Dress budget

I got mine for about £850, I can't remember exactly. It's a sample dress and the cost includes a pre wedding clean and my alterations, so £1000 is do-able. I had a bigger budget but honestly didn't want to spend more when I found a great dress. I'd follow a load of dress shops on Facebook so you can see when they advertise their sales and book an appointment.

A friend of mine got a lovely dress from Wed2B who seem to be all over the country and their dresses are all under your budget.

Hello, congratulations on your engagement and welcome to Hitched!

Don't panic! £1000 is PLENTY of money to get a really nice dress- as long as you don't have aspirations to buy a TOP designer dress!

I set a budget of categorically no more than £1000 and preferably less.... like you, I just could not justify spending any more for a dress I would only wear once, even if it is a wedding dress.

I saw some gorgeous dresses starting from £250 at my local bridal shop- some were in the sale, some in their 'budget' line- all were gorgeous!

None of them were quite right for me, so I went back and looked on the sale rail again ..... and found my absolute dream dress (which I thought was WAY out of my budget!) in the sale reduced from £1750 to £850. It's a Justin Alexander dress, and, for me, is absolutely perfect!

It is worth shopping around several different shops, don't discount 'outlet stores' if you have any near by or 'Wed2Be' if there is one nearby.... and if you live in a very affluent area, going 'out of area' to a less well off area- when I asked my local shop why my dress was 'so cheap' they admitted that it was a sample dress they had in which they had decided not to stock as it was 'out of range in terms of price' for most local bride's budgets- which it would have been for me at full price!

Good luck and keep us updated on your search!

Once you find your dress, try emailing or phoning around other local stockists to see if they can beat the price. I thought my dress was really pushing my budget, but when I emailed around the local dress shops who shopped that designer, one of them offered me 15% off if I ordered it from them that month.

My dress was 1350 reduced to 400 in a sample sale. A further 150 for alterations. Definitely echo follow all the dress shops and know when their sales are.

Yes definitely! I budgeted £1200 and my dress was £1100 but actually paid half that in a sample sale

It's totally doable. Mine was just over (£1,195 without alterations) but it was within my budget and I loved it so I didn't bother shopping around. I'm sure if I had I could have gotten it cheaper.

Make sure and tell the bridal shop your budget though so you're only looking at dresses you can afford. That was probably the only mistake I made - I hate talking about money and didn't mention it. All the dresses I was looking at were at the top end of my budget so it's just luck that I found one I can afford!

Does your target £1000 include alterations? My maximum was about £995 (because that was the cost of the dress that I really, really wanted). The dress I bought was off the peg and only £429 from Wed2b. Well below budget so very happy.

Your budget is almost double the amount I spent on my dress with it's alterations - I think you'll be able to find something There are sample sales in boutiques and then off the peg stores - I got mine from Wed2B in Bolton for £450 and it was exactly what I wanted

I started off thinking that I would want to spend about £500 on something bridal from Phase Eight or similar, but made some appointments at some bridal shops anyway, more for the experience than anything else.

I then won £100 in a competition & simultaneously fell in love with a dress that was £1350, but was really struggling with spending that much on something I was only going to wear for one day. Then I happened to go to another shop to try on some tea length dresses, tried on a full length dress by a designer I'd never heard of before, & bought it! It would have been £1100 but the shop sample fitted me perfectly & had only been tried on twice, & they sold it to me for £595, so only £95 over what I'd originally budgeted.

So that was a very long-winded way of saying yes I think you'll be more than OK with a £1000 budget, like others have said, the sales at boutiques are well worth checking out too.

As others have mentioned, just be aware to budget for alterations. I had no idea how much they would be, but if you'd asked me to guess, I suppose I would have said maybe £75 - but no, mine were £300 (eek!)

Thanks everyone

I'm really excited to go dress shopping and was thinking of trying a discount place near me and wed2be. I'm already following hundreds of dress shops on Facebook. Our wedding is booked for February 2018 and I'm hoping that bridal shops may have some sort of discount after christmas. Where would you recommend going first would you do boutique or discount. I really want the experience of the boutique but the price of discount is appealing. I have set a £1000 budget for dress and £200 for alterations.

Go to the boutiques first - you can try on loads of styles, get an idea of what suits you (you'd be amazed how many of us on here have ended up with completely different dresses to the sort we looked at originally!) etc. Bridal shops are used to brides looking around different stockists and not ordering on the day, so no need to feel awkward about it.

It really depends what you want and how expensive your taste is. MY OH made it very clear that I was not to get anything lace or tulle as he detests both! As such my budget of 1800 was blown as I have spent 2500 on a full length Sassi Holford Emma dress . But I could have found one within budget if I had been looking at lace or tulle rather than Duchess Satin! Also preloved is a good option to consider.

I had a rough plan on 1500, but would and could have gone much more if it was the right dress.

I ended up buying the cheapest dress that I tried on (and I tried 30) it was only £807 I'll still have alterations but it's still looking to be less than £1000

My dress is £1650. No idea what the alterations will be. I would have spent what was necessary if it was the right dress (I tried on a Jenny Packham which was £2500 and gorgeous!)

Wedding fairs will usually offer money off. You could also try eBay if you find a dress you like in a shop x

I'm definitely going to start going to boutiques first and then try the discount stores there's quite a few near me. I'm following a few dress shops and looking back through their Facebook they tend to have sales after christmas which is when I would want to buy as I get married Feb 2018 ☺ when would you say is the best time to start trying? as I've obviously never tried on a dress before and have no idea what I want. We have been together 10 years and have 2 kids which I think is the reason I can't justify more.

My budget was £500.

I found a window display Mori Lee dress (£1100) on sale for £350 and with alterations i reached my maximum budget of £500.

Shop around and I'm sure you will find your dream dress within your budget. ?

I didn't want to spend more than £1000 on my whole outfit, so dress, shoes, veil, jewellery etc. I went to a bridal shop that only sells ex-samples and got my dress for £680 rather than rrp of £1200. The dress is clean and apart from a loose thread at the bottom of the zip it is in perfect condition. It also fits me perfectly as long as I wear 2-3 inch heels and stay the same weight so may not need any alterations.

I budgeted £1500 (thank you bank of mam and dad) because I wanted to make sure I had one that flattered me, I am plus size and tall so buying normal clothes is a nightmare as it is. I found my dress for £1100 in a plus size bridal shop, it was reduced to £1000 because the shop was having a designer weekend. My alterations cost £135 (taken in at the bust, shoulders, and sides as my weightlifting caused an unexpected inch loss round my middle). I splurged on the shoes and headpiece taking it to the original £1500.

You will definitely find a stunning dress for £1k! My Mother is very kindly buying my dress but neither of us spoke about budget as we had no idea how much dresses would be. The dress that suited me best in the first shop was £900 but it didn't wow and I thought that seemed super expensive at the time. As I went to more shops I was still not blown away by any, but found that they were mostly around the £1k-£1500 mark, or £600-£700 for the sample. I found a David Tutera that I fell in love with but it was £1600 and that was before having sleeves added, veil or alterations. Come the fifth shop, I was clear with the shop owner of my budget and I felt more pressured to choose one by then. Again, the dresses were all beautiful but I wasn't enamoured. There was one I had seen on their website that I had liked and asked to try it, and as soon as I put it on I loved it. It was exactly how I want to look on my wedding day. I saw the price and just like the other one, it was £1600! She saw my dismay and offered to include the beautiful veil I was trying on for free, when it would have been £160.

In conclusion, no I totally didn't stay within my budget and I spent the first week feeling so guilty for spending that much on a dress that I will only be wearing for one day. But my Mother seemed over the moon that I had found the right one and loved it just as much. And I think I would have also felt bad had she spent several hundred on a dress that I wasn't totally sure about. It is a very special day and the photos will be around forever so I think I will make peace with my frivolity on this occasion.

My mum bought my dress to as a gift. I budgeted £1,500 this was based on a dress I had seen previously and loved. However, when I tried it on I really didn't like it. I then tried on a dress I fell in love with (well my mum did) but it was £2,100!!!!! I should have asked the price first in hindsight.

On another day I went to another boutique tried on a dress I really didn't expect to like and fell in love with it! I explained to the lady in the shop my mum was buying it for me and I was worried about the cost (£1750) and she very kindly offered me a discount to £1450!

My advice would be to ask for discount, they can only say no at the end of the day.

And because the shop was so nice I'm getting my bridesmaids dresses from their too and I'm getting a 10% discount on them too as I'm buying 5.

From my bridal boutique experience (i only went to two) i would say to anyone now set your budget then probably expect to smash it. My original plan was to buy my dress from wed2b as i also couldn't justify spending so much on a dress just for a day but i was persuaded to look in some boutiques. Long story short i never looked in a wed2b, my budget of £800 all in was smashed as in the second boutique i fell in love with a dress that retailed for £1375 but hand on heart i don't think any dress at wed2b would of made me feel as beautiful as this gown did. I don't know whether that end thought is me trying to convince myself i did the right thing spending so much money on a dress though ? And in the end it totally depends on what dress style you are wanting. In the first boutique she told me the dress style i was wanting was way too current and i wouldn't get it for £800 and honestly she was right. If you really can't justify spending so much on a dress as the style you are also wanting is too current i'd say stay away from boutiques altogether and stick to places like wed2b as looking in a boutique you're probably going to fall for a far more expensive dress than your budget will allow xx

I would say do the discount shop first then the boutique!

I also had my heart set on getting my dress form wed3be had a budget of £800

i went to a boutique first for the experience then went to wed2be

had a fab hour in the shop made to feel really special tried on a few styles i would not even have considered then headed to the wed2be

and wow was i disappointed!! the choice of dress for my size was limited to say the least and every dress i tried on i thought it was not like this in the shop, the whole experience for me was just not the same

i got home in such a foul mood as i found nothing i liked, OH was shocked i was so grumpy after wedding shopping and i told him i couldnt find a dress thankfully he said just up the budget then get what you want

so i did

my dress is nearer the £1700 mark and i dont care i love it even my mum (who loves a bargain and i mean loves!!!) said it couldn't be left

i honestly think if i had i gone to wed2be first my whole outlook would have been different and i may have found my perfect dress there.

I spent £99 on my dress, it's going to be £50 for the seamstresses alterations and then my mother and I are making a gothic bolero, belt and over skirt and embellishments on the top. I couldn't find a dress I liked and I'm a very DIY person so all in my dress is coming in just under £200, at the most £250.

It all depends on what you fancy, and sometimes it takes ages, I'd been to five shops before I bought mine. Be aware that bridal sizes are different to dress sizes and you may end up in two sizes bigger than you are in one style and one size less in another, I'm a ten and I tried on dresses ranging from an 8 to a 12, one of my friends is a 14 and because she has an ample bossom she ended up in an 18 in one style in wed2be thankfully we both have a sense of humour! I'm getting married in April 2018 ( although when I bought mine it was supposed to be October next year), if you're ordering some dresses take 6 to 9 months to arrive, so bear that in mind.

Good luck and enjoy it.

I set myself a budget of £500, and I managed to find a beautiful dress in Wed2B for £400. I've found a nice seamstress local to me, and she's going to add some little lacy cap sleeves to it. My mum is very sweetly covering the alterations (it's way too long and a teeny bit gapey under the arms). But I'm paying for the sleeves so that will take me up to the £500 budget. Spot on!

I went to one boutique first of all and tried on a sample dress (only one in my budget - I completely refused to try any that were over it in case I fell in love with one of them!) which was very nice but I wasn't keen on the bodice. So after that I went to Wed2B and tried on four dresses, and found the one in an hour and a half! Nailed it!

My advice - to avoid breaking your heart, don't try anything on that you definitely can't afford. Work out what you'd ideally like to pay, then work out the absolute highest you could stretch to if you fell in love with something. Then don't try ANYTHING on that's over that amount.

Happy shopping! ?

Hi, I have just got my dress for £650 (Ronald Joyce) after looking round some boutiques I went to an outlet in North Allerton.

I tried some sample sale dresses for £800 too which were both lovely. Go try some in boutiques to get an idea of what you like and be open to trying different things.

There are loads of lovely dresses so I'm sure you will find one.

I budgeted £1,500 for my dress and I spent £1,095 on my dress without alterations as not had them yet. When I was looking I saw some beautiful dresses that started at £500 so it is definitely doable. I started to look 11 months in advance but I think it depends on whether your buying from a boutique because some make them which can take up to 6 months. I would have a look at some shops and see how long they recommend because each shop is different xx

My dad gave me £1000 for my dress but I isn't want to spend that much. Mine was £450 off the rack at Wed2Be and I love it, it's beautiful.

We are trying to cut costs where we can as to be honest, I would rather spend money on a honeymoon but I was so happy to get a lovely proper wedding dress that was affordable for us.

Off to Wed2b today, not planning on spending more than £600 on a dress plus alterations.

I think £1000 sounds just fine, as long as you're savvy. Don't try anything on that's way above budget unless you have time/patience to search sample sales/ebay.

I have set a budget of around £500 and am looking more high street (Phase Eight etc) but that might well change as we're marrying in August 2018 and if costs spiral we have time to make it work.

First time round, when I had a "proper" wedding, I bought a Benjamin Roberts dress which I saw in a shop for around £1000, but I called some other suppliers and was offered the same one for £750. This time I'm having an £80 dress from Pepperberry ?

It'll still be a proper wedding now!! Which dress have you chosen? Presumably it's one you'll be able to wear again? I like the idea of that!