When it comes to wedding planning, having a budget is an important aspect of the overall plan. And when it comes to staying on that budget, you have to consider it throughout every detail of wedding planning. If you fall off budget in one area, it can completely change the overall budget and you may have to shave off dollars somewhere else.
As nice as it would be to be completely budget-free when it comes to dress shopping, it’s simply not a reality for most brides. And when it comes to planning a budget for your dress, it can go far beyond just the sticker price of the dress itself. So, if you’re just considering how much your gown will cost, there may be a few other essentials to consider to avoid any sticker shock during the process.
Of course the biggest factor, is how much is the dress itself, but there are many other factors that can dictate the final price of the dress. In order to be prepared at your appointment, and to avoid the shock of the final price, we’ve come up with a list of the 4 things that factor into the final dress price.
Below are the most important things to include in your wedding dress budget.
The Dress (of course!)
Of course, this is the major deciding factor in a dress budget. It will without a doubt be the biggest price tag. But beyond just the price of the dress itself, there are other things to consider with this. Such as, is there a deposit?
The other major factors that will define the price of the dress are the style and details of that particular dress. Since a more intricate and detailed dress requires a lot more labor and skill, those types of dresses will likely be quite a bit more expensive.
It’s also smart to consider the type of fabric your dress is made of. Is is pure silk? This will likely cause it to be on the spendier side as well. Lastly, the designer of the dress can greatly affect the overall price.
The Accessories
Accessories can take a dress to the next level! However, this is another factor to include in your overall budget, one that we find many brides forget about! Things to think about can include: the shoes, a veil, your jewelry or headpiece, a belt or wrap.
The sky's the limit when it comes to adding accessories and spicing up your look. Just remember, that each accessory comes at a cost. If you choose to go with a simpler dress and plan to spice it up with a belt and some jewelry, that’s great! But you should know that the belt and jewelry could add up, depending on what you choose.
Alterations
Chances are, that you will need alterations on your dress. It’s just a simple fact that most brides do. So this is an important factor to consider in your dress budget.
Within the alterations there are a few other factors you should also consider. For example, do you need to pay rush fees? This will happen if the alterations are being done within a short time period (less than 3 or 6 month). You should also consider the extent to which your alterations need to be done. Does the entire dress need to be reconfigured? Or is it just a hem here and there?
Lastly, will you be making any major changes to the dress? Are you adding beading? Taking off or adding sleeves? Are you changing the dress entirely? The extent to which you are adding or taking away from a dress will define the overall price of your alterations.
Shipping + Sales tax
Finally, it is important to keep in mind the sales tax and shipping and handling fees of your dress. The sales tax will be added on to the overall price of your dress, just like tax on any other item. Depending upon the order of the dress and when and where it’s shipping from, there will also be shipping fees. Another factor to consider is if you’ll need rush shipping, or if you have more time to wait.
As you can see, there is a lot more that goes into the overall price of a wedding dress than just the price of the dress itself. There are a few other important things to consider. But, if you are aware of these things before heading into your appointment, it will make staying on your budget so much easier!
We want the experience of finding your perfect dress to be fun and stress free. Coming to your appointment prepared, knowing the factors that will go into the budget for your dress will make it easier for everyone! We can’t wait to help you find your dream dress.