ncr: if you've been a bridesmaid, quick $ question

nestinginjapan

What's the most (if you don't mind sharing) that you've been asked to spend on a dress? This is my first bridesmaid experience and while I LOVE the dress and would wear it again (see?) $220 + shoes seems like a little on the pricey side. But what do I know! (Also, DH will have to rent a tux as he's a groomsman, and DS will have to rent or buy something too as he's the ring bearer) ... Guess we'll have to plan ahead and budget!

(side-note: this is why I pickled a color scheme and had my bridesmaids pick their own dress!)

futurepivko

All of the weddings I've been in had dresses from Davids Bridal...so the most was $155.

I am in a wedding in July and so far have spent $180. This is because we had to buy certain jewelry and certain shoes, all from Davids. Everyone is matching EVERYTHING. I am also going to have to spend on alterations because she wants the dress shortened to an inch above my knee...which is about 2 inches shortened.

 

 

cjspencer35

I was very price conscientious when choosing dresses for my BMs, but if you look at the bridal stores online you don't see much under $200 anyway.  I got really lucky that when having my girls try on different styles the most widely flattering dress happened to be under $100! 

It kind of sucks, and I feel like if you try most won't get worn again, but it's just kind of the nature of the beast I guess. 

booksncooks22

My MOH dress (didn't have bridesmaids) was under $200.

I'm in my brother's wedding this fall, and the dress (long, formal) was $265 - not including shipping or alterations which will be significant for me (will have to have the waist up taken in and the dress shortened a good bit). She hasn't mentioned jewelry or shoes yet - I'm hoping it will be whatever we want. This was pricier than I had expected (I thought she was trying to keep the dress under $200) but obviously, it is what it is.

GRKaters

All the dresses for weddings I've been in (3 so far) have been off-the-rack semi-formals from department stores. So... $50? And that's a guess on the high side.

principessa81

The most I've ever paid for the actual dress was in the $150 range, which IMO is very reasonable. However, I was in one wedding where the bride decided to change the size of the dress that the salon recommended for me. (I was living in Germany at the time, and had to send my measurements over email. I asked them repeatedly to over-estimate my size, because it's always easier to take the material in than let it out). Long story short, the dress size that the bride requested was two sizes too small, and I had to shell out another $400 for an extra dress and last-minute alterations. I was NOT pleased.

I think $220 for a dress that you love and would wear again is pretty reasonable. I know it's hard to shell out the extra $$$ for a dress when you're factoring in all the other expenses for a wedding, but in the long run it's probably a good deal. 

redkitchensrock1

I feel you on this one.  I'm in a wedding this year and she's looking at $400+ dresses, which is FREAKING me out.

She's starting to get the Bridezilla bug....

I wish she'd just choose a color and let us pick, or go with something less expensive.

principessa81

P.S I agree, I think that dress is super cute!

scrgl

The most expensive dress I have had to buy was a little under $200, which is more than what I spent on my actual wedding dress! A friend had to buy a $400 dress recently....I think I would have cried!! Not a cute wear again dress either!

thatgirlang

$185 + $40 for shoes and $80 for alterations.  And whatever I paid for her makeup artist that we all *had* to use. And.... the wedding was cancelled 20 minutes before showtime!

(That's obviously a whole other post.... )

futurepivko

thatgirlang:

$185 + $40 for shoes and $80 for alterations.  And whatever I paid for her makeup artist that we all *had* to use. And.... the wedding was cancelled 20 minutes before showtime!

(That's obviously a whole other post.... )

 

Say wha?

 

nestinginjapan

thatgirlang:

$185 + $40 for shoes and $80 for alterations.  And whatever I paid for her makeup artist that we all *had* to use. And.... the wedding was cancelled 20 minutes before showtime!

(That's obviously a whole other post.... )

wow, that blows!

26summer

I've been in 4 weddings.  One I was the MOH and my dress was only $85.  Two of the dresses were around $150 (and one was a black dress that I've worn again).  The fourth dress was $358 and I was super mad that I had to buy it.  It was absolutely ridiculous.  Plus I had to by clear shoes that had heels so I ended up spending $400.  The entire wedding was crazy expensive.  Had I known that was the price of the dress I wouldn't have agreed to be in the wedding.

lneuner09

I've been in 2 weddings, one dress was around $100 and the other around $200.  The BM dresses for my wedding were from Jcrew and were on sale for $85. 

So I think $220 is a little on the high side, but unfortunately not unheard of.  At least the dress is cute!

goldbu

I paid ~$250 for a dress + alterations. I had just graduated from college, unemployed, and a little mad. The bride promised it was a dress I could wear again but it was floor length and bubble gum pink...  Yeah, never wore it again (besides as a joke for "formal bowling" once).

Dragonfly08

I think the most expensive BM dress I paid for was about $175?  But that was 17 years ago.  The last wedding I was in was my own, almost 11 years ago, so I'm not all that up to date on dress costs these days!

oct11bride03

I've never been in a wedding except my own and my moms remarriage when I was 8. I'm hoping some of my college friends get married soon. 

I think it's nice when the bride picks a color and let's the bridesmaids choose a dress that works for their budget and figure.  

But if you think the dress is nice and something you'd wear again then $220 probably isn't too bad. More then I'd want to spend, though, since there's the shower, wedding gift, tux and suit rentals, etc to figure in.  On second thought maybe it's a good thing I haven't had to be in any weddings...

bride2bnVA

i think $150-$200 for everything is fair. i have spent around $400 before...that was for the dress and shoes the bride chose, alterations and a hairstyle the bride said we all had to have. i did not like the dress, the shoes or the hairstyle either. then when you throw in throwing in a shower, the shower gift, wedding gift, out of town bach party...it gets a little ridiculous.

DorothyofOz

This is also my first bridesmaid experience (this coming August), so I don't know what is normal either. I had to pay around the same as you for my dress--$120 deposit, plus another $100 when it was ready to be sent to me. I most likely will never wear it again. I was pretty pissed because they asked for all my measurements and stuff and I was expecting them to make it according to my size because they said they make them to order--but I guess they only meant dye-to-order because it doesn't fit at all and will require a TON of alterations. I don't even want to think about how much that is going to cost on top of the dress and shoes themselves. Oh, and the $700 plane ticket plus rental car and hotel. 

Why did I agree to this? With my BM's, they were all already going to be coming to the wedding anyway because they are my sisters. If I wasn't a BM in this wedding I probably would not be going. This is also the reason why I picked the color and the girls picked the dress!

DorothyofOz

Sorry, that was kind of a rant. I'm a little stressed about it because of the money thing when I think about it!

MrsWindyCity

The last wedding I was in the dress was somewhere around $220 but I remember buying it on Netbride (which is where my BMs  bought their dresses) for maybe like $175 or something? I remember paying a boatload for alterations. She didn't make us wear matching shoes or anything (I didn't make my BMs do that either). DH was also in the same wedding and between all our attire, a hotel for a night, gift, etc. we ended up spending $1k. Yikes.

The_Quiet_One

I've been a bridesmaid twice.  For my dad's second wedding this summer, I spent $25 on a sundress from JCPenney.  For my friend's wedding in 2010, the dress cost $120.  Alterations were another $80, and the shoes I bought were $20, I think.  I did a lot of driving back and forth from my house to hers for showers and stuff (probably put 1000 miles on my car) and spent another $100-150 on the hotel room DH and I stayed in for the wedding.

melbride2005

The most I ever spent was around $325.

And I've bought a LOT of dresses.  My SIL's wedding coming up in May is the 19th time I'll be a bridesmaid.  Lucky me! 

cjspencer35

My step-MIL said when she and FIL married, they rented BM dresses from a shop. I wish there were still places like that!

Blessed06

The most I've spent was for my sisters wedding- $165.  She paid for my alterations, I paid for my shoes.  The dress I picked for my BMs was $110, and I was really trying to pick something that wasn't ridiculously priced.  I was in a wedding about 2 years ago, and the dresses were $40 off the rack from JC Penny.  I honestly think that $400 for a BM dress is ridiculous, and if that's what the bride wants, she should pay for it. 

KissyfaceKate

I'm just a lurker but I was in two weddings last year within 3 weeks of each other. 

Wedding #1 was my best and dh bestie. I was MOH. he was also a groomsmen. My dress cost 350 because of rush fees. I saw stars when I heard but I will give credit where credit is due. The bride paid for over half as a surprise gift. But I know it really stressed the other girls out. Regardless it cost about 1200 for me and dh to be in the wedding. But I love her and would do it again.

 

Wrdding #2 my bm dress was 125 but they told me I needed an extended size ( I have huge huge boobs) I didn't believe it but it was my brothers wedding and the bride was high stress so I didn't want to risk it. So I paid the extra $$. When it came in it was so huge I had to have major alterations done....I was so so angry. So that dress ended up being expensive too. Worst part is its heinous. I'll never wear it again. 

The first dress is beautiful and I'm hoping to wear soon to a black tie.  

evitawylie

I've been a bridesmaid twice (most of my friends ask me to be the musician since I play the flute), and I believe the most I've paid was about $150 plus alterations (another $50 or so?). I've never worn either dress again.

That's why for my own wedding, I chose the designer and the color of fabric and let the girls pick their own style to fit their body type. Plus, I paid for all their dresses and allowed them to where whatever shoes they wanted. I believe all of the dresses were about $125 or less.

UDscoobychick

MrsWindyCity:

The last wedding I was in the dress was somewhere around $220 but I remember buying it on Netbride (which is where my BMs  bought their dresses) for maybe like $175 or something? I remember paying a boatload for alterations. She didn't make us wear matching shoes or anything (I didn't make my BMs do that either). DH was also in the same wedding and between all our attire, a hotel for a night, gift, etc. we ended up spending $1k. Yikes.

for Netbride.  My BM dresses were like $180 at the store, and $120 at Netbride.  Everyone seemed pleased with the quality.  Of course, the wedding got called off, and my parents paid back all the BMs for their dresses, since they were non-returnable, but that's another story.

The only dress I've had to buy was a MOH dress for a friend's wedding, and it was only $130.  I was lucky enough to be able to wear it off-the-rack without alterations.  Then we paid like $40 for shoes.  The bride paid for our hairstylist.

Magdala9

$375 ($275 for the dress and $100 for alterations to make it actually fit me.) + shoes. 

SaraLosingIt

That is a cute dress but I would be a little ticked about having to spend $200+ for a bridesmaid dress. I kept my dresses under $150 because I knew the attendants wouldn't have a big budget. Did the bride ask what you all could afford before picking out the dress?

thatgirlang

futurepivko:

thatgirlang:

$185 + $40 for shoes and $80 for alterations.  And whatever I paid for her makeup artist that we all *had* to use. And.... the wedding was cancelled 20 minutes before showtime!

(That's obviously a whole other post.... )

 

Say wha?

 I'm just now coming back to this post. Don't know if you'll see this but... the groom bailed 20 minutes out. Seriously. You could not even stop the guests from coming, it was so close. The ceremony and reception were both scheduled at a hotel so she still had the "reception" because it was paid for.