How much was your wedding dress?

[jewelerman]

A friend of mine talked me into watching a cable network reality show about shopping for the perfect wedding dress...dealing with young brides and their wedding jewelry im no stranger to the cost of a wedding...but when did the average price of a wedding dress get so high!? On the show, the sales staff were informing this young bride that their bargin dresses began at $1,500( in the real world that figure might be expected)but the average dresses started at $4,000.00 and went to $15,000 for off the rack! I can see if the bride was going to wear the dress over and over for a long period of time...but its worn ONCE! You can buy an amazing ring for these prices that will last for the rest of your life!Okay ladies educate me as to why so much money and emotion has to be invested in the wedding dress?...And for the already married ladies...in hindsight...would you spend that amount again on the same dress?

 

[kelpie]

My dress was a $1500 sample on sale that retailed for $5300. I wouldn't have bought it for full price but the craftsmanship and how I felt wearing it were well worth $1500. My reception dress was $40 from eBay and I'm planning on wearing it again to some balls coming up. In my family wedding dresses also tend to be worn by multiple brides which reflected my choice of a timeless design.

 

[Pandora II]

Mine cost £1k GBP. It was handmade to my husband's design using silk fabric that was designed and handwoven for me as a wedding gift by a friend. The girl who made it was a student so I know my money went to a good cause!

Worth every penny. I'll never wear anything so beautiful again. The style was very Tudor with long sleeves and a historically correct corset so it will never date. I very much hope that my daughter or even potential grandchildren will perhaps want to wear it for their own weddings.

I wouldn't spend thousands on a designer dress that can be bought in any high street bridal store.

 

[vc10um]

Mine was $400 at David's Bridal. I'll be wearing it 3 times.

I'd say it was COMPLETELY worth it.

 

[jewelerman]

i would agree with you on either of these situations...i think we need to see pictures!

 

[lliang_chi]

Jewelerman, don't forget these brides will also be spending hundreds of dollars on alterations as well. I'm 100% in agreement with you that I can't fathom paying THOUSANDS of dollars on a dress I wear ONCE (or twice if I'm lucky).

My dress was $500, $550 with tax. Counting alterations, total is $750. I got it at the Filene's Bridal sale they have every year. The designer was Stephen Yearick, which I guess is a "brand" in the evening gown arena. I couldn't say one way or another, I was just glad I got it for $500.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Mine was $500 on a sample sale, regular was about $1200. I would not have paid full price, I bought it in large part because it was a great deal! My size and everything.

 

[Puppmom]

$1,200 including alterations. I purchased a sample. No way I would spend $15k. I was careful to not even try on dresses that weren't in my budget.

 

[lyra]

Mine was under $300 and on sale, almost 28 years ago. We didn't have a long engagement, and I had no pre-conceived notions of what I wanted, so I went out on my lunch hour from work and picked the one that looked best. I have 2 daughters, and neither one is particularly conventional so I'm not concerned about what they might pick one day. They are down to earth, but I'd say anywhere up to $1500 would work fine no matter what for them.

Pandora, your dress is exquisite. You really look like a princess in those pictures! I've never seen a dress like that before, thanks for sharing.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

My dress was $2500 but I got it for 50% off so $1250 plus tax.

 

[iheartscience]

I got mine at a sample sale and it was $2600, half off the original price of $5200. It was made by Amsale Blue Label. Amsale carries a ton of dresses I like, which is rare for me, because most bridal dresses didn't speak to me. I actually read on PS that Saks was having sample sales at almost all of their bridal boutiques, so I went there on a whim with my twin sister, and it was the first dress I tried on.

I do think it was a lot of money to spend on a dress I'll only wear once, but I have no regrets. It was a gorgeous light pink silk taffeta and was extremely well made (interior corset, multiple layers of the skirt, etc.). Here's a close up pic...I don't have all of my wedding photos on this computer and I've already posted this one on PS.

 

[KaeKae]

I think my dress was $240 in 1989. Average at that time was more like $500, if I remember correctly, and my aunt and uncle, who bought my dress as their personal wedding gift to me, accused me of lying about the price. In fact, I think they gave me $500, and said that if the dress really was $240, then the rest would pay for shoes, etc. It did and I still think my dress was beautiful. Lace from head to toe. Long sleeves with beautiful detail at the wrist, neck and hem.

Funny, today, I love the show, Say Yes to the Dress, though the prices make me cringe, especially when the bride knows the budget, but talks her parent into forking over even more for the 'perfect dress.' However, the show that makes me really laugh is the bridesmaid version of the show, with the brides who expect their closest family and friends to spend whatever the bride deems okay for 'her day.'

 

[LGK]

$80. Marked down from $400ish, it was a Bob Mackie evening gown in a pale taupe-lavender color. I've worn it again, especially the awesome lace & beaded jacket part- it's super cute, with flared sleeves & hem, and eyelash lace edges. And it doesn't say "wedding dress".

I've never regretted spending so little or having such a small, casual back yard wedding- my in-laws contributed their back yard which is actually a private beach on an inlet with woods surrounding it, so it was a gorgeous location.

 

[centralsquare]

$300 in a sample sale. I paid about just as much in alterations, but that is FAR less than the $2k it retailed for!

 

[slg47]

$2550 in a sample sale. similar ones new by the same designer are in the 7-12k range

 

[OUpearlgirl]

I paid $450 for the dress and $250 for my jacket... The dress retails for $2800 and the jacket for $380. I got the dress on sample sale, and the employee discount didn't hurt either!!

 

[Autumnovember]

1500$....I can't wait to wear it in 2 months.

 

[yssie]

Free (my MIL's dress) - but alterations were hefty, as they had to find matching lace to extend both arms and hem. Probably 1k.

My saris were probably 500 USD total and my reception dress was a BlueFly sale find.

So all in all - a lot of money! I'd do exactly the same thing again, though. The saris were necessary expenses, and you don't get a lot of choices wrt "normal" wedding saris unless you go absolutely nuts (in which case price can of course skyrocket!) I'll re-wear them. Being gifted and wearing my MIL's dress, and imagining that one day maybe my own girl would do the same - yeah, completely worth it

 

[stephbolt]

I think it was like $630 - I asked the shop I bought it from to match the best price I found online. I set a budget of under 1K for myself, that's how much I would have been willing to spend on a dress I wore once (not counting when I visit my parents and try it on for fun).

It was a Casablanca dress, I loved it so much!

 

[kenny]

I thought they were usually much more expensive and I got curious...

http://www.costhelper.com/cost/wedding/wedding-dress.html
SNIP

On the low end, a wedding dress can cost $200 or less for an off-the-rack white or cream evening dress in a synthetic fabric from a department store, or for a simple or on-sale wedding dress from chain bridal retailer.

In the mid-range, expect to pay $500 to $1,000 for an off-the rack or custom-made wedding dress, with a small to medium amount of beading or lace detail, from a chain bridal retailer or bridal boutique.

And on the high end, expect to pay $2,000 to $5,000 and up for a custom-made designer dress in silk, sometimes with elaborate embellishments of hand-stitched lace or beading, from an upscale wedding boutique.


The average cost for a wedding dress is $1,505, according to The Bridal Association of America.

 

[marcy]

We were married 20 years ago. My mom made my dress so it only cost a few hundred dollars. It was off white Satan, square color, covered with lace and pearls.

 

[mayerling]

Mine was $1135 - tax included - and alterations are only costing me 50 euro.

 

[m-2-b]

$3K+ for a Vera Wang silk organza dress in the late 90's! It's classic and still beautiful to this day!

I think it's a real bargain now compared to today's prices (just like diamonds)!!

 

[somethingshiny]

I was married in '99. I picked out a pattern and bought the yardage and my aunt made it. So, about $150 for dress, veil, purse, garters.

 

[AprilBaby]

$165.00- I saw it in Brides Magazine in 1980.

 

[rubyprincess]

Mine cost £1k GBP. It was handmade to my husband's design using silk fabric that was designed and handwoven for me as a wedding gift by a friend. The girl who made it was a student so I know my money went to a good cause!

Worth every penny. I'll never wear anything so beautiful again. The style was very Tudor with long sleeves and a historically correct corset so it will never date. I very much hope that my daughter or even potential grandchildren will perhaps want to wear it for their own weddings.

I wouldn't spend thousands on a designer dress that can be bought in any high street bridal store.

PANDORA That might be the most beautiful gown I have EVER SEEN. To say you look exquisite is an understatement. WOW!

My first wedding was in 2001 and I wore a silk satin ball gown by Reem Acra. I bought an unworn sample for $1250 and the alterations cost about $500. Looking back waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay not worth it. Next wedding I hope not to spend more than $500 total. We will see.

 

[iugurl]

$700ish. I can't remember the exact figure. It was purchased from a small local bridal store. I got married in 2008.

It is a huge ball gown. I didn't really want to post a picture of me in the dress, so I looked it up, and it is for sale still on some website even though it is a few years old! So I stole the model picture. She looks better than me haha.

Hopefully the picture is ok, it shows the logo of the bridal website trying to sell it!

 

[AGBF]

Mine cost £1k GBP. It was handmade to my husband's design using silk fabric that was designed and handwoven for me as a wedding gift by a friend. The girl who made it was a student so I know my money went to a good cause!

Worth every penny. I'll never wear anything so beautiful again. The style was very Tudor with long sleeves and a historically correct corset so it will never date. I very much hope that my daughter or even potential grandchildren will perhaps want to wear it for their own weddings.

Pandora, it is absolutely gorgeous...as are you!!! Just stunning!!! Wow!!!

Deb

 

[packrat]

I had two..my first was on sale and sooo gorgeous..but it was a size 10 or something and they swore up and down it could be altered down enough to fit me. I think it was about $75. We didn't do in store alterations (figured too far to drive) and I wonder if that was a mistake. Took it to an alterations lady here in town and it was totally messed up. So, I ended up having to get another dress, and I think that was about $100 on sale. Took no chances and did in store alterations w/that one. I suppose less than $500 for both dresses and both sets of alterations. The first dress had beautiful appliques all over it and little flowers as the straps. The second dress was plain chiffon, empire waist, cowl neckline. I saved both dresses and can NOT find the first anywhere..

 

[madiamondgirl]

My dress was about $1200 with alterations. We got married in Maui and I didn't want anything too expensive or ornate. My gown was just perfect. Although, I wish I could wear it again