Paying for a wedding dress and photographer

Usually you pay a deposit for the dress to order it, and then the balance when the dress comes in. Every store has a different policy though.

For photographer - deposit to book the date, and then the balance 15-30 days before the wedding is common. Again, every photographer is different.

I recommend getting a book on wedding planning that was published after 2013. Start there.

The bridal store I used gave you an in store credit for accessories if you paid in full for the dress but they also had financing options available to spilt up the payments. Our photographer asked for a deposit to hold the date and we paid the remainder shortly before the wedding.

Every place is different. I know some places allow you to put half down on the dress and full payment when you pick it up. Also, my photog asked for a deposit and the remainder is due 30 days prior. Jay the photog is a good resource. He has commented about multiple ways he has seen it and how he does it himself.

We did a dw that had everything together for the photographer, dj, florist etc. we had to put a deposit down when we booked it. Then 6 months later we put another deposit down and then paid it off 60 days prior to the wedding. The wedding dress... we paid it all at once but my dress was $450.

I had to pay for my dress in full up front.

Photog required a deposit, then another payment 2 weeks before the wedding, and a final payment 2 weeks after the wedding

I paid for my dress all at once.

I had to pay 50% down for the photographer and the remaining 30 days out.

I paid 30% deposit for our photographer and the remaining balance is due a week before. For my dress we paid roughly 50% when purchasing it, and I have to pay the rest before I go for my first fitting in two weeks!

I believe mine gave the option to pay 50% up front, and the rest was due when it came in. I paid it in full and they gave me a 10% discount for that (they didn't tell me about the discount for paying in full so that was a bonus!).

Photographer will likely ask for a deposit to book the date, and the rest due within a month before the wedding. I'd plan for up to 50% deposit but it may not even be that much.

Look for wedding gown resalers! A spa near me has a bridal gown consignment shop as part of the spa. It's in a very high-end city in my area and the gowns range from plain to gorgeous. I did not find my dress there but would have loved it and you can save a lot of money that way. Since you have time look for sample sales. The day after Thanksgiving a few shops around me had 60% off sales on almost all gowns. And these were nice nice shops.

Photographers gave me anxiety. We ended up paying a ton because we fell in love with one's work and our venue required a certain, more expensive, insurance rider. BUT budget for it. At the end of the day what you walk away with is your memories, your marriage and your pictures!

I am in Oregon. We had to pay for my dress in full. My photographer is 1,550 8 hrs coverage and a engagement session included.

What is your budget if you don't mind me asking? Have you picked out a venue and how much did that cost if you did?

All of the dress shops i visited required a deposit when I selected the dress and the balance when I picked it up. The deposit was usually 50%.

My photographer required a deposit and final payment 2 weeks before the wedding. The deposit amount varies per photog though

Alrite, thank y'all so much! That definitely helps me breathe a little easier! I'm hoping to go look at dresses soon and I'll be sure to ask questions. I've just been waiting for this weather to calm down a little bit. I'm also trying to get bills paid up in advance so I'm not having to think about them and having my car paid off soon will help as well. My mom and grams mentioned helping with it, but I'm not asking them for money. I'd rather us just pay for it.

Where is the best place to find a wedding planning book that doesn't cost a whole lot?

I would try to find out if any of your guests do photography. My FH and I have a friend who actually went to school with her husband for photography and will be doing both our engagment and wedding photos for $500. They do it as a team, they both go over the photos and they do a wonderful job. As for the dress, I paid mine outright because i stayed under $500. So I guess pick your budget, have the money before shopping. I always feel like that is the better option. Depending on the dress, it can take 6wks to 8mos. For a dress to come in and then about 2 months before the wedding they will do alterations. Hope this helps!!

@Monica, our venue is literally the beach. We decided that would be the best for us, because we couldn't find a venue we liked here (Spartanburg area in SC). They were either crazy expensive and didn't provide a lot or they were outside. One we found provided a lot, but the lady was super sketchy and hesitant about being upfront about our pricing and options. So unless there's a permit fee in Florida, our venue is free. After, we'll go to a restaurant. The most expensive things are going to be the photographer and honeymoon. I have my fingers crossed that I will find a phenomenal deal on a dress! His brother is officiating and offered to do that at no cost, which was very kind of him. I just wasn't aware of the average cost of photographers. I understand the cost as they have a job to do, I just didn't know is all. The ceremony won't be long as it's a small, intimate occasion on the beach.

For my dress is was 50% at time of order and the other 50% when it came in. My photographer was 2100. We had to pay deposit & then a payment for previews, payment placing final order & balance was due when pictures are ready.

@Michelle, there's not one available to do that. That's awesome though that they're doing that for you! So I guess I could wait until around October to go look for a dress? It'd be a lot cooler then, that's for sure!

I am going to look into selling some antique items I have stored away so, that may help.

You have some time to get your dress, I would prioritize your photographer first. If you check the recent thread about what people wished they had splurged on for their weddings a lot of people said they wished that they had gotten a better photographer. Just food for thought.

I had to pay 50% to have the dress ordered and the balance was due at my first fitting.

My photographer required a a deposit to hold the date, 2nd payment 30 days before the wedding, the final payment when photos and wedding book are ready