Alright y’all. Bear with me a second, but I need to take us somewhere uncomfortable for a minute. We are going to talk about money. I know, I know! Nobody wants to talk about money, but when planning a wedding, making and sticking to a budget is really important. Nearly 50% of all couples spend more than their projected budget! You don’t want to start your new married life 1) fighting about money or 2) in debt over what is essentially a party. Every person’s budget for their wedding will be different and should reflect what is important to them for the big day, but in general, your wedding attire should be about 5-10% of your wedding budget.
Let me just say, here at Celebrations Bridal and Prom we don’t like asking you about your budget. It feels invasive- like we are poking around asking questions that are none of our business. However, it is one of the first things we will ask you. Because as bad as we feel asking the question, we would feel much worse if we put you in a gown you fell in love with and then told you it cost more than you planned to pay for a dress. So please be honest with us about what you are wanting to spend. We will never knowingly put you in a gown over your budget. Also, let us know if there is some wiggle room in your funds. Your dream dress may be only $50 over, but you may never see it if you don’t let us know.
Words like “inexpensive” and “affordable” are very subjective. What is “inexpensive” for one bride, may be astronomically priced to another. So be careful when reading reviews of bridal boutiques. We have several reviews that talk about our affordable gowns. Those brides may have thought they got a great deal at $1800 or they could have bought a clearance dress at $200, you just can’t tell with words like “affordable.”
Every store may not have gowns within your price point and it is important to do your homework about where to shop. So where does Celebrations fall? The average cost of a gown in our store is $1500-$1800. For comparison, the average bride in the US spends about $1259 on her dress, while a bride in Texas spends $1437 on a wedding gown. That does not include alterations or accessories. Our alterations typically run between $600-$800 (national average is $700-$900) and a veil or headpiece can set you back another couple of hundred.
So what if that is more than you want to spend? There are several things you can do to save on your wedding day look.
– Shop during our bi-annual sale! Our gowns normally start at $1300 and go up to $3000, but during a sale could be up to 75% off! When shopping clearance, you will want to keep an open mind and be realistic about your expectations. You will probably not find a beaded gown for $200 or gown that fits perfectly. Sample gowns are as-is and will only have one size. These sales typically happen in January and July!
– If you have your own seamstress or an aunt that sews, she may be able to do your alterations for less or free.
– Accessories make an awesome “something borrowed!” Check with your friends and family to see if they have a veil they would be willing to loan you.
-Beading is the most expensive thing you can do to a wedding dress (it’s all done by hand), so if you want some sparkle try putting a belt on a gown without beading.
-Buy a bridesmaids dress instead! They are a fraction of the cost and are available in ivory (or wear a black one!)
Once you nail down your budget and do your research on which boutique best suits your price point (and style!) give them a call to set up an appointment!
Some of these photos are our real brides. Others we “stole” from the internet. XO
