When my bff asked me to be her maid of honor a while back, I gleefully agreed but also prepared myself for all the expenses that come with being a bridesmaid.
I was prepared for the $200+ dress I’d be buying to wear once and likely never again.
I was prepared for the $300 or so I invested into the bachelorette party.
I was prepared for the $250 or so I’d be putting towards hotel rooms.
I was prepared for the $100 or however much I ended up spending on a gift.
What I was not prepared for was the cost of the alterations. I guess I’ve never really paid for dress alterations before. The first wedding I was in some ten years ago was a family wedding and I was still in high school, so my mom paid for the three rounds of adjustments we had to go through. Two years ago, my cousin opted to allow her ‘maids to buy a J.Crew bridesmaid dress, and since J.Crew makes stuff people actually wear, I was able to get one that fit me on the first try. (And since cousin opted for a black dress, I’ve been able to wear said dress at least three times since . Brides to be, take note.)
Mind you, I’m not complaining about the bride AT ALL. She’s been wonderfully aloof about the whole planning a wedding process and very much the opposite of a bridezilla, for which I love her even more. And if she got divorced immediately and decided to do it all again the next day, I probably would go along with it, though I might have to take out a home equity loan.
Sadly, yellow roses do not follow me around when I wear this dress.
The dress is extremely tailored to fit around the waist, which basically makes it impossible to get the right size since it’s not made-to-order. When I got mine in, I basically had a dress that was ever so snug in the rear and waist but left enough room in the boob area to hold my extra tennis balls during a tennis match. And way too long for someone who’s 5’3″.
So, I took it to the seamstress, who said she could adjust, though it would take until FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING, therefore leaving no room for error. I tried it on, she clucked over it. Decided to hem it and shorten the shoulder straps. We were done. Here’s the claim ticket. I didn’t think to ask for the price, but getting my pants hemmed never cost more than like $20, so I wasn’t worried about a dress hemming and a strap shortening. Plus, I really, really was in a time crunch.
I picked it up today. Guess how much. Seriously. Guess.
I could never afford to be the maid of honor.
It would be pretty spiffy if yellow roses followed you around 🙂
I really have no idea what stuff like that costs. Way out of my area. I’ll humor you, though: $186.
But don’t get me started on the whole bridesmaid thing. I can’t reconcile the fact that people who get married have the gall to ask other people to spend money on the proceedings. It just seems rude.
I’m guessing that you spent about $100, given all of the detailing around the shoulders.
$150.
The bridal industry is a racket of epic proportions. I once had to pay an extra $80 on top of the $215 for a bridesmaid dress b/c the store told me I needed a plus size. Fine. Whatever. The girls couldn’t be squeezed too much I had to buy it. So, I get the dress weeks later and it’s so big that two of me could fit in it. So that was another $80 (no joke) in alterations.
Oh yes. And it had purple bows. On the shoulders.
I’m going to do the price is right thing and say $151.
Oh my gosh – I have this great little old lady in Dayton that took in my dress for Missy’s wedding for TEN BUCKS. She is a godsend. So….I hope it was only that.
um, the only bm dress – so far – that I have had to get alterations to was only $30 bc I only had to get a hem. I’m going to say $204.
great post – one I could really relate to; the yellow roses comment made me laugh 🙂
one wedding down, 4 more to go for 2007,
Angie
and apparently your next post needs to inform me of what year we are in. my bad.
I’m going to go with $75. I think everyone guessing $150ish is pushing it. But I could be very wrong. I’m going to be maid of honor (well, pending the collapse of another friendship… ha!) but not until 2010, so I guess I should start saving my pennies now?
oh, god, please don’t tell me all of this. i’m going to have to do this in december, and as you and i have the same junk-in-our-trunks issue, i’m worried this will be a nightmare. is your dress from david’s? that’s where mine is from. i am not looking forward to this situation. also, ladies out there, PLEASE consider short bridesmaids dresses. it’s just not fair to those of us paying hundreds of dollars for a dress we’ll just have to get chopped off to wear again.
I’m going to guess $100 although I really have no idea.
I’ll say $135.
When my friend Jules got married, she just had us all buy what ever dress we wanted as long as it was black. It was a wonderful wonderful thing.
Jenn: I’m trying to find someone to toss roses in my path as I walk … ever see Coming to America with Eddie Murphy?
Mickey: I blame the system, not the bride. Damn the man!
Tutugirl: If only it were that complicated.
Noodles: Damn the man! He’s tring to keep the girls down.
Noelle: I always wanted to be that person on the Price is Right that totally screwed someone else. Or won by betting $1.
Hélène: That’s it. I’m driving to Dayton every time I need an alteration.
Angie: How the heck have you had so many bridesmaid dresses and only one that needed altering? What is your secret?
Emma: YES, save, save, save. Or run away. Either might work.
CB: No on the Davids, but there might be a chance that your dress is cheaper if it comes from there. Also a hell of a lot more convenient to order than mine, which HAD to be ordered at a store in South Carolina.
Vanessa: And yet, you were one of the closest guesses.
Allie: That’s exactly what I plan to do if and when my day ever arrives. Or I’m eloping.