanity of spending 500 to 3000 dollars can never be rationalized. It's impossible for me to grasp the concept of spending that much on a dress that you wear once. If the "my daughter can wear it" excuse is given, I'll kindly ask the bride why they aren't wearing their mother's dress :


So anybody want to try and do it?

 

[Maggimus]

Well-- I cant justify the price, but I can justify that this is/should be a once in a life time expense-- and should certainly be nothing close to the amount that she is worth just for being your future wife! Sometimes women need to splurge to make themself feel pretty-- you do that for her too, im sure-- but in this once in a lifetime experience... she needs to feel like the princess that she is!!

 

[Sirron]

Oh she has one and I never voiced my displeasure. It's just illogical. She didn't like spending the money either. I'm just thinking about the histrionics of how spending that much became commonplace.

And Annie of all people knows money never shows how much you love someone. She gets real love everyday!

 

[Maggimus]

Oh she has one and I never voiced my displeasure. It's just illogical. She didn't like spending the money either. I'm just thinking about the histrionics of how spending that much became commonplace.

And Annie of all people knows money never shows how much you love someone. She gets real love everyday!

I agree with what you are saying. Im a penny pincher. DH is too. He didnt understand why I spent 300 dollars on my dress. haha-- I think I got a bargain myself. You dont have to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a wedding dress for it to be beautiful-- I think, however, its all in taste. I spent more money on my old prom dresses than I did on my wedding dress! But-- it was the one I loved the most, and was willing to spend whatever I needed to to have it. Luckily-- it was cheap compared to a lot of others!

 

[Maggimus]

I agree with what you are saying. Im a penny pincher. DH is too. He didnt understand why I spent 300 dollars on my dress. haha-- I think I got a bargain myself. You dont have to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a wedding dress for it to be beautiful-- I think, however, its all in taste. I spent more money on my old prom dresses than I did on my wedding dress! But-- it was the one I loved the most, and was willing to spend whatever I needed to to have it. Luckily-- it was cheap compared to a lot of others!

ETA: Over time-- a womans tastes have changed. A coke used to cost a nickel-- nots its $2.00... a dress used to be hand made by momma-- now its designer Vera Wang! haha... it stinks-- but its the way things go. Its better to be buying now than in 50 years-- either then they will be wearing A. Nothing... or B. $100,000 dresses will be the norm!

 

[orangetiggs]

Wow $300 thats a great price I wish the one I loved was that cheap mine is more like $2000 but here in the uk i found it hard finding a dress under £500 which is around $1000.

I'm only spending that much as i love the dress and my parents are paying for it and they didnt mind the amount

 

[wendy46001]

Well then i wont tell you what my dress cost ....honestly we never did tell DH...My justification ....It's what I got to wear on my favorite day...and when I'm older its how I'm going to explain what a bride is to my daughter...and when I look back at pictures old and grey I can smile and say my dad cried when he saw how i looked..

The price tag shouldn’t matter its how you feel when its on

 

[Maggimus]

Well then i wont tell you what my dress cost ....honestly we never did tell DH...My justification ....It's what I got to wear on my favorite day...and when I'm older its how I'm going to explain what a bride is to my daughter...and when I look back at pictures old and grey I can smile and say my dad cried when he saw how i looked..

The price tag shouldn’t matter its how you feel when its on

 

[Sirron]

I actually wish she had spent a ridiculous amount on a dress. It would make my argument to buy a flat screen HDTV that much stronger. hahaha

 

[Maggimus]

I actually wish she had spent a ridiculous amount on a dress. It would make my argument to buy a flat screen HDTV that much stronger. hahaha

Are you sure your not MY husband?

 

[Eeyore's Tailfinder]

I agree with orangetiggs - I think dresses are a lot more expensive in the UK! I was expecting to spend around £1000 ($2000) on a dress over here, so I was really suprised when I was browsing on David's Bridal the other day and found a dress I LOVED, and I checked the price tag and it was only $399 (£200)! Amazing!

Wendy - I'm intrigued

 

[wendy46001]

I actually wish she had spent a ridiculous amount on a dress. It would make my argument to buy a flat screen HDTV that much stronger. hahaha

well that goes under an item for both of you, so you divide the cost
at least that what DH told me

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

HONESTLY,

i wish they didnt cost so much & sometimes I dont know why they do???

I could see if its alot of hand beading & rare fabrics, but in most cases its not that.

I spent too much $$ ($1200) on mine & i wont go all out again, but it was worth it, i loved that dress & it was comfortable & made me feel great

I think anything to do with weddings nowadays means instant price hike....sad, cause it makes it expensive to throw a beautiful wedding.......i gasp when I hear people refinance or take out loans for a wedding.
Its to bad that things couldnt be more reasonable & look just as elegant/classy

i can see why its hard to swallow

 

[Sirron]

Are you sure your not MY husband?

At least the TV is used for years! And you can show your wedding DVD on it!!! Just rent a dress! hahaha

 

[PrincessBride07]

HONESTLY,
I could see if its alot of hand beading & rare fabrics, but in most cases its not that.

I think anything to do with weddings nowadays means instant price hike....sad, cause it makes it expensive to throw a beautiful wedding.......i gasp when I hear people refinance or take out loans for a wedding.
Its to bad that things couldnt be more reasonable & look just as elegant/classy

i can see why its hard to swallow

I would have to agree with you Cori. Usually the really expensive dresses $2000+ are hand beaded, special fabrics, and are made to fit you. That is why some of these dresses take so long to get. Places like DB I think falls under your second statement. I mean how do they price the dress at say $800 than turn around and sell it at $299 during their $99 sale, or put a sticker on it saying take $100 off. I could understand if it was a discontinued style, but they are not always so.

 

[Belle1981]

I can see the argument of not spending a lot on the dress. I guess it really needs to be put into perspective. Some things are immensely important to people. Also expensive is a relative term. To some people spending $5000 for a dress is normal. It really depends on where and how you put value on something. Don't get me wrong overpaying for no good reason does not make sense but for a lot of people this is only happening once so they go all out. I am not trying to justify it but everyone is different. I agree with the other ladies you can ask pretty much any bride on the board if they went looking for an expensive dress and they would say no. What they picked was the dress that made them feel PERFECT.

 

[AnnieBelle]

I had a friend buy a white prom dress for her wedding dress, she looked amazing in it and no one knew. Though I do wonder why they would make a white prom dress... Yeah it annoys me they cost so much money, but I guess since we know before we ever get engaged that wedding dresses are ridiculous we put a crazy high number in our budget when we start to plan the wedding. If you want to try to take advantage of the system buy them in late summer and early fall after the crazy summer wedding rush is over. I honestly cannot tell what season a dress is from and if I were the type of person that did I probably would not mind buying a $2000 dress, I would expect at least that!

 

[Sirron]

I love you Annie but that doesn't explain the insanity of it. hahahaha

Anyways, I'll be right back. I'm going big screen tv shopping.

 

[M&M126]

Some brides choose to spend more on the dress, some spend more on flowers, some spend more on food....it all comes down to what is most important to the individual person. Yes, $500++ is a lot for a dress you wear once, but then again you only get this ONE day to be the bride You can make more money later

 

[Sirron]

hahaha i love it. The one day reason is a perfect reason why they shouldn't cost so much.

I wonder why the wedding dress rental business isn't as lucrative as the tuxedo rental business.