How much was your wedding dress???

[Mom in High Heels]

My dress was originally priced at $7500 (it was from the Demetrios "Luxury" collection), but because they ordered the wrong size for the floor sample it was on sale for $2500. The sample was supposed to be a 14, but the dress that came in was a size 4 and it fit me perfectly. Actually, I lost weight before the wedding (stress) and my mom had to alter it down a little for me. My parents paid for it (the whole wedding actually). The veil (blusher, shoulder length and cathedral length) and head piece were about $600. This was in 1995.

 

 

I live in Chicago. I am so impressed with people who have weddings that cost in the 4 figures.

 

LOL. My friend got married in Chicago 3 years ago and had a huge, beautiful wedding with a reception that was amazing (it was held at a private club in the City that overlooks Millennium Park). It was a sit down dinner (5 courses) for 250, plus open bar. She's an only child (like I am) and her wedding was over 50K. Her dress alone was 10K. Her head piece was the one her mom wore at her own wedding and my friend wore at her first communion. Her mom wanted her to get a new head piece but my friend wouldn't. I think it was sweet.

[cdrumm4448]

My dress was $1800 in 1998. Our entire wedding was capped at $20,000. DH and I split the cost evenly. My parents helped me pay for my bachelor's degree, so I didn't expect them to also pay for a wedding.

[tomandlorih]

$350 off the rack.. alterations done by a friend. Entire wedding budget was $3000 not including my ring ($1300) or the honeymoon(3 nights within driving distance) spilit between my dh and I (except he paid for my ring and the honeymoon). Back in 1997.

 

Fun to read everyone's story=D

[bettyandbob]

$300 including alterations.

 

I had always planned to make my own, but I was working fulltime and going to school at night, so that wasn't going to workout. I made the dress that I left the reception in. Then when I had dd I made her christening gown. I spent more on fabric and lace for the christening gown than my dress. The christening gown is beautiful--I told people that really was my wedding dress.

[AlmiraGulch]

My first dress was $850 and was a very generous gift from my sister and her husband. The veil was a couple hundred more, and the alterations a couple more than that. I paid for the veil and alterations. That was in $1995. Well, 1993. The dress was purchased for a wedding I never actually had because I called it off. When I actually did get married to someone else in 1995 I wore the same dress.

 

The dress I bought for my wedding this April was $750. The head piece was about $80 (it's a head band with some shiny stuff on it). The alterations will be about $250.

 

Like one previous poster, "my" dress (same style...not my actual dress) is not new to the family. My beautiful, gorgeous, tall, statuesque (re: all the things I am not) niece was married earlier this year and when I saw the pictures I saw her standing there looking radiant in MY dress! :svengo: Per the wise counsel of many (most from this board!) I decided to wear it anyway. Frumpy 40 year old aunt looks pretty darn good in it, if I do say so myself!

[CAMom]

My dress was just under $400 in 1989. My entire wedding cost $10K.:) My dad paid for my dress and nearly all of the wedding costs.

[learningmama]

My dress was either $149 or $249, can't remember. It was a-line satin on the bottom, but no train. It had flowered lace and sequins on top. Not a bad deal!

Dh and I paid for almost all wedding costs. We kept it on the cheap. No family offered to pay for anything, except his grandpa who bought the cake. His mom made a few wedding favors. Not sure what my parents were thinking. :confused:

Edited December 17, 2011 by learningmama

[Susan in TN]

Mine was roughly $300 - I think I paid for some of the fabric/lace/etc and my parents paid for some. My mom made the dress and it was beautiful.

[JFSinIL]

$100. That was for material, tiny beads, etc. My mom sewed it. She also sewed the three royal blue bridesmaid gowns.

[LittleIzumi]

About $50 bucks for materials and I made it. (I'm not even that talented at sewing. I just found a gorgeous pattern and followed it.)

[Susan in TN]

$100. That was for material, tiny beads, etc. My mom sewed it. She also sewed the three royal blue bridesmaid gowns.

 

Wow - my mom made three royal blue bridesmaids gowns too - we must've had the same wedding. :)

[sarahj]

My dress was $250 plus alterations. My mom paid for the dress and I paid for the alterations.

[Tap]

Mine was given to me, but it was under $400 retail at the time.

[happi duck]

$200 20 years ago. It was exactly what I wanted. I still have it but do wish I would've just given it away.

[BamaTanya]

:D

 

When dh and I got engaged, I shopped the bridal stores and looked at magazines. Nothing appealed to me.

 

And then I thought of my mom's dress that I used to sneak into her closet to look at.

 

It was perfect.

 

A neighbor made my wreath of flowers and headpiece from the silk roses I'd picked up at a craft store. I made a new cumberbund since we could not clean the age spots from Mom's. (The rest of the dress was lace and it was still PERFECT after 28 years.)

 

I had to wear two petticoats since Mom was an inch taller than I and we needed the skirt to stand out a little more, but I had those from other formals.

 

So . . . mine was pretty cheap. :D

 

I think the whole wedding was $2000. Dh, my parents, and I shared the expenses.

 

Oh . . . this was in 1992, and in our region, wedding receptions are commonly finger foods . . . fruit trays and vegetables and quiche and meatballs and little sandwiches. My aunts and parents made it all. The cake was by a local bakery. And we had punch. (No alcohol at our church reception.) It really wouldn't compare to the cost of a sit-down dinner with drinks and a band.

Edited December 17, 2011 by BamaTanya

[Tigger]

 

That's the back of my dress :)

[nelewaf]

I got mine at Kleinfields!!! The store was in Brooklyn back then.

 

Me Too! What a store! Amazing number of dresses; Mine was about $1,500.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

$300 in 2004, plus another $100 for alterations and having it cleaned and heirloom preserved in a hermetically sealed box. It cost more than the rest of our wedding.

[Lolly]

$150 plus $75 for alterations.

[sewingmama]

$80 :lol:

 

I paid for and made it myself :lol:

 

And I've totally gotten the money's worth out of it because I'm LDS and wear it all the time in the Temple and yes it still fits 10 years later after 3 kids :D

 

 

I probably should have spent more since it was going to get a lot of use but I was too cheap :lol:

[MariannNOVA]

First wedding (1975) -- (I have come to realize that THIS wedding -not the marriage - but the wedding was my mother's DREAM wedding.........done vicariously via me:

 

DRESS: $2000. (yes, ALOT of $$$ in 1975)

RECEPTION: $25K (120 guests - paid for cash by my parents)

 

 

SECOND and BEST WEDDING:

 

1995:

 

DRESS: A typical Laura Ashley silk wedding dress: $200

Reception: $7k (60 guests - paid for cash by dh and me)

 

FTR, when my dd32 got married in 2003, she was looking at Vera Wang gowns for $15k and up which was not going to happen with med school tuition on the horizon. She and I found a gorgeous trunk gown by Eve of Milady (trunk means it was used at wedding fashion shows) on ebay - it cost $222.50 -- we spent $1000. having beads replaced, things changed on it here and there, cleaning, having a veil/headpiece made, etc. We know the gown was selling for $10k in bridal salons.

[fairfarmhand]

I sewed it myself and the materials cost less than $100

[LMD]

Almost $2000, in 2003. My mum bought it for me, it was beautiful!

[Denisemomof4]

$750 almost 24 years ago. I never would have wanted to spend that much but mom and I both fell in love with my dress. Dd12 loves it and can't wait to wear it one day herself. Dd8 may not ever wear it as traditional Chinese wedding dresses are red, and her build may never allow her to wear it even if we alter it. I was a very tall and skinny bride, dd8 is short and not skinny.

 

eta: my wedding cost 10k. I, personally, think that was such a waste of money. Our wedding was so special and beautiful but if we had to do it over again, it would be different. I wish we had a special, intimate ceremony for only family and our closest friends.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Denisemomof4

[Bluegoat]

I paid $28 for the dress, and about $14 to a seamstress.

[MariannNOVA]

$750 almost 24 years ago. I never would have wanted to spend that much but mom and I both fell in love with my dress. Dd12 loves it and can't wait to wear it one day herself. Dd8 may not ever wear it as traditional Chinese wedding dresses are red, and her build may never allow her to wear it even if we alter it. I was a very tall and skinny bride, dd8 is short and not skinny.

 

eta: my wedding cost 10k. I, personally, think that was such a waste of money. Our wedding was so special and beautiful but if we had to do it over again, it would be different. I wish we had a special, intimate ceremony for only family and our closest friends.[/QUOTE]

 

You could renew your vows and do just that, you know. For your 25th anniversary?:grouphug:

[kolamum]

Whatever it cost me in obtaining the material. :D I did make a trial run on it first {mint green actually with horrid little flowers all over it but that trial material was only $1 per yard} and my poor brother freaked out thinking my mother had picked out that material and I went along for the ride.

 

Then we picked out proper white satin material and went forward from there. Less then $100. :)

[Catherine]

For the actual ceremony, dh and I went with a friend to city hall one day before work. I wore something old (pretty navy skirt that had been my Mom's), something new (nice tan woolen jacket I had just bought), something borrowed (earrings borrowed from friend who stood up with us), and something blue (navy pumps). We went before work (we were both residents at the time) and it was lovely. We have some beautiful pictures on the steps of city hall from that day. It was the private, quiet wedding we both wanted.

 

Two weeks later was our family\traditional\church wedding. The minister was pretty burned up when he learned there would be nothing to sign, as we were already married. It was lovely, I had a gorgeous dress that I found for about $300 that was cream colored, more of a sheath, with a beaded bodice and beautiful beaded swag hanging from the shoulders. The back was open to the waist. It too was a beautiful wedding, but it was just not what we really wanted. Now, 20 years on, I'm glad we had both :001_smile:

[Sandra in FL]

We eloped so I didn't have a wedding dress - got married in a beautiful park by a Justice of the Peace. Here are some very reasonable, custom-made wedding dresses:

 

http://www.lightinthebox.com/c/wedding-dresses_1181

[teamturner]

Mine was around $450 but I don't remember how much the alterations were. This was in 1995.

[Laura Corin]

USD 200. It was in a sample sale.

 

Laura

[Mommyfaithe]

Twenty bucks! I bought a white gauze Indian dress down in Greenwich Village, braided some roses into my hair...and met dh down at city hall. Our license cost $15 bucks and my parents sprung for dinner for us, his parents and siblings and my brother.

 

Here we are almost 27 years later:D

Faithe

[higginszoo]

$200 ... my mom bartered for some of the alterations, then paid $100 to have them finished after I moved. The whole wedding seemed like a lot at the time, but was under $5000, including live band and limo that dad insisted on having and paying for.

[Mommyof4ks]

Mine was $99 at David's Bridal. I had to pay for it myself, so it had to be cheap lol.

[tadbhoward]

I want to say it was $30. It was a simple white sleeveless. Perfect for a wedding at Cupid's Chapel of Love. :lol:

[Missouri Okie]

Free! I wore my mom's.

[Kari C in SC]

I think it was 350.00. Bought off the rack at JC Penney Outlet store. No alterations needed. Mom made my veil, which was simple, and I think I borrowed the shoes. This was 1992.

 

This sounds like me. $100 at the JC Penney Outlet, no alterations. My mom even made my veil too! Mine was in 1991. They had TONS of dresses to choose from for $100 each. I bought the first one I picked out and tried on.

[Amber in AUS]

My dress & veil was AUD$500 and about AUD$150 for alterations. My parents paid for my dress.

[HollyB]

I think it was about $400. My mom paid for it and did the alterations herself.

[LifeLovePassion]

Around $500 IIRC including the super poofy tulle slip for under it. I got it the week before I was actually engaged since the store was having its semi annual sale

[AngieW in Texas]

$25 for the dress at Hit or Miss. The food was mostly supplied by family. We did have a florist and a professional cake maker (Candy Haven made stupendous bride's and groom's cakes).

 

We held it in a piano recital hall that was pretty fancy.

 

If my dh had had his brilliant surprise wedding idea in time (3 day waiting period in Texas), we could have had a surprise wedding at our graduation party and I could have gotten married in shorts.

[justamouse]

25.00 and I hated it. But I had no time and no will to really look. :001_smile:

[TranquilMind]

My girls and I have been watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and I can't get over the price of these dresses. My dress was about $300 and alterations were another $200. I think my whole catered wedding was less than some of these dresses.

So, how much was your dress? Did you pay for it or did your parents? One girl's fiancee was paying for the whole wedding. The dress she wanted was something like $15,000 dollars but he'd only budgeted $10,000! She got the dress she wanted anyway. LOL

I think I "win". My dress was handmade by a little old lady and overlaid with gorgeous lace. It was decades ago. I paid....$60, plus purchased material. That's what she asked! I might have paid her some extra as a bonus but can't remember.

 

It looks a lot like Kate Middleton's dress without the train, which just floored me. Bet she paid a pretty penny more (not to mention it is decades later).

 

Oops, maybe not, looking at the last couple of posters. But it was gorgeous and I loved it. Not a bad deal.

[GWOB]

I paid $50 for my dress at Sears. Purchased it the day before the wedding. We planned our wedding in a day. I think the total cost was about $400, maybe $500 if you add in dh's shoes and tie, which he wore forever.

[mom31257]

My dress was $600. My parents paid for my wedding. We had a really nice wedding in my church and had quite a few really, good finger foods during the reception because there were people who came some distance. I think the whole thing was $3500.

[LisaKinVA]

$200... no alterations needed. Bought a designer dress used, and it fit perfectly. If I had $1000 to spend on a dress, there was one I truly *loved* No regrets, though. I had a budget, and it was my choice. Not spending $1000 on the dress, meant I could have some real flowers, and I didn't have to make my own cake :D

[joannqn]

I don't remember. A coworker made it for me so I paid for the pattern, which I had her alter a bit, material, and a little bit for a fee. A few hundred, probably.

[happyhomemaker25]

Free.

 

I wore my cousin's dress. Our entire wedding (for 75 people, including dinner) cost about $1500 in 1994.

 

We have a multi-talented family, and everyone pitched in where they could. Cousin was flourist, cousing was caterer, sister was cake, sister was photographer, cousin was minister, etc.

 

Their services for my wedding was their wedding present to us.

 

 

ETA: I like watching those wedding shows, just because they are so fun to watch. I fear, though, that they set up unrealistic expectations for women who are waiting/preparing for marriage someday.

 

LOL, I use it as a learning tool for my girls. As in, "Don't expect me to pay that much for your dress/wedding!!"

[m0mmaBuck]

Free. I borrowed it fromone of my friends.

[MinivanMom]

I couldn't find a dress that was modest enough for me (strapless dresses were in style at the time), so I hired a seamstress to make my dress, veil, and coordinating dresses for my one bridesmaid and one flower girl. I paid $1000 for all 3 dresses. The entire wedding (engagement ring, wedding bands, dresses, tuxes, flowers, reception, photographer, honeymoon) came in at $5000. This was back in 2002.