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Abigail
Savvy February 2020

How much did you spend on your dress??

Abigail, on May 20, 2019 at 10:43 PM Posted in Wedding Attire 1 321
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Hi girls!
So I am in the process of selecting my dress and I know exactly what I want when I see it. This wasn’t the exception, I saw the beautiful dress by Berta and I completely fell in love. What wasn’t so lovely about it? The price, it is about $6900 in most stores. I gave up on it but whenever I went to try dresses I kept looking for something that looked like that and, not surprisingly, they just didn’t compare. A few months passed and today I found a great deal which is still pretty out if my budget ($3000) but was priced about 35% less than the original price. It is from a trustworthy boutique and they assured me it has all the tags, it even it’s my size! Anyways, the point is that I am not sure if I could justify spending so much on a dress I am only wearing for a few hours. Any advice? How much did you spend on yours?

321 Comments

Latest activity by Coffey, on May 30, 2023 at 6:10 PM
  • Victoria
    Super May 2019
    Victoria ·
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    Its 100% a person choice what you feel comfortable spending on a dress. I didn’t want to go over $1,000, and I found mine for $999.
    • Reply
  • Kelly
    Champion October 2018
    Kelly ·
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    I spent around $3k on mine, closer to 4 after taxes and alterations. But only you know what your budget is. If you have the money then go for your dream but if this is going to cut into things that would impact your guests comfort at the wedding then keep looking.
    • Reply
  • Trista
    VIP September 2019
    Trista ·
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    I specifically didn't want to spend more than 500 on a dress I was never going for to wear again, but I ended up spend 927 before alterations. Oops. 😂
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  • Megan
    VIP January 2019
    Megan ·
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    I spent $600 on my dress, $400 on a lace jacket, and $400 on a veil and $500 on alterations. So just shy of $2000 total. If you want to splurge, go for it, but consider the cost of alterations too!
    • Reply
  • Chandra
    Master May 2019
    Chandra ·
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    My dress cost me about $1600 after alterations ($1375 ($100 off tag price) plus $250 for bustling).
    Originally I wasnt going to go over 750!
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  • Mandi
    Master October 2020
    Mandi ·
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    I refused to spend more than $500 on my dress. There were a whole lot more things o cared about more than it.
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  • VIP September 2019
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    My budget was for 1200 or below preferably the below part. I ended not finding or falling in love with any in that price range. I did fall for an Allure dress which was 1910.00 I was so annoyed with the price but I caved when my mother and bridal party were all in tears. I still get a bit disgusted that I spent that much on a dress I will wear once. Hopefully I can resell it. I know I will never get what I made for it but something is better than nothing
    • Reply
  • Amber
    Dedicated June 2019
    Amber ·
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    My budget was $1,500 before alterations. I super lucked out and fell in love with a dress that was $499. With alterations, a veil, and shoes, I still spent under $1,000. I feel like yes, you're only going to be in it for a few hours. But this is THE dress. Are you willing to budget cut and sacrifice other areas to add some money to your dress budget?
    • Reply
  • Lauryn
    Savvy June 2019
    Lauryn ·
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    Personally, I wouldn't have spent more than $300 on mine, and ended up spending $208. It's perfect, by the way Smiley smile. But I have a far smaller budget than 99% of the people here I think-- $3000!
    Basically, though, if you can fit it in your budget and/or are okay with spending less on other things, go for it! You can often resell designer dresses too, if you'd be interested in that. It could take that down to a $1000 dress if it sells.
    • Reply
  • Madison
    Devoted August 2019
    Madison ·
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    My budget was $1,500 and my dress ended up being exactly that. Alterations were another $300. I’m wearing my moms veil so I didn’t have to pay for that, but those can run a couple hundred bucks depending on style and length.
    • Reply
  • Iva
    Super September 2019
    Iva ·
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    Berta bride here! I also fell in love with Berta dress (they are the best 😍) but couldn’t imagine spending such absurd amount on a dress, so I walked away. However, it was my dream dress, so I looked everywhere & finally found it in Berta designer showroom for 50% off & in my size!!!! So I got it & I absolutely love it!

    I advise you to set a budget, of what you can comfortably afford. If the dress is in your budget & you really love it, go for it! For me money is not an issue, but I still think it’s absurd spending $7000 on a dress (when there are hungry kids around us). So it’s ultimately about personal priorities & smart financial decision that works for you & for your budget.
    • Reply
  • MrsJohansson
    Expert June 2019
    MrsJohansson ·
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    $200 for a brand new dress. The jewellery, veil and bouquet were all under $30.

    Set a budget.. go for dresses you like. Look for alternatives. You can always sell an expensive dress later but think about whether you want to spend time doing that or not. There are a lot of good companies making nice dresses that are stunning and don't break the bank.
    • Reply
  • F
    Savvy November 2019
    Future Mrs. E ·
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    Have you tried searching online to see if anyone is reselling theirs? Maybe check out other styles by the same designer being resold to see if you find anything comparable? Sometimes you can find amazing deals that way. Mine was just under my budget of $1,500 after taxes and everything.
    • Reply
  • Meghan
    Master October 2019
    Meghan ·
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    I spent $2,500 and have not had any alterations done yet. If the $3,000 is in your budget, and you love the dress, you can always find ways to cut money other places in your wedding budget to help compensate.
    • Reply
  • D
    Super July 2020
    D ·
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    I'm definitely going to have to shop around. My budget is 500 or less. I may get an alternative to a traditional bridal dress if no alterations are needed. I'm all about comfort. If it doesn't meet my sit down test, no matter how beautiful it is, I may not buy it. We'll see.
    Honey if you can afford it I guess buy it but it seems extravagant to me. It's a one day affair for 8 hours or so. If you break down the numbers it's about $900 an hour to wear it.
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  • Tara
    Dedicated September 2019
    Tara ·
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    This is your wedding. If you can afford it, get it. Buy cheaper accessories! I didn’t have that initial feeling with my dress but when I spoke with my seamstress she made my dream dress and it was under budget. I did however spend more on my bridal shower dress because I felt so beautiful in it. This is your day and you know yourself more than anyone.
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  • Kristen
    VIP June 2020
    Kristen ·
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    My budget, including alterations, shoes and accessories is $1500. Dress + belt were $750, and I’ve spent about $850 total. Now all I have to do is the alterations so I should definitely come in under budget.
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  • Alyssa
    Super September 2019
    Alyssa ·
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    As other have said, this is 100% what you feel comfortable spending and what fits in the budget. My dress, not including accessories, was $1700.00!

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  • Brooke
    Expert November 2019
    Brooke ·
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    Every bride has a different budget, so it is whatever you are comfortable spending. Mine is Stella York, and I got it for $1,500, and then the veil was $350.

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  • Vale
    Dedicated October 2021
    Vale ·
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    I found my perfect dress at David's Bridal for $570. It was just a little bit more than what I wanted to spend (My budget was $500), but when I saw it, I knew. When I tried it on, I REALLY knew. I'm in love with it.
    • Reply

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