Why Are Wedding Gowns So Expensive? A Candid And Thorough Answer

Dear The Perfect Dress, 

 I work at a Bridal Salon and I was wondering if you could talk about curbing Bride's expectations about what they can get for their budget?  I get Brides who want an all lace wedding gown for under $500 or want a huge, poofy beaded gown (brand new, mind you) for around $200.   Help! Get the word out that it's just not possible! 

  Sincerely,           

Concerned Consultant C.C.

 Oh yes. We know this all to well. 

 Lets start from the very beginning.  

It's a very good place to start.  

 No, but seriously. 

 Let's talk about what goes into making these beautiful gowns. 

 How about we dissect this Justin Alexander gown in the photo above to see what really goes into making it.  

This is not a $10,000 wedding gown.  

The price of this gown is pretty average and that's why we picked it.  

We chose this gown because it has the fullness, the layered tiers and the beading that every classic Bride would want. 

 This gown starts with an incredible structure.

 

 This is boning.  

This is what is built into most wedding gowns and this is what keeps a strapless gown up and keeps our tummies in. 

 Over all of this boning and lining there is a lot of crinoline.  

And yes, all full dresses have a built in crinoline.  

Slips that you purchase separately are made for the bride that wants the gown fuller than it already is.

This is a very editorial type shot, but it shows you whats under a full dress.

 Over that comes a layer of heavy satin, that's like this gown below, to smooth all of that crinoline out.  

 Now comes the fun part. 

 All of that beautiful layered organza.  

There was probably a good 15 yards of organza put into that gown with all of these layers.

 And then you have those beautiful beads at the waistline and we're not talking about cheap foggy beads that you get at a craft store.  

We're talking about clear beautiful glass beads.  

Even Swarovski crystals are set in there.  

 Put that all together and you get a great dress that's $200. 

 Sound a little ridiculous? 

 That's because it is. 

 Wedding gowns are made with some of the highest quality materials and the craftsmanship is second to none.  

Oh and don't even get us started on a lace gown!  

 Now, we are not saying all of this to be mean, we are just saying this so that you can have a frank conversation with yourself about your budget and what you can honestly afford.  

Don't get your heart set on a $5,000 style of dress if you can only afford $200. 

For those brides that are looking for these gowns, go to the sale racks and sample sales where you can find a sample gown that is a few years old .  

Don't turn your nose up at those because, let's be honest, you can't afford to. 

Literally. 

  We can hear some of you saying "well, I found a dress like that for only $200 online".  

To that we say, RUN!!!  

RUN FAR, FAR AWAY!!  

   Let our motto be "you get what you pay for".  

Remember this. 

 Hope this helped C.C. and keep the questions and suggestions coming in people.