Overbudget dresses SYTTD

No dress has compared to my $340 one, no matter how high priced and pretty it was. So, I have no complaints or even second guesses.

I set my budget at $1500. My dress ended up being about $1900 but my mom paid $1000. With alterations I will be under budget at about $1200.

When I was looking at dresses I knew I wanted to stay in the under $1500 range, which can be hard. I did research on the dress that I fell in love with online to make sure it wouldn't be completely out of my budget. When I went to the only bridal salon within 80 miles of me that had a sample of my dream dress, the price there was significantly higher than what my mom and I had been quotes from other salons. We mentioned this because I had fallen in love with the dress and was going to buy it there but not for the price that they were charging. They made some excuse about mislabeling the price, but in the end they sold it to us at the price we had been quoted by other comparable salons. I got lucky! Ended up at $1050.00 but with alterations will be a bit more of course. I just picked up my dress last week, I will have alterations done at a bridal tailor closer to my house as this shop is about a hour and a half away from where I live on a day with light traffic and they only do alterations M-F 10-6.

I think I told the person at DB that I was looking for $1k and under dresses. She pulled Melissa Sweet dresses because Melissa Sweet is very much in line with my style. I fell in love with a dress that was around $1300. With the purchase of undergarments, we came out at around $1500. I was planning on paying for my dress, but my mom told me she was buying it.

My alterations will be around $265. Half of that is hemming the 9 (yes... 9!!) layers of my dress.

Originally I was thinking I was OK with $1200-$1500. I thought for sure I would find something under budget. I ended up getting a killer deal (my FH's grammy's best friend owns a dress shop and gave me my dress at cost!). So my dress was retail for like $2700 (I think) and I got it for $1850, before alterations, veil, accessories, etc. but I had budgeted all that separately anyways.

I set an initial budget of $500 for dress, shoes, veil, etc. When I went dress shopping the first time, I upped the budget in my head to $700 but really wanted to stay around $500. Found my dress yesterday for $349 & maybe the sash for $149 (didn't order it yet; going to check around and find a coupon or something). I saw some shoes at DSW a month or so ago that I liked for about $40. I'll probably order a birdcage veil from Amazon or something.

I wouldn't say mine was over or under budget. I originally thought I'd want to spend up to 1500. Then when the reality of how much everything cost set in, I thought it'd be nice to stay under 1000. I fell in love with a dress that was $1400, with a $200 off coupon, so with tax it brought it back up to the listed price. More than I cared to spend, but technically not out of budget.

I doubled my original dress budget, but I'm still hoping to come in under. My doubled dress budget was accounted for in part of our wedding budget cushion. To me going from 1-2k is not the same as going from 7-14k. But everyone's financial situation is different!

714- we have the same dress!

I went over my Budget by $225. I wanted to spend under $400 plus alterations and I spent $625. I bought a sample gown and got a dress that would have retailed for $1200. And I was quoted $125 for alterations since all I need is the bust taken in and cups sewn in. My FH is completely okay with me going over budget because he wanted me to buy a dress I loved and not one I would be buying to save money.

@Danielle that was so sweet of him! That will be so special on your wedding day.

My mom got my dress for me. I originally said 1500 but my mom said that we could go up to 3000 and my dress was $1000. Not sure how much alterations or a bra and the extras will be though! I don't think brides who go over that much on budget ever really had one to begin with..

I saved up $2000 for my dress (I'm one of those crazy people that put away a few dollars here and there since I got a job at 15 for a future wedding dress... originally just a "rainy day" fund). I didn't want to go over that amount, but I actually got mine during a trunk sale. It was a little under $1100!

It drives me crazy that brides go way over budget on their dress, or they call their daddy to see if he will pay the difference. Why are you getting married if you need to beg someone else for money? It's one thing if your family offers because they want to pay for your dress, but it's totally different to have to bum money off of people.

Edited: The only alterations my dress needs is a bustle ($30). I already paid $53 for lace that matches my dress and $100 to have sleeves made

I think this is really to each its own kinda issue. I stayed within budget for my dress. My mother paid for it. (I also filmed Say Yes To The Dress Atlanta this year. loved it! haha) anywho, before I fell in love with my dress there was another out of budget. My budget was $3000. The dress was like $4k (they didn't show this part on the show) my bridesmaids offered to split the difference with my mom which I thought was sweet but I didn't want to do it. I also knew I wanted to try on this dress I had seen in a magazine I knew they had. Turns out it was my dress and in budget!!! If brides have families that are footing the bill and they know their parents won't hurt from doubling the budget they may feel justified doing so. I try not to judge people when it comes to weddings because they really range. Some people's parents start saving from the day they have a daughter for wedding expenses and others like me are footing their bill (except for my dress). So to each its own! love and get what you can to feel amazing on your wedding day!

My dress, including veil and sash, was about $250 under budget.

I set my budget at 1k for the dress, and hoped to get a dress I liked and alterations with that. So yeah... that didn't happen. I didn't find anything I liked for under 1.5k, and most everything I loved was over 2k, so out of the question. My mom surprised me by saying she would pay the down payment (1/2 of the price) on a 1.5k dress I liked. When I went to pick up the dress with my mom and dad they surprised me again by picking up the rest of the dress cost. I got really lucky. If it were not for their generosity I would have had to settle for something less expensive. But I can't imagine spending 7k on a dress, let alone 14k! That is a down payment on a house for cripes sake.

When I asked my mom what sort of price range I should stay in for the dress, she really didn't have a firm answer, but said "I don't know, maybe $2k-2500, is that enough? They are always so much more than that on SYTTD though." LOL, I'm SO glad she watches that show We did end up over. I put on a $3k dress and we both teared up, so that was that. Veil was $500, jewelry another $350 and $250 for shoes...and we haven't even begun alterations. So, yeah, we went over budget, but it was a "loose" budget to begin with I suppose.

I technically went over budget by $100 but my dress needs no alterations so I saved money in that regard.

My dad didn't tell me a budget, I just kind of assumed I needed to say at or below $1K. The first time I went dress shopping my mom made me try on all sorts of HORRIBLE clearance dresses and tried to convince me they looked great - you could see my bellybutton in one of them...not because it was too tight but because the fabric and fit were just so weird. My dad finally called me and told me to go look w/o my mom and that he didn't care what I spent but to try to stay around $2K. I went the next weekend w/ my MOH and found my dress for $1600 but alterations and bustle are free/included in the cost of the dress. I love it and can't wait to get it so I can really see it on. It was about 10 sizes too small (literally) and the only reason I could put it on is because it's a ball gown.

I never understand why they try on a dress over budget to begin with. if they don't like the dresses in their budget and need to move up, that's one thing. cut down on the guest list or something. but those that really can't spend more, why they let themselves look at dresses that are too much, I don't get it either.