In our opinion, one of the best pieces of advice we can give brides before they begin dress shopping is to set their gown budget. If you want a successful and stress-free shopping experience, it’s best to decide on a budget ahead of time. This includes having the budget discussion with whomever is buying the dress.
Many times when we sit down with the bride and her group at the beginning of the appointment the bride is able to give details about her wedding vision including the venue, style elements of the wedding, and even what she envisions for her dress. But one question that we always ask, the dreaded “Do you have a budget for your dress?” question, often brings an uncomfortable feel to the air. It becomes apparent quite quickly if a budget has not been discussed or the bride is unsure who is paying for the gown!
Now, some brides or groups may think that the budget isn’t important at the beginning of dress shopping… either because the bride “Is only looking right now” or “She isn’t ready to find a dress, we just want to see what’s out there…”. But time and time again, we see brides who say Yes! to their dress when they didn’t expect to! Many times “just looking” turns into falling in love with a dress- and fast! So just like that *snaps fingers* you are staring at a dress you love without giving a thought to how or who is going to pay for it!
This is why it is so important to follow these tips:
- Research ahead of time the price range of bridal gowns you will be looking at (any store should be able to tell you their price range over the phone).
- Set a budget for yourself in collaboration with the person purchasing your dress (if it isn’t yourself).
- Stick to the budget as best as possible and enjoy a stress-free shopping experience!
Once you shop with a budget in mind, it allows your consultant to pull dresses within your price range that will WOW you + your crowd...Which is the ultimate goal!
Enjoy this season of life and happy shopping!
Xoxo
The ladies of Louise Christine