STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

BargainQueen · Marc Jacobs

RE: Ughhh... what would you do?

bex · Chanel

BargainQueen wrote:

Elle wrote:

Dress #1, cheaper veil. As someone who did the opposite for money/practicality purposes and still regrets it, do it. I still think about the dress I didn't get, even though the one I did was pretty and I liked it and the price was right. IMO settling on the dress decision took away that 'ooooooh my dress!' feeling, and after the fact I have no sentimentality for it whatsoever. It was fine, but it wasn't The Dress. It's great to be practical, especially about a wedding, but don't be practical to a fault! You gotta know when to let it go!

I was really happy with my veil from Veil Shop - they make most things to order, and you can customize. Their mantilla collection is here.

If anyone is allowed one impractical, ridiculously outrageous purchase, it really really should be your wedding dress! If there is any way it can be done (and I'm assuming there is if you're still seriously considering it), do it.

-- Edited by Elle at 11:58, 2007-05-24

DITTO!!! My actual dress and my "OOOHH" Dress cost the same, but I went with the traditional ball gown instead of a strapless form fit dress I adored. It was nice, but I wish I would have stuck with my gut and got the other one just like Elle. $7K is alot of money, especially for something you'll only wear one time, but you dont want to be regretfull forever for not gettin it. I like Alliegurl's suggestion... can you find another boutique that can give you a better price on it? Either that or take the price and show it to your current boutique and have them lower their price so you can get it there. And get a cheaper veil

i agree with going with your gut on your dress. i love dress #1 btw. i highly suggest getting someone to make it for you if $7K is too much to swallow. my mom is making my dress which is kind of a copy from one that i liked at Saks and kind of my own creation. I posted before that I tried on dresses from the $3-7K range and was dissapointed to find that all of them were of polyester content. my dress is made from 100% silk duchess satin and i'm getting my dress made for around $500 in materials. Of course, I'm not paying my mother labour but she said she would have charged a client around $2K for the dress that she is making for me. (she used to make wedding dresses for people)

Just an idea...

kittenheels · Coach

I think the first dress is lovely and the second sounds nice as well. I loved everything about my dress. I don't know if you would be comfortable discussing/trying the dresses with your photographer present/or if your mother/friends/sisters are into photography, but that was a huge factor in my decision (my mother is a pretty serious amateur photog, so she really helped me focus on dresses that would photograph well). You have the pictures for a very long time so I think you should choose the dress that you are most comfortable with.

The only reason that I would lean toward dress one is that it would be very stressful after all the alterations you mentioned, you weren't completely comfortable with dress two. Good luck and let us know your decision.

sydney · Kate Spade

I'd go #2. The wedding is really about committing to your new hubby and your new life together. I'm sure you can make #2 work (OR maybe you'll stumble upon another one - you still have a few months left to make a decision.) I'm normally the girl that spends and spends, but think of the appreciation you'd get from your parents for thinking of them. I think you could get a really nice dress for under $2000

MissMee · Kate Spade

I think you should keep looking, just in case. I believe that people at your wedding are going to remember nice details of the wedding, not the gown. Do some extra splurges for the ceremony and reception instead of spending that much on the gown. I loved my gown, but it was only $1600, not including the veil. It's still hanging in my closet in its bag, and I feel sorry for it! aww

Think of how you'd feel if you spilled wine or food on the couture gown. Not to mention sweat stains....ick! I'd barf just thinking of possibly ruining a $7000 gown!

Jahni · Dooney & Bourke

Dress #1...cheaper veil (unless you loooove that veil too)...I think you'd regret it more if you wore a dress you weren't in love with....

#1 is amazing...And I agree with AllieGurl...find something else to cut back on...it's The Dress! It's the center of your wedding...you've dreamed of it FOR-EV-AH...go for it.

greendiamond · Marc Jacobs

I'm having a harder time swallowing the $2K veil than the $5K dress. I say go for dress number one, especially since your folks don't mind the expense.

I'm glad that you aren't kidding yourself with trying to convince yourself that your daughter will wear the dress to her wedding one day, but you can get some mileage out of it by making it into a christening gown, and hankies for a future daughter to carry at her wedding. (My mom gave me one). Or even into a teddy bear (I have a mink teddy bear made from my grandmothers mink coat, it's a lovely way to remember her, surely any child would appreciate a bear made from their moms dress, when they we old enough not to slobber and drool on it).

-gd

Maat · Kenneth Cole

I would go with #2. You are going to look gorgeous no matter which one you pick! You are already so pretty and then they are going to tailor the dress to look like it was made for you and you will have your hair and make-up done. Also, I'm not really sure what people do with wedding gowns after the wedding. I think most of us agree our daughters aren't going to wear it and it's not like you are going to get all that much satisfaction out of taking it out of storage and looking at it after the wedding. OR maybe you should go with #1 and then after the wedding, donate the dress to someone that would have never dreamed they would have such an absolutely perfect and expensive dress.

sfclinevandy · Coach

Well, by accident I stumbled upon a totally different dress. It is NOTHING like the other 2 but I like it a lot. It's also a happy medium between the 2 price points. Of course the closest bridal salon that carries it is 3 states away but but it's 20 minutes away from my sister. So I sent her to check it out and they even let her try it on and send me pictures. I'm going to go see it in August and hope that this is the one.

So hopefully, it will work out.

erin · Chanel

good luck with this. while i would never spend that much personally, if i DID i would sell it after the wedding. you could probably get at least a thousand back.