Realistic wedding gown budget?

hulagirly · April 2014

Hi! I just got engaged last week and have my first dress appointment next week (yay!) I was wondering what is a realistic budget to set for a wedding gown? I want something nice, but do not want to spend a fortune on it. Is $1k more than enough to find a nice dress or do I need to go higher? I live in Hawaii, so there are only a few wedding shops around and not much of a selection. I'm willing to buy off the rack, if possible too. Thanks!

dolewhipper · April 2014

I would first look at which designers you like, and go from there on how much they cost to give you an estimate of the style you like. I got a Mori Lee (1655 if you want to look it up) off the rack for just over $1k. Everyone's style is different and beauty is in the eye of the beholder; my sister's dream dress was found at DB on sale for $150. It was beautiful and perfect for her.

nlh85 · April 2014

$1 K isn't impossible, including alterations, but based on my experience, it might be a struggle to get anything under that. That was my budget, and I found two dresses that I really liked, but they both hit almost exactly at that mark by the time alterations were factored in. I was also working on a tight timeline, though, and that restricted my options. If you have more time to look around and to wait for things to be delivered, you'll have more choices.

ceruse · April 2014

There are so many factors that determine the cost of your gown that it's hard to say. I think $1k is a very reasonable place to start, and as you shop around you'll quickly learn whether it will work for the dresses you like or not. A simple satin dress is obviously going to cost a lot less than one that's all lace with buttons and a rhinestone sash.
When I started shopping, I was sure I could find something for $600 from David's Bridal, but it turned out none of their dresses reflected the quality I knew I wanted. I raised my budget to $1,000 and my options opened up, but most of the dresses I loved were more than that. I really, really wanted lace.
Go figure, I fell in love with the most expensive one I tried on, at $1695 (!!!!)
That wasn't even close to within my budget, but it turns out the bridal shop had a sale a week later and I went back and bought it off the rack at 40%. Score!
This is what I mean about factors. If you have the time and the inclination, anything is possible.

QueerFemme · April 2014

If you have a Davids Bridal near you, you should be good with $1k budget. Mori Lee, Alfred Angelo and Allure all have gowns in the $800-1500 range. I would look up the salons you are planning to go to and see which designers they carry. If they have higher end designers, you'll know you are unlikely to find a gown for that price unless you buy the sample. Also, allow for an additional $100-300ish for alterations.

doeydo · April 2014

What is your entire wedding budget?

CMGragain · April 2014

Is this anywhere near you?

David's Bridal #318

1140 Kuala Street, Suite 100
Pearl City, HI 96782

Store:: 808-454-8621

Regular Store Hours:: M-F: 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.; Sat: 9:30 a.m.- 7 p.m.; Sun: 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

[Deleted User] · April 2014

My advice is it is possible to get everything, the veil, the dress, the slip (if you need one) for $1,000 or less. I would recommend going into a bridal shop with an open mind on styles of dresses. Tell them your budget and ask them once you have alterations done & add the veil on, what price range that would leave you in & the refuse to try any dresses that are above that price range. If you don't try a dress on that is out of your price range, you own have your heart broken trying a dress on you love only to discover you can't afford it. When it comes to the slip, once you know the size & style of slip that you need, check ebay or craigslist or even local thrift store if you have any. Lots of brides will sell their slips after their weddings even if they keep their dresses. Those slips are so bulky to store. The slips are machine washable on cold/gentle and then just line dry it & make sure if there are layers of tulle to straighten those out before they dry. It will be good as new then. Good luck & congrats, I hope you enjoy your engagement & wedding planning

emmyg65 · April 2014

In the world of traditional wedding dresses $1,000 (including alterations) is on the low end, but it's still completely reasonable and you can find a dress in that range. If you need to, don't be afraid to think outside the box. I bought a bridesmaid's dress and it was $300, including alterations. Many bridesmaid's dresses come in white or ivory. J. Crew, Bhldn and Ann Taylor also have wedding dresses online with a wide range of prices and reasonable return policies.

emmaaa · April 2014

I got Mori Lee 1854 and it was around $1200. This is not including alterations or undergarments or accessories. It is possible to do it under $1000 but by the time you add in the other factors, it can be difficult.

jenna8984 · April 2014

I'm a very frugal person so I used to sit and watch Say Yes to the Dress before I was engaged and I would get so upset with people for spending $3,000-8,000 on a dress. I'd be yelling at the tv "it's just a frigen dress, for one frigen night of your life!" I know that sometimes it's the parents paying or whatever other factors but that's the not case for me. I thought that I wouldn't be able to justify spending more than $600 of my hard earned money. I mean $600 is still a 42 inch flat screen tv that can be used for years! But once I went shopping and saw the prices and the fabrics that I wanted and the quality that I wanted, I ending up buying one for $1250. I am comfortable with that price but don't think I could have gone any higher. I think that is a perfectly realistic budget.

Also don't forget if you love something at the store, many people sell pre-owned for half the price. I would have done that in a heartbeat but my style was brand new so there were none out there already owned.

shaylagirl · April 2014

My Alfred Angelo I bought on one of their "sales". Gown is usually $1,000, I got it for about $900. I overpaid on alterations/steaming (I regret that, my whole seamstress experience was a NIGHTMARE); hem, bodice (she had to take it apart at both side seams, including beadwork, re-sew and re-attach the beads), bustle, steaming, $540. Mom made my petticoat and my veil, so I saved there.

I think it is ENTIRELY possible to find a gown for under $1k. Used is always an option. Go in, try on gowns, find a style that you like and get the designer's name and hit up pre-owned wedding gown sites.

Good luck!!

melbenso · April 2014

The total for my dress, undergarments, shoes, veil, and alterations will be about $1000 (first fitting is tomorrow, so I don't know exactly how much alterations will cost yet, but based on the price list they gave me and what I anticipate needing done, it should put me at right about that range). It's totally doable, assuming you aren't dead set on a specific designer dress.

Aside from David's Bridal, there will be options at other bridal stores. I found plenty of designer dresses from "last season" marked down to half off at other bridal salons I looked at. You can also look at buying a dress someone else already purchased either on line (check out the wedding classifieds and preownedweddingdress.com) or at a consignment shop. I have a friend who got her gorgeous, would-have-been-$700-if-bought-new wedding dress for $70 at a consignment shop that resells wedding dresses and gives the proceeds to a domestic violence shelter.

flyingfoxes · April 2014

I found my gown at David's for $280 total, including the shipping to send it to me. I have no idea what alterations will cost, right now the only thing I would need is a bustle if I can lose 10 pounds in the next year. I just couldn't imagine spending over $1000 on a dress, especially now that I know my venue and know I'll be dragging it across hundreds of feet of concrete sidewalk. I'd rather destroy a $280 dress than one costing over $1000.

thelastdreamer · April 2014

It really depends on how picky you're going to be. You can't be picky and demand that the dress only cost $700 because they're just aren't that many choices in that range. If you're going to be laid back then yes I think you could do it. But between taxes, alterations, undergarments, veil, etc., that will run you at least $300 so I'd plan on only $700 for the dress. My dress was originally $1600 but I bought the sample so I got $300 off.

Dignity100 · April 2014

I am just going to add on here:

You can always shop around on Tradesy and PreOwnedWeddingDresses. If you do, make sure you try on the actual gown before purchasing (and you'll have to factor in any additional shipping costs).

My original budget was around $800 and there were dresses in that range I did like. I ended up going well over my original budget (after I had saved $$ elsewhere).

shawna9909 · April 2014

Runaway Brides in royal oak sells sample gowns half off the original price. They have awesome designer gowns most of the dresses were around 599.00 but they did have a rack that were dresses priced at 199.0032184 N Woodward
Royal oak 48073

248-549-7556

shawna9909 · April 2014

I almost bought a gown at Davids and I'm glad I stoped at runaway before I bought because I got a quilty lace dress for 699 originally 1900 La Sposa!!! The expensive lace just felt better and didn't feel cheap

buddysmom80 · April 2014

I gave myself $2000 for a dress budget. That included alterations, undergarments, shoes and accessories my dress after tax (Alfred Angelo) was $1100.

hulagirly · April 2014

Thank you so much for all the tips, ladies! We just started talking about wedding planning, and since my finace is in the military, he wants to get married this year, since there will be a better chance that he'll be at the wedding. lol. We haven't set a date yet - waiting to see when I can get my dress before we set a date. We don't have a set budget ... we want to be between $5k - $10k (closer to the $5k mark) and all we know is that we want a small wedding. I was looking at dresses and then I started getting overwhelmed. Plus, I'm not sure what looks good on me, so I don't want to have my heart set on a certain style only to find out that I look like a whale in it. hahaha. But it looks like a $1k gown is do-able, just on the low end and I shoud keep an open mind. A wedding expo is coming up this weekend, so I'm hoping that the vendors will have sales or discounts or off the rack sales along with it. I'll also be checking out David's Bridals. Thank you so much, ladies!!!! Y'all been a great help!!!

princessleia22 · April 2014

My experience was that average dress price falls around $1200 range. But, you can definitely find a beautiful gown for under $1000, especially if you find a good sale or a sample gown. If you find the right deal, you could find one for just a couple hundred even. I went into dress shopping, hoping to spend under $1000, but was okay with spending up to $1500. I found a few that I liked under the $1000 price (some were samples/sales). I even found a dress at David's that I really liked on clearance for $300! But then I fell in love with a $1300 gown. I had a really hard time deciding if another $1000 was worth it for that dress that I would only wear once or if I should go with the cheaper, but still beautiful, gown.

Make sure to budget for alterations also. Dresses are made to accommodate 6' tall, so unless you are the perfect height you will at least need hemming and probably bustling. And most dresses will need some other alterations. Probably plan on around $300-400+ for alterations, but that can vary by location and type of dress. You may want to call some local seamstresses to determine what it would cost to get dress taken in, hemmed, and bustled, then include cost for all that in your budget. If the dress has a lot of beading and lace, alterations will likely cost more since it gets more complicated to work with. I got lucky and only needed hem and bustle, but I opted for a special type of bustle, and fabric is pleated so it's a bit more complicated, and it still cost me nearly $300.

TheMoez · April 2014

My dress is a Vera Wang for David's Bridal that had been recently discontinued so instead of paying $1140 I paid $450. There is defiantly a way to stay in that budget.

atlastmrsg · April 2014

Don't forget that you could score a $3,000 dream dress secondhand for $1,000--don't be afraid to make an offer if the listing price is too much. Try Tradesy, PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com and the classifieds boards. Quality fabrics and tailoring were really important to me, which wasn't something I could find to my satisfaction new in a <$1,000 price point. Consider what you want most in your dress. If you're looking for a simple dress, your price point could work.

thesummersky · April 2014

$500 is my budget, but I will most likely not be wearing a formal wedding gown. I understand prices for most things are higher in Hawaii. Which island do you live on? Is there a David's Bridal close to you? If so, $1,000 can get you pretty far.

If your timeline isn't too short and you don't mind buying online and possibly shipping returns, sites like Tradesy, Ebay and ModCloth are your friends!

QueerFemme · April 2014

hulagirly said:

Thank you so much for all the tips, ladies! We just started talking about wedding planning, and since my finace is in the military, he wants to get married this year, since there will be a better chance that he'll be at the wedding. lol. We haven't set a date yet - waiting to see when I can get my dress before we set a date. We don't have a set budget ... we want to be between $5k - $10k (closer to the $5k mark) and all we know is that we want a small wedding. I was looking at dresses and then I started getting overwhelmed. Plus, I'm not sure what looks good on me, so I don't want to have my heart set on a certain style only to find out that I look like a whale in it. hahaha. But it looks like a $1k gown is do-able, just on the low end and I shoud keep an open mind. A wedding expo is coming up this weekend, so I'm hoping that the vendors will have sales or discounts or off the rack sales along with it. I'll also be checking out David's Bridals. Thank you so much, ladies!!!! Y'all been a great help!!!

To the first bolded, I suggest making an appoingment at Davids Bridal before you do anything. You may not buy a dress there, but it will help you figure out what shapes look good on you. DB has a lot of styles and shapes, so it will help you determine if you want an A-line, trumpet, etc.

To the second bold, wedding expos can be incredibly overwhelming, and you rarely save much money. Your name and email address will end up on mailing lists everywhere. If you register for anything, set up a seperate email account just for wedding stuff and only give email, not your phone number. You'll thank yourself.

vanessanini · April 2014

The price quoted on the Internet can be treated as reference.You can find the similar dresses to compare them to assess the level .

Dignity100 · April 2014

From reading your posts:

Go try on dresses. I would try on dresses before the bridal expo - the expo I went to, you were only allowed 3 gowns at a time, you needed somebody with you to help you in and out of gowns, savings were not that great. Not saying you shouldn't go, just better to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

Before purchasing a dress, if the store does alterations, I would speak to somebody there to get an estimate on alteration prices.

hulagirly · April 2014

Thank you for all the tips! There's a David's Bridal near me that I wasn't really planning on going to visit because I didn't see anything online that I really liked and everyone posted horrible reviews about the service on yelp. But I never thought of going there to try to find a style that looks good on me. Thank you!! And I appreciate all the tips on where I can go to look for dresses for cheaper. Thanks!!!

ceruse · April 2014

It can be worth it to visit a David's if only to try on a lot of different styles and find what you like best. Even try something you don't think you'll like, just to rule it out and be sure. Their web site is completely overwhelming, and those dresses never look the same in person as they do on the models.

If you end up shopping at a bridal boutique, you can negotiate with those people, especially if the gown you like is from a past season's collection. They are always bringing in fresh inventory and trying to get rid of their samples.

Alterations are the hardest to budget for because it depends on the kind of work you need done. My dress had lace trim all along the hem, three layers of skirts AND was 3 inches too long. So all the lace had to be removed, the dress shortened, and the lace reattached. That plus a few other small things was $200, but it had to be done.

So definitely keep that in mind as you're shopping!

hyechica81 · April 2014

my morilee dress in plus size was at 925 add in a second strap and a jacket it came to 1175.00 not all dresses will require the slip thing underneath the dress if the dress is very poofy and has enough shape you wont need that extra layer.

Cookie Pusher · April 2014

I am wearing a non-traditional dress for my wedding, which I found on eBay for under $100 (I saw the dress in a picture, tracked it down on eBay and asked the seller if I could buy it in 2 sizes and return the one that didn't fit if I paid for return shipping and restocking - she said sure, no problem). I also needed a cultural dress, which I was originally going to have made (~$300) but found one in a dress shop that fit almost perfectly for $40. I have another dress for the reception since the cultural dress is too restrictive and not breathable enough for an outdoor summer wedding, I have a cocktail dress for the reception that I got on clearance for under $20. If you don't find a traditional gown that fits in your budget, don't be afraid to think outside the box!

Realistic wedding gown budget?

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