But I Really Want That Dress

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Purchasing a wedding dress can be either the best or the worst parts of planning a wedding. It can be the best because of course every bride wants to look her absolute best on her big day, but also the worst because it can break the wedding budget! Why do brides spend so much on a dress? How much should a bride spend? What are ways to save?

The wedding gown is probably one of the most emotional purchases a bride will decide on. TLC’s reality series “Say Yes to the Dress” is a show where a bride brings family or friends to find that perfect dress. Sale associates work with the bride by giving advice, help with body image concerns, her budget, or other challenges. This show is a great example to see how a financial plan can be broken so easily. Sometimes we see a bride with a strict budget. The bride will try on a few dresses and wanted more than what the sales associate was pulling for her. Finally she tried on a dress with everyone “owwhing and awhhing” and said yes before looking at the price tag. In this case, parents or other family give a little more cash to get the bride exactly what she wants just because she tried on a dress out of her “strict budget”. Brides-to-be do not make this mistake, stay on budget!  Other brides on this show have some ridiculous budget for example 10,000 dollars for a dress she will only wear once then leave in a box. Also that is 10,000 of the wedding budget going to one cost.  On average “a bride will try on four to seven gowns” (Klein) before saying yes to a dress.

I believe brides spend so much money on a dress because women are more likely to make a fashion statement on special occasions. Also they have not done enough research. I encourage a bride-to-be to try on dresses from a variety of bridal shops, not only one. There are plenty of dresses on sale, for rent, pre-owned,  or under a few hundred dollars that will look just as beautiful as that 10,000 dollar dress. Also a bride can put use some creativity and make her own accessories for the gown. The most important thing to keep in mind is the budget! A bride should spend “about 5% of the wedding budget on the dress” (Strauss).

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Renee Strauss also gives some great idea of what to keep in mind when searching for the wedding gown. “Keep an open mind there are some elements that come into play when buying a dress and how much it will cost. The fabrication, is the dress made of silk organza, satin duchese, silk faille- the style and quality of material can affect the cost. Secondly, point of origin. Renee expresses how a gown from a European atelier incorporating silk faille from Italy and Alencon lace from France is going to cost more than a mass- marketed item. Lastly, the designer label. A signature gown from a renowned designer will always cost more than a standard brand” (Strauss).

--Here is a link to a video on how to money on wedding gowns

--I also wanted to share a video on a do-it-yourself wedding Tulle

References

Ennesser, J. (2013, February 14). Wedding DIY: Tulle Headpiece [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R9PQmTt1Gw&list=UUE5BmTOSgRj_G88bFnQ5TEQ&index=1

Jennings, B., & Brooks, E. (2011, April 13). Save Money on Wedding Gowns and Formal Dresses (The Frugalicious Show) [Video File]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sz9Y-SRezU

Klein, K. O. (n.d.). Shopping for Wedding Dress - Wedding Dress Shopping Tips | Wedding Planning, Ideas & Etiquette. Bridal Guide Magazine. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://www.bridalguide.com/fashion/wedding-dress-shopping-guide/wedding-dress-shopping-tips?page=0%2C1

Strauss, R. (2012, January 13). How Much Should You Spend on a Wedding Dress?Discovery Networks: Blogs. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://blogs.discovery.com/brides-of-beverly-hills/2012/01/how-much-should-you-spend-on-a-wedding-dress.html