Bridesmaids Dresses

Aprilfools2011

Went yesterday for the first look at bridesmaids dresses.  Found two dresses I really like.  What is to much to ask your bridesmaids to pay for a dress?  One of the dresses I liked was $206, that's not including alterations.

psichick

you talk to each one individually about what they are comfortable spending, then you find a dress that fits in everyone's budget. 

Siobhan615

Ditto pp. Some of my bridesmaids would be fine paying over $200. Others would in no way be able to pay over $200 for a dress. Also shop around. What one store quoted us over 200 I got at RK Bridal in NYC for 140.

ssage

13 years ago I was in a wedding and our dresses were $250.  The bride loved them (as did we) and that is what we got.

2 years ago I was in a wedding and our dresses were $110.

My BMs dresses were about $150 and they chose them.

I think you have to take into consideration everyone's budget while at the same time finding something you and they like.

clarereedy

I don't think 206 is unreasonable though.  How many times have you bought a dress for yourself that is that much money and maybe you wear it twice?  If it is the dress you love, I'd go fo it....especially since the girls have time to pay for it. 

psichick

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_bridesmaids-dresses-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:113Discussion:994148ff-d16b-4498-b6e1-6373a0a110c3Post:9cf956f9-c6c9-4d92-a699-213c6e68b502">Re: Bridesmaids Dresses</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't think 206 is unreasonable though.  How many times have you bought a dress for yourself that is that much money and maybe you wear it twice?  If it is the dress you love, I'd go fo it....especially since the girls have time to pay for it. 
Posted by clarereedy[/QUOTE]

<div>um....no. you really can't do this. you're making assumptions about other people's spending habits and available income. you might not have an issue paying $200 for a dress, while someone else might think that $50 is outrageous. it's not ok to assume that 1. people have the money to spend on a dress 2. that even if they do have the money that they WANT to spend it on your dress  3. that you have any idea what their financial situation is like to assume that "they can save up for it" and they don't more important things to spend their money on. </div><div>
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kristinanddan

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_bridesmaids-dresses-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:113Discussion:994148ff-d16b-4498-b6e1-6373a0a110c3Post:9cf956f9-c6c9-4d92-a699-213c6e68b502">Re: Bridesmaids Dresses</a>:
[QUOTE]I don't think 206 is unreasonable though.  How many times have you bought a dress for yourself that is that much money and maybe you wear it twice?  <strong>If it is the dress you love, I'd go fo it....especially since the girls have time to pay for it. 
</strong>Posted by clarereedy[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry, that is just awful advice. You don't know everyone's financial situation - $206 may be much more than one or two girls could afford. Having time to save for it doesn't make it any better if you're taking away $ that is supposed to go towards something more important.

rblucy

You said you found two dresses you liked.  Is the other dress less money?  Maybe you can show the girls both dresses, tell them the prices and give them the option.  With my girls I looked with 2 of the BMs and we found 2 dresses-one was about $215 and the other was like $150.  I showed the two dresses to all 4 girls and let them pick and they all chose the more expensive dress.  Maybe you can do something similar?  I'd rather spend $200 on a BM dress I like than $110 on a dress I hate but that's me. 

TerriandJoe

Have you looked into netbride? We got my BM's Watters' dresses through www.netbride.com  and they were $80 or $100 less than they were in the store. ($220 and $230 in the store. The same dresses were $140 and $130 through netbride)

ssage

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_bridesmaids-dresses-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:113Discussion:994148ff-d16b-4498-b6e1-6373a0a110c3Post:16473f84-dd7f-485d-bb23-eec5f167c748">Re: Bridesmaids Dresses</a>:
[QUOTE]You said you found two dresses you liked.  Is the other dress less money?  Maybe you can show the girls both dresses, tell them the prices and give them the option.  With my girls I looked with 2 of the BMs and we found 2 dresses-one was about $215 and the other was like $150.  I showed the two dresses to all 4 girls and let them pick and they all chose the more expensive dress.  Maybe you can do something similar?  I'd rather spend $200 on a BM dress I like than $110 on a dress I hate but that's me. 
Posted by rblucy[/QUOTE]

I agree...I only asked that my BMs have the same color (navy), length (floor).  I wanted the same fabric and designer as well but that came once they chose the dresses....bascially, they could choose what they wanted in those parameters.  They found a designer they liked  (alfred angelo) and looked at a bunch with the same fabric (they all chose chiffon...I just wanted them to be comfy in whatever fabric that was)....they ended up all choosing the same dress (the $150 one) but could have chosen amongst about 10 all in difft price ranges...I was honestly shocked they all wanted the same one (and they all altered it the same too...it had a halter strap and they made it strapless).  Again, I didn't care.

I will also say that the $110 dress was one of the cheapest things I ever bought....I loved the style of it and the color but the seamstress told me there was
no material to take it out slightly and it was definitely cheaply made relative to the $250 dress which you could tell was better fabric, etc. 

mocknine

I was no OK with my BM's spending $200 on dresses.  When you agree to be in someone's wedding there are many expenses that come with it.  While the BM dress is a large purchase, I just didn't want it to be one that they were dreading because I picked out a dress that they couldn't afford.  

We looked for dresses for a while, and found many that we liked.  One that I fell in love with was around $250, but I in no way would even consider it, even though they liked it too.  Ultimately I found a dress that we all loved even more, and it was about $145.  I was also able to negotiate with the store for a better price because I had a large bridal party.

Do what you think is best- you know your girls..... but keep in mind how you would feel if you were a BM and you had to purchase a dress, shoes, hair, makeup, bridal shower, bachelorette..etc. etc.  In the end, $50-$60 probably doesn't make that big of a difference, but when you're paying it all at once, it does!

HTH!

Aprilfools2011

Thanks for the advice.  Went with all my girls when we picked out the two dresses, they didn't seem to concerned about the price, but I don't want to put anybody in that position.  The two dresses we decided on one is cheaper than the other so if we go with one out of those two, probably go with the cheaper one.  Still looking however so might get lucky and fall in love with another dress that's reasonable. 

ssage

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-york-hudson-valley_bridesmaids-dresses-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:113Discussion:994148ff-d16b-4498-b6e1-6373a0a110c3Post:18182bdc-079b-46f7-817e-4d794eaade0e">Re: Bridesmaids Dresses</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks for the advice.  Went with all my girls when we picked out the two dresses, they didn't seem to concerned about the price, but I don't want to put anybody in that position.  The two dresses we decided on one is cheaper than the other so if we go with one out of those two, probably go with the cheaper one.  Still looking however so might get lucky and fall in love with another dress that's reasonable. 
Posted by Aprilfools2011[/QUOTE]

If you like both the dresses and they didn't seem concerned about the price, let them choose the one they want.  That way, whatever they choose is in their hands.