You’ve set your bridal gown budget at $4000 and you’re already overwhelmed with too many suitable choices, but you don’t want to say “YES” just yet… Your curiosity is killing you because you wonder if there are more options, more choices, more dresses. Within 30 seconds you make the rash decision to increase your wedding gown budget by almost double so you can have more choices. Yes, this is a real life scenario and we see it almost every day!
Many brides find their gown while in our bridal salon and even though they love it, most of them think that an even better gown is only a few thousand dollars away!! Here’s a note to all brides-to-be, increasing your gown budget doesn’t always mean you will find a better version of your “dream gown”.
Brides are always surprised when we bring out a gown at a higher price point and they don’t love it nearly as much as they love the gown within their budget. While holding back the urge to say, “I told you so,” we do explain that a higher price point doesn’t necessarily mean a better wedding gown for you. One of the main differences between lower priced and higher priced gowns is the fabric. Usually, gowns constructed of silk tend to be priced slightly higher than ones of polyester. Another reason for the price difference is the label. Lately, this is a hot topic of discussion in the bridal industry due to Vera Wang unveiling her exclusive bridal gown line for David’s Bridal, but that is another day and blog.
On the flipside, a bride may have a $4000 gown budget, but the gown that she falls in love with is significantly lower than her original budget. This may be even more frustrating because no matter what we do or say, that bride just wants a higher priced bridal gown. I’ve had brides find their gowns for half of their budget only to call a few days later to cancel their order…WHY??? I mean, shouldn’t any bride be ecstatic to not only find their “perfect gown” AND be under budget? Why not use that savings for an extra day of honeymooning? If you really think about it, it’s pretentious unfortunate that a bride needs to have that higher priced tag to back up her love for her bridal gown. Not only am I not impressed, but most wedding guests won’t be either. Most guests won’t know the difference between a $1000 gown and a $5000 gown. They will all say, “It’s beautiful”.
During your bridal appointment, we are both trying to identify your bridal style while staying within your comfort zone in regard to your budget. Remember, sometimes it’s not all about the higher price tag…it’s about the dress you love.
confessions of a bridal consultant 