Budgeting for Your Wedding Dress
It can be overwhelming determining how much of your wedding budget to allocate towards your gown. This is likely the highest quality and most expensive garment that you’ve purchased, which can be a confusing thing to budget for since it’s certainly not an everyday purchase. The traditional rule to apply a certain percentage of your overall wedding budget to your gown does not necessarily apply anymore. Your gown may be a big priority for you or it may be less of a priority for you - either is ok! If your gown is a top priority for your wedding, then you may want to budget a little more toward it; likewise, if the dress isn’t that important to you, then go ahead and put some of that budget toward the things you care most about with your wedding.
You also may not know your gown budget until you start researching and trying on gowns. Part of our job is to educate brides about the differences in quality and selection at each price range. Your gown wish list may include some important details or embellishment or fabric, which could affect the amount you should budget for your gown. For example, a bride who wants 3D floral embellishements and all-over beading should likely budget more than a bride who wants a clean dress without embellishments. We let you tell us the price range you’re comfortable with, and show all the options in that range – no pressure, no judgement!
We carry over 300 gowns that range in price from $1,500 to approximately $15,000, with around half of our gowns falling under $3,000. In every price range, be assured that the wedding dresses we carry are the best quality and style you can find anywhere, with varying fabrics, details, silhouettes and sizes in every price range.
Sometimes brides are surprised by the cost of wedding dresses and chalk it up to “wedding inflation”. We’re here to tell you that’s not true! At LWD, we aim to be completely transparent about the cost of our gowns. We want you to have all the information you need to feel comfortable and confident in your decision-making. We stand by the pricing of our gowns and we are here to help you understand the rationale for your gown’s price. Gown prices vary based on several factors, including where and how your gown is made (many of them are made in the United States by highly specialized atelier seamstresses), the type of fabric and particularly how much of it is used (100% silks will always be pricier, as will multiple layers of fabric), and the type of embellishments and lace on your dress (some dresses are hand-beaded and/or made with rare French or Italian laces).
When budgeting for your wedding gown, be sure to factor in additional costs for customizations, accessories, shoes, and alterations. No matter which price range you choose, we want you to feel great about your wedding dress purchase. We’re here to help you navigate the entire gown shopping process. Let your stylist know if you have any questions about budgeting for your wedding day look!
