Wow prices: say yes for the dress

[mom2rtk]

I can understand Kleinfeld charging for an appointment. I'm sure they'd get a lot of people wasting their time with no intention of buying. Like me when my daughter is shopping one day!

I made my own gown and love that it's packed away in the attic and I got to show it to my daughter recently. That said, I look forward to shopping with her for hers one day. Probably not Kleinfeld though.

 

[mjkacmom]

My daughters gown came from Priscillas of Boston. It's was/is gorgeous. DH had a budget set in stone for her dress. Let's just say to this day only three people outside the store clerks know what he spent. So sad they no longer exist. A long history tradition gone in a flash.

I went with just my mom, my budget was $800, my mom was paying and had no problem doubling it.

 

[Searc]

I don’t think they are custom, every bridal shop I went to didn’t send you home with the gown, they ordered a gown in your size, it took months to come in, and then there were a few fittings. Sometimes there were sales and you could grab and go (Kleinfelds even does this).

I took my gown home with me the day I had my appointment and purchased it, 24 years ago.

 

[ronandannette]

I don’t think they are custom, every bridal shop I went to didn’t send you home with the gown, they ordered a gown in your size, it took months to come in, and then there were a few fittings. Sometimes there were sales and you could grab and go (Kleinfelds even does this).

Yes - custom isn't the right term. The shop orders whatever you pick in your correct size and it's made on a production line and shipped. They're not made-to-measure during production which is why almost everybody needs alternations. Maybe it's different at a high-volume store like David's Bridal but most boutique places don't keep stock and only sell their samples when styles are turning over.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don’t think they are custom, every bridal shop I went to didn’t send you home with the gown, they ordered a gown in your size, it took months to come in, and then there were a few fittings. Sometimes there were sales and you could grab and go (Kleinfelds even does this).

Man, do I ever miss the Annual Filene's Basement Running of the Brides!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I cannot tell you how to spend your money, but when you say $6-10K for a gown my eyes automatically roll. Turnabout is fair play, you cannot tell me I cannot roll my eyes!

That much for a dress you're going to wear for only 1 day? ONE DAY!!! No, no I cannot do it. Call me cheap.

And sorry, if it is for one of those see through Pnina dresses then I really lose it.
How are you paying $10K for a bandana size piece of fabric attached to one of grandma's doilies with some BeDazzler sequins? (yes, I am being sarcastic)

If I'm paying 10 grand for a dress for my daughter, it had better do this.

 

[holden]

When my DD17 was looking for a Sweet 16 dress we went to David's Bridal on a whim. I was impressed with the quality of their dresses and their service! Certainly a great option for brides.

 

[Pamlur]

My daughter rented her dress, 28 years ago, and has never regretted it (it was SO 80's, big sleeves, butt bow). Neither of her daughters have her build, so even if they had wanted to, they couldn't have worn it.

 

[ctinct]

I wonder how common it is to buy the first dress you try on? That’s what my daughter did, although not until after we went to three places and she thought on it for a few weeks. She was afraid she loved it BECAUSE it was the first dress she tried on. When we went in, she had nothing in mind, so the first thing she did was try one of each style, ie ball gown, mermaid, Aline, etc. She was pretty sure she didn’t want a ball gown type dress, and definitely not strapless or anything with a lot of blingy beading. She ended up with a sleeveless ball gown, and the entire bodice is silver beads, lol.

 

[georgina]

My DD inherited my thriftiness, at least for her dress which she was paying for. She got a J Crew one from eBay (it was new) for $200 and had a few alterations. I got my mother of the bride dress from Target.com, they have a nice selection they call wedding guest dresses or something like that. We paid for the reception, which was definitely fancier and not in the thrift category.

The bridesmaid dresses came from J Crew also, and were very reasonable. Not sure J Crew still does wedding clothes.

 

[bjscheel]

My mom made my dress in 1996 and it could still work today. My DD21 says when the time comes she wants to check around at stores but also try on my dress and consider it.

It wouldn't fit DD18 without a lot of alteration so I don't expect to luck out there.

I'll probably get them to check out consignment and maybe even thrift first before we move on to David's Bridal etc.

 

[mjkacmom]

I took my gown home with me the day I had my appointment and purchased it, 24 years ago.

I believe you, I just don’t think we have stores that sell a lot of gowns like that except at sample sales (like the Filene’s video above, something I said I wanted to do when I was younger).

 

[Darcy03231]

DD is getting married this fall. Her dress, shoes, veil, & rhinestone belt, with alterations, came to under $2k. She just had her first fitting and the dress required very few alterations, Once they took her measurements the sales consultant had her try a different dress on from the same designer that they had in stock (dress she picked wasn't in her size) just to see what the fit was like. I thought that was a nice touch.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My DD inherited my thriftiness, at least for her dress which she was paying for. She got a J Crew one from eBay (it was new) for $200 and had a few alterations. I got my mother of the bride dress from Target.com, they have a nice selection they call wedding guest dresses or something like that. We paid for the reception, which was definitely fancier and not in the thrift category.

The bridesmaid dresses came from J Crew also, and were very reasonable. Not sure J Crew still does wedding clothes.

I got my wedding dress (admittedly, not a gown) from Frugal Canny for, I think, $89. Cream lace.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I believe you, I just don’t think we have stores that sell a lot of gowns like that except at sample sales (like the Filene’s video above, something I said I wanted to do when I was younger).

I wish I could have found a video from the original Filenes Basement. That, and their $7.99 (or something like that) Dress Sale, used to be absolute NUTS! I worked in Downtown Boston in the aughts, and knew to either take the day off or go in late .

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Is it bad that I'm glad to have a son so I don't have to someday deal with wedding dresses? I'll gladly pay for a tuxedo rental...

When DH and I were planning our wedding, I did watch that show "for ideas" but didn't like anything I saw. I look awful in white and ivory anyway, so I wasn't impressed with any of the "traditional" wedding gowns. I found a pretty purple "mother of the bride/groom" dress on Nordstrom.com. I found some codes to bring the price down to $178 with free shipping. I only had to have it hemmed, but because it was a solid layer with a chiffon overlayer, I paid about $50. No veil; I bought a pretty vintage-y cameo barrette to put in my hair, and I bought silver shoes online from Maryland Square for maybe $30. And the best part - my wedding ring, a vintage-y silver filigree and black diamond band, came from Overstock.com for $39. DH sort of ended up seeing "my" dress beforehand...his best friend got married 3 months before us, and his mother wore the same dress in navy blue. I do still have my dress and I wonder if it would be in poor taste to wear it at my son's wedding someday. It isn't really an actual wedding dress, but for me it's my wedding dress. I suppose if nobody mentions it...

My SIL was my maid of honor and only attendant. She got a silver and black "party dress" off the clearance rack at Dillard's for $25/$30. And she wore it again for her company's holiday party.

At a wedding convention, DH won unlimited tuxedo rentals for $55 from a local company. He only needed 3, for himself, his father, and his brother. We did very well with a budget for our wedding. I think we paid about $5k total for 55 people (that includes us) for our wedding in 2011.

 

[mjkacmom]

I wish I could have found a video from the original Filenes Basement. That, and their $7.99 (or something like that) Dress Sale, used to be absolute NUTS! I worked in Downtown Boston in the aughts, and knew to either take the day off or go in late .

We had one 15 minutes away, looked forward watching reporters there on the news every year.

 

[RamblingMad]

Bridal dresses are a scam. You convince the parents to spend a lot on a dress that they wear once. You know they have a 50/50 chance to get divorced, so half will end up buying another one day dress again.

Now, you give these away for free to celebs, so that the kids will go for the more expensive ones that are close to what the celebs wear. It’s brilliant.

Don’t even get me started on diamonds.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I honestly had no idea that wedding dresses were so expensive. We got married in a court house/ regular clothes as an actual wedding just wasn't important to us and we didn't have a lot of money. It's a decision I have never regretted and this thread just solidifies it.

I haven't seen the show, but a couple people have mentioned about this: is it really common for brides to expect their parents to spend thousands of dollars for a wedding dress?? Is that moreso just something on the show or is that common in real life? Wedding costs that I've seen mentioned on the Dis over the years just blow my mind.

 

[sk!mom]

I haven't seen the show, but a couple people have mentioned about this: is it really common for brides to expect their parents to spend thousands of dollars for a wedding dress?? Is that moreso just something on the show or is that common in real life? Wedding costs that I've seen mentioned on the Dis over the years just blow my mind.

My DD married last November, we and the groom’s parents split the cost of the wedding. I, in no way feel that it’s required, but we could, wanted to, did.