How much was your wedding dress???

[eternalknot]

I didn't wear a wedding dress (or any dress, for that matter). My wedding was super casual; I wore jean shorts, a tank top, and mismatched flip flops. We eloped on my lunch break from work.

 

I think the most expensive dress I personally know of would be my husband's sister's dress; they said it was $9000, but knowing them they downplayed the true amount so as not to send my husband and FIL into true cardiac arrest. It was a very expensive wedding overall. She had two dresses, one for the Mass and another for the reception. She also had a third fancy dress -but not bridal gown- for her Going Away outfit.

[sgo95]

$0. DH and I skipped the whole wedding hoopla. We only had two other people at our "ceremony" and we all wore regular church-going clothes. But I loved it-no stress, no expense, and we were able to focus on us.

 

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.

 

In case you didn't know (and are interested), modern Chinese brides will often have two dresses: a white western-style gown for the church/ceremony and a red dress-often a traditional cheongsam-that they change into during the reception (the "big reveal" is usually a big moment :D).

[LostSurprise]

@$100 in 1998

 

$75 for the material

$10 for thread & stuff

 

My mom made it for me. I couldn't find what I wanted elsewhere.

[Hannah C.]

I think my dress was $400. It was more expensive, but was discounted because of a stain on the lining.

[nd293]

Probably about $150 for dh and myself - I made a long skirt, bought a top, and dh bought trousers and a waistcoat. The wedding didn't cost much either.

 

But we went overseas for our honeymoon, and put down a good deposit on a house. Better than a fancy dress, any day!

[BarbecueMom]

Mine was about $500, plus another $100 or so for the poofy thing underneath and veil. Funny story, I kept the poofy thing and sold it at a yard sale. The woman who bought it was giving it to her soon-to-be-wed niece to wear under her wedding dress. That niece was DH's first middle school "girlfriend". :lol:

[Amy in NH]

I got it at a David's Bridal $99 sale.

[Jann in TX]

I was a very good seamstress at the time and made my own dress-- I used a few different 'patterns' so the dress was one of a kind (and I still like it!).

 

We had less than 4 weeks to prepare for the wedding-- and it was right after Christmas (parents had little funds available)... so total cost was $500 and that included the family dinner after the wedding (we had an early after noon wedding with a cake/punch social followed by the family dinner because we could not schedule a rehearsal dinner in time).

 

We did get one month in Europe (all expenses paid first class!) as a wedding resent from my FIL... it was great other than the fact we had no jobs when we returned and had to move in with MIL until I could get a job and save up enough $$ for the deposit on a new apartment...

 

I can't imagine paying thousands of dollars for a wedding dress... but my DH is a sucker for his girls... I'm sure we will spend more on theirs than mine!

[didadeewiththree]

$100 white prom dress from JcPenny's, fancy huh?

[Delighted3]

$100 almost 23 years ago. I bought it at Maurice's. It was a white prom dress.

Joy

[mazakaal]

1993 - $60 off the rack from The Limited - a simple white tank dress. I had ordered another dress from a wedding shop that was (I think) around $250. It was gathered at the shoulders, and when it arrived a couple of weeks before the wedding, the gathers were sewn wrong, and it was all puckered. The shop refused to pay for it to be fixed, so I walked out and had to find something else quick. Fortunately it was a casual outdoor wedding, and I could carry it off with a pretty hat and shawl.

[TXMary2]

My first wedding dress was $1500, and my second wedding dress (ha- paid for it myself that time) was $150 off the rack.

[Sara in AZ]

Mine was about $500, plus another $100 or so for the poofy thing underneath and veil. Funny story, I kept the poofy thing and sold it at a yard sale. The woman who bought it was giving it to her soon-to-be-wed niece to wear under her wedding dress. That niece was DH's first middle school "girlfriend". :lol:

 

I love this story!

 

Ten years ago my dress was $500 plus another couple hundred for the veil and alterations and the poofy thing. Two of my sister's have borrowed the poofy thing, so I guess we got our money's worth on that. :-)

 

I feel pangs of guilt whenever I walk by the rubbermaid bin in the garage labeled "Wedding dress." I always meant to get it cleaned and into an heirloom box.

[prairiegirl]

Thirteen years ago my dress cost $80. A friend made the dress for me and she did it as a wedding present for me. I only had to pay for the material. Our entire wedding only cost about $4,000.

[MrsJewelsRae]

$1000. I could not find anything off the rack and we lived in a very expensive area, so I designed the dress myself and hired a seamstress. What a huge pain!!! She seemed great at first but she added things to the dress that she liked better than my design, the first time I tried on the dress I cried- the shoulders and sleeves did that huge poofy thing like princess Diana's dress (and it was 99 so it was not at all in style anymore), plus she made the waistline do a deep v that I absolutely hated and demanded she fix it- she insisted it was the dress I wanted! It took 3 more fittings for her to actually take the sleeves in enough to satisfy me, but really we were out of time so I ended up settling, tho she did fix the waist. She also added embellishments I never asked for. I think she took advantage of the fact that I was young and inexperienced and shy (19), so she figured she'd what do I know about wedding dresses. Btw, $1000 covered the dress, alterations, veil, headpiece, crinoline, and a ring bearer pillow to match.

[Punchie]

$50 in 2005. It was an informal wedding, and I found a regular white dress on clearance that worked.

[Lisbeth]

I was really against ceremonies and formalities especially back then, (skipped my one college graduation, etc), so I chose a very low-key dress for $150. To be honest, it was a very nice bridemaid dress. ;) No tuxes, no one standing up with us, outside at a gazebo with a UU minister. I told him not to mention God at all in our vows. ;)

 

Fast forward. I am Mormon now and would love some of those gorgeous Temple pics I see of other couples.

 

However, I also secretly wish we'd just gone to the justice of the peace back then. Such a waste of money, even on our low-key ceremony and reception. And I like to spend money and we are comfortable. I.just.don't.like.ceremonies. :)

[Aelwydd]

Dress: $650

 

Alterations/veil/special bra, etc.: $300

 

I paid for it, myself. I purchased the dress in late 2000, and was married in 2001.

[Violet Crown]

Free. It was my mother's. My grandmother had made it, and did the alterations necessary for her somewhat shorter granddaughter. It was beautiful, and Great Girl has her eyes on it for the future.

[WTMCassandra]

No time to read the 18 (!) pages of responses, but $550 in 1988. My parents paid for it. My mother gave me all kinds of grief about me being $50 over budget but then was not pleased that we went back and selected cheaper invitations (which normally get thrown away anyway) to make up the difference. Eyeroll. I was no diva, but I had looked ALL over and it was the only dress that really was right for me (even my mother agreed, but she still whined about the money).

[6packofun]

My dress was just over $700, no alterations needed. I loved it!!! (Still do.)

 

Our youth pastor just proposed to his girlfriend on Friday and yesterday she bought a dress on clearance for $160. BUT, she's a very skinny girl, probably size 1, and the dress is a 12. ??? I never understand the concept of getting a dress because it's cheap and paying a ton to get it altered a LOT. But hey, it will probably still be cheaper than mine was. lol I just always wonder if that really is THE dress of the girl's dreams and it just happens to be 90% off. :D I know that many are on a strict budget, though, and it's only one day of the rest of your life!

[higginszoo]

My dress was just over $700, no alterations needed. I loved it!!! (Still do.)

 

Our youth pastor just proposed to his girlfriend on Friday and yesterday she bought a dress on clearance for $160. BUT, she's a very skinny girl, probably size 1, and the dress is a 12. ??? I never understand the concept of getting a dress because it's cheap and paying a ton to get it altered a LOT. But hey, it will probably still be cheaper than mine was. lol I just always wonder if that really is THE dress of the girl's dreams and it just happens to be 90% off. :D I know that many are on a strict budget, though, and it's only one day of the rest of your life!

This was me. A size 2 in a size 8 dress. I liked the dress well enough, but it wasn't about the dress or the even wedding for me, and money was definitely a concern.

[Nakia]

Mine was about $500 and that includes the veil and whatever that tulle thing is you wear under it. I didn't have to pay for alterations because the clerk measured me wrong and ordered a size 16. I was only an 8-10 then...in the good ole days, lol.

[angela in ohio]

$59 iirc

 

We eloped. :D That only required a simple white dress.

[Stayseeliz]

$500 plus alterations. Probably another $150 for alterations..

[JenC3]

Free. I wore my Grandmother's dress. I had it altered and a veil made for $150. It's boxed up for one of my daughter's for another $100.

[kewb]

1992- $550. I purchased it at a tag sale. It was the only dress I tried on. My mom looked at me in it and we knew it was the dress. It was originally a $3000 dress. It came with a headpiece and veil. No alterations needed. I think I may have spent more altering the headpiece then I did for the dress. The original headpiece was a headband style. Just awful. I changed it to a tiara style because I always wanted a tiara. My wonderful parents paid for it.

[Lizzie in Ma]

$300 off the rack

[weddell]

I think it was $200. I got it on ebay. It was a sample from a bridal shop that was going out of business and was originally something like $600-$800. A friend of my mom's friend was a seamstress and altered it for cheap. I'm short and the bottom had lots of fancy bead-work and couldn't be hemmed. She took the whole skirt off and shortened it from the waist. My mom paid for the dress and the alterations.

 

I saw these Kenneth Cole bridal shoes online that I fell in love with that were $200 (way out of budget). I found a brand new pair on ebay for $50.

 

All my bridesmaid dresses were $25 at the JcPenney's outlet bridal section. They were a really nice eggplant color with velvet on top and satin skirts. Simple and elegant.

[mom2myboys]

$400 off the rack in 1998.

Edited December 19, 2011 by mom2myboys
added year for reference

[4everHis]

Free! Borrowed a dress from a friend.

[AK_Mom4]

$75. From the Neiman Marcus 2nd chance rack. It was a lovely tea-length cream dress $2000+ that had been ordered but was refused due to a defect in the lace on the back of the dress. I wore my hair down, which covered up the hole in the lace on the back.

[EKS]

$80

[rwjx2khsmj]

We got married in 1989, my dress cost $42 for material. My aunt made it as a gift to me.

 

We catered the wedding ourselves, cake and finger food reception at the church.

 

The photographers and flowers were the most expensive things. My dh paid for one and my parents for the other.

 

Total cost was probably under $1500.

 

The expectations and expenses of weddings now takes my breath away, especially since I have three daughters.

[beccad777]

I paid $400 no alterations needed. I loved my dress and would never spend the amount of money some people do. However, if they want to spend ridiculous amount of money, that is their choice, as long as they are not overspending someone else's money!

[CatMomof3]

About $50.00, my mother sewed and embroidered it :001_smile:

 

My whole wedding was less than 4000

[Heather in Neverland]

.

[Lizzie in Ma]

$300

[The Girls' Mom]

Around $125 I think, including alterations. I bought it used from a rental place. It needed to be taken in A LOT. Our entire wedding came in under $1000, and my parents paid for most of it.

[Spock]

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 bought a nice dress in a style which could be worn later for around $100 at Belk. My parents paid for it. As it turned out, I had 2 babies in the first two years of my marriage, both breastfed (which the dress was not compatible with), and then gained a good bit of weight. So, I never wore the dress again, though my 11yo sometimes wears it to play.

[SailorMom]

My sister and I both wore the same $400 dress. I am about 6 inches shorter and 50 lbs lighter - thankfully I got married after her and was able to reasonable alter it....

[Donna]

My wedding gown was free for me. My husband's aunt made it for me and purchased the materials as a wedding gift. The materials cost $50. I had a woman draw what I wanted, found a pattern that was as close as possible, and dh's aunt made the gown. I was in SC for an internship for 6 weeks before my wedding and drove up to NC each weekend for fittings. She did an amazing job! I hope someday my dd wants to wear that dress.

[PrincessMommy]

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 used my mother's dress and the alterations were about $150. This was 26yrs ago. However, my oldest got married in 2009. There was NO WAY we were going to pay those kind of prices for a dress. We put them on a strict budget and told them that any left over they could keep for themselves (honeymoon, down payment on a house - whatever they wanted to do with the excess). My daughter found a simple but beautiful dress from David's for $300 and she bought a white sheer shawl to go over her arms during the ceremony since the dress was sleeveless. One thing we learned was that David's overcharges for alterations, IMHO. It was a sleeveless dress that only needed to be hemmed and taken in a bit on the sides and was over $120!!!. Next time we'll go to a private seamstress for alterations.

[KirstenH]

I wore a $1,200 silk dress, but I only paid $200 for it. During our engagement, I was on a business trip to Iowa and had time to kill before a meeting. I took a walk and found a bridal shop going out of business. In the window was THE dress (I'd looked at dozens in DC with no success) and the display sample fit me like a glove. I bought it on the spot. Then, since I had a big fat gown with me on the flight home, they bumped me up to first class so I'd have a closet in which to put it. Great business trip. :D

[Harriet Vane]

Mine was $200 because a friend insisted on making it for me. I did NOT ask this friend to do so. When she insisted I figured she was an experienced seamstress and a dear friend so this would be a way to save money. BIG MISTAKE. My friend was an insecure mess and dissolved into a black hole of emotional need. Holding her hand through the process was unbelievably stressful, especially because she felt a need to put me down, continually, through the months of wedding planning. AND she refused to do alterations, so the dress did. not. fit. It was noticeably too big.

 

It would have been well worth it to pay triple for a dress and not have the drama.

[runmiarun]

Back in 1996, my dress was $350, off the rack. Alterations were $100 since I'm short and needed 4 inches off the bottom. My entire wedding was $1300.

[Desert Rat]

$600.

[Holly IN]

My dress was $300 on sale then alterations costs around $200 so total costs was $500 for dress. We only did cake/mints and punch for reception. The cake lady did the whole thing for us and I nominated three family members to be her helpers. :)No food buffet or anything like that. Alerations were done by a private business who were a very good friend of ours. She added extras on my dress for embellishment and we just paid for the item not labor as it was her labor of love. :) I needed a big alteration since the dress was way too big (it was the smallest size they had.) She also had to alter the length too.

 

I am shocked at the price of dresses today.

 

My parents paid for my wedding as I got married before college.

 

Holly

[Kalmia]

My cousin made my dress for me. It was dark green, 20s style, beaded. I paid her $500 for it. Combined the flowers in my hair, my English teacher cousin said I reminded her of Titania from A Midsummer Nights Dream.

[mom31257]

My dress was $600 and needed no alterations. The whole wedding cost about $3000, and my parents paid for it. My in-laws paid for the rehearsal dinner.