Planning your wedding can be difficult and stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. We actually think it’s a lot of fun. Because we’ve all got different priorities, it’s just a matter of sorting those priorities out. Your wedding dress budget is entirely up to you. And if you love luxurious designer bridal as much as we do, there’s totally a way to make it happen.
You (and your soon-to-be-spouse) know your wedding budget better than anyone else does.
Okay, let’s hear it from the pros for a second. Every last wedding blog, planner, and their mother has a strong opinion on the exact wedding budget percentages to break down all the different components of the event. From “transportation” to the cocktail garnishes. Wedding dresses? They get grouped in with “attire” most of the time — for both members of the couple, and maybe others in your wedding party too. Martha Stewart says to allocate 5-10%. Wedding Wire says exactly 9%, and The Knot says 8-10%.
When your total wedding budget is just $15,000 — that leaves just $1,500 tops for “attire” for everyone. But maybe your budget is $75,000 (congratulations on that, by the way) — you’re still looking at just $7,500 split across the whole party. Some of these experts have great money-saving wedding tips. Cut down on the elaborate cake flourishes and honeymoon in Mexico instead of Greece. Great advice. But you and your partner know your goals and personalities best. Maybe you want a backyard wedding, light appetizers instead of a five-course meal, just thirty guests, and a $10,000 dress all at the same time. Just because you want #luxe in one “category” doesn’t mean you need — or even want — that feeling across the board.
So, that wedding dress budget you were talking about?
We’d recommend you choose an off the rack wedding dress from an authorized designer dealer like LBR. You might just find that Vera Wang or Pronovias Atelier dress at a price up to 75% less than its original listing. If you want the brand but feel nervous about the cost, you’re not alone. As the Luxe Strategist put it when discussing her own $16,000 wedding, you don’t have to “set foot in a bridal salon” even once to achieve your perfect wedding look. (Plus, you might just find you do have the money left over to go to Greece.)
Your dress, your choice.
After all, your off the rack bridal store probably has the best relationships with those designers you love. Because we take the samples, the overstock, the slightly different styles off their hands, we can have some of them available for re-order. And other brands we have carry exclusively — we’re the only store to have Marquise Bridal in Chicago, for example.
Know your wedding dress budget already? Let’s talk. Make an appointment with us online or call us with your big ideas.
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