Question:

Hi Everyone,
The total budget for our wedding is 17k.
10k of it is paying for the venue which includes the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and wedding cake. How much should I spend on the dress? I have seen people spend $99 at davids bridal and other spend several thousand at stores like kleinfeld(say yes to the dress) Im a penny pinchers so I was thinking something around $500. What do you think?

14 Comments so far

1. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 6:20 pm

   Miss Manners says that the appropriate amount to spend on a dress is the one you can afford. Way back in the day, brides would wear their wedding dress more than just their wedding day, usually to social events within a year of her wedding day. Now, brides don’t usually find events they can wear their dress to again, and most wedding dresses are not appropriate for other events. So if you can truly afford to spend $800 on a dress you will only wear once, then that is appropriate, but if you can’t then you shouldn’t.
   My advice: spend what you are comfortable spending on something you like and don’t let anyone make you feel bad that you didn’t spend more! Remember, the important part is the marriage…not the wedding.
   I totally ended up stumbling on my dress while christmas shopping last year. 50% off from a dress off the rack at Cache. I spent $250 and only had to take up the hem. No one could believe I got that much dress for so little money, and the best part is, I can totally pull it off as a formal non-wedding dress for Mardi Gras balls and other events!http://www.flickr.com/photos/10228121@N0…http://www.flickr.com/photos/10228121@N0…http://www.flickr.com/photos/10228121@N0…

2. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 6:33 pm

   Personally, I agree with Nicole; $500 is a good number to keep in mind when shopping for a dress and all the accessories that go along with it will add up very quickly. That being said, you shouldn’t let a strict budget stop you from getting “the” dress (and you’ll know it as soon as you put it on, trust me!). If you find your perfect dress and it’s a little more than you expected to pay, don’t settle for a different dress. You don’t want to skimp on the most important dress you’ll most likely ever wear.

3. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 7:12 pm

   I think you should have a bigger budget in mind, say 1k, just in case you find something you love that’s $900. I had a budget in mind of $650, and found my dream dress, but it was $980. So we went ahead and got it, but saved on some other things. The dress is really an important part, at least to most brides, so I think you should have a bigger budget, knowing that you’ll probably stay under it, but at least have it in your mind, just in case. You won’t regret getting your dream dress, even if it’s a few hundred dollars more.
   Happy planning!

4. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 7:21 pm

   Dont go to Kleinfelds…to much money if you dont have it. Try davids bridal, if you arent happy with anything there just go to your local wedding shops and start trying on dresses. Most of the dresses in those shops around here are around $1000, usually less. Dont spend $5000 on a dress, that imo is silly unless you are rich. But dont settle for a $99 dress if you arent totally happy. It is YOUR wedding, everyone will be looking at you, critiquing you, so….find the perfect dress and skimp on something else. Up the budget to $1000, it sounds like alot but…it is your special day.
   When it comes to clothes…I am a big time penny pincher. I tried on my wedding dress and I knew it was the one, it was $800 and looking back if i was getting married tomorrow i would have spent double. I felt so beautiful that day and felt like a princess. If you have to go over budget a few hundred bucks..it should be on the dress!!!

5. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 7:30 pm

   You can check the wedding dress collection of Paul’s Bridal.
   Paul’s Bridal is a couture of high quality wedding dresses, prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, evening dresses, quinceanera dresses and cocktail dresses. Its dresses can be made to orders according to custom measurements of its customers or standard sizes.http://www.paulsbridal.com

6. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 8:20 pm

   spend no more than $5. it’s JUST a wedding dress. get over yourselves people!
   and 17k for a wedding? wtf?? u could have gone to school and gotten a good degree in something with that much money.
   and lastly to answer your last question “What do you think” i think you should be prepared to have a second, a third and a fourth wedding because half of all marriages fail.

7. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 8:53 pm

   that is my budget for our wedding. I am spending $1030+ taxes..and then there is the veil and jewlery. It be great if u can get one for $100 but they are usually boring and ugly…and cost that much for a reason. Go look around and you will see what you can get for $500…its not much but its not impossible. $1000 is a good budget in my books.. i could of spent WAY more but $1000 is more then enough.

8. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 9:38 pm

   You should never spend more than 10% of your budget on the dress, which is $1,700 for you. I think that $500 is pretty reasonable but remember that alterations can run as much as $150+ and veils are normally over $150 also. You should build that expense into your budget.

9. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 10:22 pm

   Somewhere between $500 – $800 will get you a gorgeous dress, but don’t forget about the alterations, veil, shoes, and accessories! The cost of these items can add up to be more than the dress!

10. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 10:37 pm

    http://www.kanaccasbridal.com/home.php?c…

11. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 11:13 pm

    that is okay around $500http://www.ubrides.com/home.php?cat=326&…

12. Maybe This Will Help - December 31, 2009 11:52 pm

    Please sign in http://www.informal-wedding-dresses.com
    They provide good quality dresses with low price .
    My friend ordered a dress from them . It looks wonferful!

13. Maybe This Will Help - January 1, 2010 12:33 am

    i say splurge on the dress the better the quality the better you will look and feel

14. Maybe This Will Help - January 1, 2010 12:34 am

    I say use the Knot’s budget calculator. It will tell you what percentage of your budget should be spent on each item.http://theknot.com/