Wedding Dress and Cost

[Beep]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had a budget in mind for their dress when they were looking and stuck to it, or whether you ended up spending more because you fell in love with a dress?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking how much people spent on their dresses just whether you stuck to an amount.

I certainly didn't! I spent twice as much on my dress as I had planned because I saw it on the internet and just had to have it. I definitely made the right choice but didn't dare tell my DF for ages how much it had cost

 

[RachaelA]

My parents paid for my dress. We didn't have a set budget, but I wanted to keep it somewhat inexpensive. I found my dream dress it was definitely not inexpensive. Its definitely worth the money though.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Saw my dream dress in a magazine and carried that picture around with me for over a year before I got engaged. Went to a boutique recommended by the designer and tried it on. $1500 for the dress and $500 for the headpiece 16 years ago! My mom took one look at me and said she didn't care what it cost -- that was the dress I was meant to have. BTW, my mom was a postal worker at the time, so she sure wasn't making too much money but she told me she didn't care. I thought someday my DD would wear it but she laughs at me and tells me how 80's looking it is. I hate to admit it, but I tend to agree!

 

[turtle51]

I just ordered my dress 2 months ago. My parents paid for it and I did not have a budget. I tried on about 6 dresses and my mother and I fell in love with my dress. We just lucked out that it was inexpensive and the bridal salon was having a sale so I got $100 off.

 

[JenandJosh2009]

I didn't really have a budget either, I just knew I couldn't go above like $5,000 The first dress I tried on was the one I bought (after going all over town looking at other dresses to make sure). Luckily it wasn't too expensive and the store was having a special. I ordered it at the end of October, so I should get a call around April that it's in. Can't wait!!!

 

[Lynn5700]

My mom mom bought mine..it was $1200.. I would say average costs.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

i fell in love with my dress after seeing it online..but it was only $500!!

 

[PrincessShea]

Before I started looking I was hoping to spend no more than $500. Then I went to the stores and realized that was totally unrealistic. Then I was hoping for under $700. Then I found the dress I wanted and it was $980. I looked around a little more before I decided 'whatever, just spend the money and get what you want.'

 

[ElleBren]

I think my dress was $425 with my colored sash & bolero jacket. I wasn't spending more than 700 dollars. I feel my dress was perfect.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

My mom bought my dress. I think it was 1100.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

My original budget was $200. Then I started checking eBay and seeing really nice dresses (even new ones) selling for under $50, so that became my new budget, hopefully to include shipping. I did find a dress I really like for just under $50 (without shipping) - but it turns out the seller sold me a "womens" instead of "misses" and now it needs to be altered and have a bustle added.

But - a lady I volunteer with knows a seamstress and she said she will have the woman alter my dress, and she will pay for it for me. How sweet!

I really wanted a Maggie Sottero but got David's Bridal. My neighbor came over and I tried it on for her and she said it looks great (except for being a little baggy, LOL).

To answer your question - yes, I had a budget; and yes, I stuck to it.

 

[Lorelei528]

I didn't want to go above $1200...

A lot of the dresses I liked were very expensive, (well, to me anyway), like more than 3 or 5 thousand.

But the dresses I tried on that I liked were at the top end of my budget and the dress I ended up with cost $1000...my mom paid for my dress. I'm just afraid of the alterations costs!

 

[HilsNPaul]

1500 was my budget for my dress.

I went to the bridal salon (European Bridal Salon in Cincinnati, I highly recommend them). The owner picked out several dresses for me and one she labeled as "extra special." The owner, JoAnn had picked the dress out personally at a sample show; I was the first person to try on this dress.

The dress, San Patrick by Pronovias, was 2200, and was out of my budget. We negotiated. I paid 1500 for my dress and 200 for my cathedral length veil.

 

[beatlesblonde]

My budget was about $900. The dress I fell in love with was brand new for the season and was about $800. I was lucky and the salon was able to get it down to a little over $600 and it shouldn't need a ton of alterations except some hemming.

 

[lurkyloo]

My only budget was wanting to spend as little as possible (of course ), but I think my no-way-Jose figure was probably $1,000.

As it turned out I got a $1,300 dress for $500 on eBay! (And, really, I think $1,300 was an outrageous markup by the swanky bridal salon where I tried it on - the dress is polyester with a zipper, fer cryin' out loud! )

 

[B2B-2008]

I didn't want to spend more than £1000 but my mum made me try on one for £1800 and we fell in love with it.

I was able to get the dress for £1500 at a bridal show.

My parents paid for my dress and I felt really bad!

 

[bridetobe789]

I didn't actually have a budget either! We just kind of went and tried on dresses that I liked and went from there ... My dress in the end was 1200 and I ended up getting close to 200 off just calling around and playing the dress shops against each other! In the end I got free preservation as well!

 

[Disneychix]

My mother bought my dress and didn't tell me a budget but I knew I shouldn't be looking at anything over $1000. I went to Davids just to 'try' and tried 3 dresses. I bought the 3rd one for $345. I was kinda bummed because I'd always dreamed of trying on many many dresses but was def excited becasue I found the one!

I did buy another more casual dress to change into after my WDW ceremony because I needed to wear the dress again at home and didn't want it messy. That dress was only about $100.

And I borrowed my sister's crinolin and veil.

 

[padisneyfour]

almost 19 years ago when we got married I made my dress including veil for approx. $200.00 including crinnie and shoes ,so for our VR I wanted to purchase a gown but still not spend alot. I did alot of looking online and found dresses I liked for ideas and then went to several local shops and finally found my dress and it was marked down! I paid just over $300.00. It is an alfred angelo. I am inthe process of doing the alterations. There are so many beautiful gowns in many different price ranges. I hope everyone finds their perfect dress!

 

[irisbud]

We went to look for mine with me thinking that I would like to spend about $750-1250 (hopefully on the low side of that!). I found one I liked at David's, but my mom wasn't convinced it was "the one" and I didn't have that WOW moment either.

Later that day, we went to a small bridal shop where my sister had purchased a BM dress for a freind's wedding. We found a dress we fell in love with for about $750 and decided to purchase it. When they rang it up, it came to $99! They honored the price it came up as. I bought the veil there as well for about $50, I don't need a crinnie with this dress, and my alterations were $75-80, so my grand total was about $230 for dress, veil, and alterations, so more than $500 off the low end of my origional budget !