Getting married to your significant other is an expensive venture. From a wedding venue, a 3-course meal, flower arrangements to a bridal gown, tying the knot can break the bank. According to Golden Girl Finance, the average Canadian wedding costs $31,000.
Nowadays, shows like “Say Yes to the Dress,” glorifies spending an exorbitant amount of money on one dress for the special day. But, is it worth it to pay thousands of dollars for a gown that you’ll only wear once in your life? Owner of Lavender Bridal Boutique, Agatha Ozga says prices haven’t skyrocketed as much as you may think.
“From personal research the average cost of a wedding dress in the 1930’s was about $1400’s. I would say brides spend on an average of $1500-$2000. Although many brides decide to spend more nowadays, because they have access to a lot more styles and options than did 20-30 years ago where it was common to have a dress made by a dressmaker,” Ozga says.
When shopping for a wedding dress, brides tend to stick within a budget. Although, Ozga explains that many brides are open to paying more than their budget allows for a dress they love. She says a bridal gown is a type of investment, “It is a sentimental investment, because you hold onto the gown as a keepsake or heirloom for children. It’s a symbol of one of the most important days of their life, and timeless photos of her in the gown will last for a lifetime.”
Courtesy of Lavender Bridal
Although, there are aspects of the full bridal attire which includes, the gown, veil, shoes and jewellery that can help keep you within your budget. Ozga breaks down what exactly you should splurge on and what you should save on.
“Splurge on the dress as it is the statement piece to your wedding, you want to feel incredibly beautiful on this day. Shoes are good to splurge on as you want to be comfortable on your feet all day. Save on veil or accessories like jewellery. Veils can be very expensive, and you will only wear it for a small portion of the day so that money could go towards shoes or dress,” Ozga says.
When it comes to styles of wedding dresses, the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19th will be a pivotal moment for bridal fashion. With all eyes on Markle’s fashion choices leading up to the big day, her wedding gown will likely be a historical moment.
When asked what Ozga predicts for Markle’s wedding dress style, she says she sees the soon-to-be princess keeping it classic, “I see Meghan wearing a British designer, likely Alexander McQueen, which was also the brand Kate Middleton wore. I imagine a one of a kind couture gown, likely a ball-gown similar to Grace Kelly’s, perhaps with sleeves because she will marry in a Cathedral.”
*All prices in video are according to Golden Girl Finance.
