How much did everyond spend on their gown? I picked a budget out of really nowhere and continually find that I keep raising it (b/c I can't seem to find what I want). I can't justify spending loads of money of it but I don't want to wear something ugly or obviously cheaply made either. Everytime I tell stores what I am looking for they tell me I will need to look at so and so designer who is in the $5000 price range or something ridiculous. So what is a good average?
dcbride
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What kind of dress are you looking for?
SeptemberBride03
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You can find a very well made designer gown for $750 - 2000. Anymore than that and you're paying for the name (ie. Vera Wang, Bagdley Mischka). If you look around you can find something gorgeous and affordable!
Check out the book Bridal Bargains - its great! They rate every dress designer out there and tell you which ones are worth the money! They have it at Barnes & Noble.
LnP2003
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My dress was roughly around $1k
silibonz
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I AM DEFINITELY NOT SPENDING ANYTHING NEAR TO THAT AMOUNT....I AGREE YOUR DRESS HAS TO BE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL BUT YOU ONLY WHERE IT ONE DAY...AND THEIR ARE PLENTY OF DRESSES OUT THERE FOR LESS MONEY....MINE IS COSTING BETWEEN AROUND $1500K FOR EVERYTHING, HEADPIECE, VEIL, ETC. THATS ENOUGH FOR ME AND MY DRESS IS NOT PLAIN AT ALL. I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AROUND
Misty
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Mine is an Eve of Milady and was just under 2000, I agree that anything over 2000 you are paying for a name. A good deal of the best designers make gowns in a lot of price ranges. You can look at Jim Hjelm gowns that are 1500...and ones that are 5000...they are all gorgeous!
When you go into the stores, tell them you where your limit is. If you say 2000 you will see a good deal of amazing gowns!
HeatherandNick
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by the time I got through the alterations, bustle, veil, etc. I was over a thousand. The price is really going to depend on the type/designer of the dress. A friend of mine spent over 3k on her dress alone, she looked absolutely beautiful. I personally could not see spending that much $$ on something I would wear for only 12 hours.
Thrilled
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Dress, shipping, veil, headpiece, shoes, corset, etc., around $1000. My dress was around $450 by itself. I did very well in that area....
ddunne23
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Don't give up on searching for a bargain. I found the most beautiful Demertrios dress (well, most beautiful for me ) and tried it on at the bridal salon on a whim (like most it was the opposite of what i thought I wanted). Anyway, it was THE dress. I come to find out that it is a sample for sale. It was my size and fit perfect. The only alterations I needed was the hem and bustle. Anyway, I paid $450 and it is a $1800 gown. I know some are creeped out by buying a sample, but this was not a sample worn and torn. It couldn't have been tried on but 5-10 times..if that! It looked brand new the day I took it home. Plus, no stress of 'when will my gown come in?' So, keep your eyes out for sample sales. You can really hit the jackpot!
LisaT
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my gown was Jim Helm Couture (unfortunately the more expensive line of theirs).
I had a budget of $1000-1500. Found my dress at Bridal Reflections for $2400. I shopped around and ended up getting for just under $2k (before alterations).
I've had friends spend anywhere from $400 to 6000 on their wedding dresses.
There are beautiful dresses in all budgets.
edited to say: I've gotten my money's worth. I've worn the dress 3 times already!
dcbride
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Someone on this site used bridepower.com to get the dress that she really wanted for 1/2 the price- you could try that.
Sage10.03
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I spent quite a bit over 2K and actually b/c of the work on my dress, I felt it was justified. I understand those who think that anything more is just for the name, but my dress has an overlay of leon lace that is handmade and very labor intensive. And given that, most of the time when I tell people who made my gown they haven't heard of the name anyway....
Everyone is different, and if the design of my gown had not been so intricate, I would not have spent that amount of $$$
janatlantica
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My Ian Stuart was $1275.
bethsiar
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I had the same problem. I wanted something with soft lace and a few minor details that were surprisingly hard to find. When I researched it in the library, there was book called 'The wedding gown (encylopedia?) or something like that, and it said that the top designers in the highest price ranges come out with the latest styles and fashion. It then trickles down through the seasons to the lower price ranges as they mimick what is on the runway. I was looking for a dress around 2k and wound up getting my perfect dress which was 6k. Insanely, I knew I couldn't afford it, so the salewoman sold me the sample for $4500. Now when I look at ones that I had tried on before they really don't compare at all. I am SO happy with my dress and the best part about it, is THIS DRESS will be in ALL my pictures so if I am spending the money on a good photographer why wouldn't I spend the money on the one thing that will be in EVERY picture! (rationalizing-maybe?)
LauraPete
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SeptemberBride03 - I am definitely going straight to Barnes to get that book. What I am looking for is that sleak, sophisticated simple look with a little beading in a silk or silk chiffon/crepe material. Could be halter or strapless. No trumpet skirt. Preferably a detachable train b/c without a train i will look like i am in a nighty (so everyone tells me). So I have seen some that come close but are always a-line. I went to RK and I have an sample sale appt. at Klienfelds in 2 weeks.
shelzyp
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I got a Paloma Blanca dress and it cost me $1500 with sleeves added on, tax and a headpiece and veil come included. I am not sure how much a hem and alterations will be though.
Robeymuse
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with alterations and accessories I am spending almost 3k.
Marcela1654
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I found my dress at one place for $3200 and they were only willing to bring it down to $2500. I ended up paying around $2000 for it somewhere else. You definitely need to shop around. My original budget was $1000, but this was THE dress for me. I spent a lot of time trying to find a dress that was within my original budget and ended up just wasting my time b/c I kept thinking about this one.
Edited to add that with alterations and veils and tiara I am spending close to $3k for everything.
Good Luck!
SeptemberBride03
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Great! You'll love the book! They also talk about florists, photographers, etc. My dress is an A-line halter, most of my back is bare, with some beading around the waistline and hem and little buttons going down the whole back. It is a Mori Lee, but not on their website, so I can't post a pic. Its under $1000!
Nikki10-12-03
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My dress is also Eve of Milday and it was $2000, if you keep looking in the papers for the one day sales you can get the dress of the rack for half the price. My friend just got a dress from a one day sale that was $1400 and she got it for $700 and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
