How much would you spend on a Communion dress?

[Jeafl]

My daughter is making her communion on May 1. We looked everywhere to find a special dress, but could not find anything we liked. We finally found one at a small boutique in Chicago. It was normally $159, but I got it for $119 on sale, which is a little more than I wanted to spend, but it is made really well and has some pearls and beading.

On the other hand, a friend of mine, whose daughter is also making her communion, just spent $475 on her daughter's dress, plus another $175 on her veil. These people are not wealthy, but even if they were, I still think this may be excessive. If for no other reason than I know what happens. They wear it only for a few hours, and usually spill something on it. My older daughter spilled red jello down the front of hers within minutes of arriving at the restaurant.

Of course, it really is none of my business what they spent (although she couldn't wait to tell me ), and I'm sure her daughter will look lovely. Just curious what you all think.

 

[tmli]

I have a son so I am not sure but I would think I would spend up to $250 including all accessories. I just purchased my ds's first communion suit and spent $155.00 that was everything except the shoes. I must say looking at all the beautiful dresses was the only time I've ever had a little wish for a daughter. Especially when I see the few choices of suits we have!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I get to do this next year! NO WAY would I spend $500+. Unless of course I suddenly became a MegaMillion lottery winner.

I suppose 100 bucks is about what I expect to pay.

 

[GoofItUp]

I would think the $100 range is plenty. We don't have first communion at our church, but I would think that it's suppose to be more focused on what your son/daughter is doing (remembering the sacrifice Jesus made) than how expensive the dress/suit is. Not trying to offend anyone, JMHO.

 

[CEDmom]

DD is only 4 1/2 so we have a few years before having to worry about this. However, I have seen a few dresses is various catalogs that I'd buy. They were in the $100-150 range. I wouldn't spend $500 unless I had several girls and they were all going to be able to use it and it was a very well made dress. Just because it has a high price tag doesn't mean it's high quality.

 

[beattyfamily]

I spent $80 for my DD dress and the veil was regularly $28 but I got it for 75% off!

I would not spend more than $150 for a dress.

 

[Scratch42]

I had shuffled off to Buffalo one weekend and there was a store that specializes in these types of dresses. I had received a postcard stating they were having a sale! Needless to say, not a Sale by my standards!

Since I was already there, I went to one of the malls and there was a store that was closing and getting rid of their stock. Well, Lady Luck was with me that day! I managed to get a dress for $25.00! Boy was I happy and so was my pocketbook!

Unless you have other DD's to pass a dress down to, don't spend that much!

Good Luck to everybody looking for one!

Scratch

 

[Tess]

We spent $95 on the dress alone for our daughter's first communion. The veil was another $35-40 and then there were shoes and gloves. She was lovely, but it was quite an expensive adventure.

Our son, on the other hand, cost us very little. The boys were to wear black Dockers, white oxfords, a tie, and black shoes. Since our kids were in parochial school, he had all of these items already. The boys sure got off easy!

At the time we thought the amount of money spent was pretty dear, but we made the most of it. We loaned the dress (which had no spills btw--don't know how we lucked out) to a neighbor and asked that she clean it and donate it to the church. We were hopeful that a family who did not have the means would receive the benefit of our daughter's dress. It's a small parish here and I don't go to first communion any longer--not enough room on that Sunday. I'm sure someone has benefitted from our investment. That gives me a warm feeling.

It's a once in a lifetime event. Our daughter had wanted us to save her dress for a potential granddaughter. We explained there were no guarantees on that point AND that the dress would most likely yellow AND even if there was a granddaughter, no way to know if she would be the same size at the same time. Our daughter finally saw the beauty of sharing the dress.

 

[pokiemomo181]

My grand-daughter is making her First Communion this May also. The dresses in this area run from 90 to 150.00. So guess thats the range we will be in. I had all boys and it wasn't near as expensive for them.


Pokie

 

[TandyR]

My DD's First Communion Dress I bought on eBay for $35 it was NWT and it was just like $150 dress she saw in a catalog that she liked...it has pearls, beading, the skirt is has tulle over it with little white flowers sewn on the tulle. I made her veil with $16 worth of stuff to make it. We paid $15 for a pair of white shoes. $12 for a white sweater cape because it gets cold here in Maine in May even late May. (Her first Communion is May 22nd.) Oh yeah tights $2 at Target. So her whole outfit costs $80. We aren't poor by any strech of the imagination...we are very much upper middle class....I just don't see spending the money on something she will wear once when I could put the money in her college fund.

I plan to spend about $200 for food for friends and family after the Mass...so the whole event will cost us $280.

 

[mom2boys]

First Communion was one of those times I was glad I didn't have a daughter. Our church strongly discouraged dressing the girls as "mini brides" (the church's term not mine). Most of the girls wore a simple wreath of baby's breathe in their hair. They all looked so sweet.

My grandmother made my First Communion dress - I was a flower girl a couple of months prior. The dress was long for my gig as the flower girl & then my grandmother shortened it for my First Communion. I did wear a short viel. Thinking back on this, it was a big deal for my grandmother to have made the dress - I never remember her sewing anything else & she worked full time.

 

[Mishetta]

Just reading this thread makes me so grateful to only have boys because I have often told my DH that if we had a girl, he'd be financially ruined!!

I just spent $77 for a new suit for DS who's making his Communion in May. We're spending tons of $$ on his party though!

 

[GoofItUp]

We loaned the dress (which had no spills btw--don't know how we lucked out) to a neighbor and asked that she clean it and donate it to the church.

Tess, that's a great idea. Let the most people get the use out of it as possible. I'm sure the other families were very thankful!

So her whole outfit costs $80.

TandyR, very practical! I'm sure you're daughter will look as beautiful as anyone else and you were able to do it for much less than others. Good planning!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Originally posted by mom2boys
First Communion was one of those times I was glad I didn't have a daughter. Our church strongly discouraged dressing the girls as "mini brides" (the church's term not mine). Most of the girls wore a simple wreath of baby's breathe in their hair. They all looked so sweet.

I think that is a wonderful idea.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

My DD makes her communion next year. Of course we have already strted talking "dresses" Well you know what, I still have my communioin dress hanging in my closet and she has asked to wear it I started to well up, sap that I am. And I kmow back in the day, my mom spent a fortune on it and I will be so proud for her to wear my antique (it will be 36 years old) very plain lace dress with silk ribbons.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would probably not pay more than $150-$200 for the whole ensemble(veil,dress,shoes,tights), but I also live in a fairly expensive area of the country...about an hour north of Manhattan, so we get a lot of NY influence on prices here.

Your friend who paid over $500 for her daughter's Communion ensemble...well, my wedding gown didn't cost that much! And the fact that she "couldn't wait to tell you" leads me to think that she was doing that for the "impression" factor more than anything else. Seems to have lost sight of the true significance of the event...sad lesson she's teaching her child.

 

[C.Ann]

Just an idea for those of you facing Communion dresses for next year.. Lots of Mom's up this way have their wedding dresses made into Communion or Christening dresses!

My eldest DD's Christening dress was made from her Godmother's wedding dress.. Pretty neat - and so special!

 

[buzzlady]

We just spend $150 on a suit for DSs Communion on May 1st. He is a larger built kid and needed a mens suit, but it still needs alterations.

 

[AirForceRocks]

We spent $175 for DD's First Communion dress, about $20 for the veil and about $75 for the other items - gloves, shoes, prayer book.

So far on DS, we've spent $100 for the suit, and I still need to get shoes.

 

[buddy&wooz]

When my oldest son had his first communion seven years ago he wore grey pants, blue blazer, white shirt, white tie. Two nephews borrowed and wore the same outfit. Then my middle son also wore the same outfit. It's showing some wear, but that's ok, another nephew is having his first communion this year in a new suit, and in two years when my youngest has his, he'll borrow his cousin's outfit.

Boys are so much cheaper .

If I did have a daughter, I'm sure I'd want her in a pretty dress, I'd probably spend up to $175 for everything (shoes, veil) but I bet it's hard to find inexpensive dresses these days. It's too bad.