Why A Wedding Dress Costs What it Does and How to Establish a Budget for Your Dress, Part 4
Ornamentation
Another important aspect of what makes up the overall cost of a wedding dress is its ornamentation. In fact, much of a gown’s personality is made up in the type and amount of ornamentation it has. Dresses are often adorned with seed pearls, Swarovski crystals, and exquisite appliqués with corresponding beading. A big part of the cost of a wedding dress (especially the most expensive ones) is the quality of the little details that make up your dress.
One of the biggest aspects of ornamentation is the train of a wedding gown. Anciently, the length of the train was an indication of the amount of wealth the bride’s family possessed. The longer the train, the wealthier you were. It was a status symbol and a way to show off your wealth to those who were invited to the wedding. Today, the type and length of train is most likely an indication of the formality or informality of the wedding. Longer trains tend to be more formal and less formal gowns typically have smaller court or sweep trains.
Since there are many types of ornamentation, I would recommend that you settle on a silhouette or cut before you consider all of the different types of ornamentation. The fit is really one of the most important features you should consider. Then, you can find a dress in that cut with the ornamentation that will best set the tone you want to create at your wedding.
That’s it. Those are the four biggest things that make up the price of a dress. Now, when you go to a bridal store, you’ll know why dresses cost what they do. You’ll also understand the myth of the $99 wedding gown. This myth has been primarily promoted by big box retailers who use this low, low price as a tantalizing hook to get you to come into their stores. In reality, there are usually very few if any wedding dresses in that price range that are also in your size. And more importantly, you won’t likely like the cheap dress for a lack of one of the reasons mentioned above.
How much you end up spending on your dress is completely up to you. I hope that this series has been helpful to you in determining why a dress costs what it does so you can be more realistic in your budget assessment for your dress. Nothing is more frustrating for a bride who drives to every bridal shop and spends hundreds of dollars in time and money and gas looking for the perfect dress for $100 that doesn’t exist. Some brides will be super-focused on finding a dress in this price range and then be devastated later to find that she spent more on alterations to fix the dress to fit her figure. She could have had the dress she really wanted if she would have budgeted a little more and got what she really wanted that fit her right in the first place. There is no reason for you to make this same mistake.
Now you know that there is a reason why wedding dresses cost what they do. At our store, we want to help you find the perfect dress at a price that will fit within your overall budget. In fact, we are so confident that we can help you find a dress on your first visit, we will email you a $100 coupon (upon request) for you to save off the price of any wedding dress you find in our store over $799. We can’t wait to see you in our store and help you find the dress of your dreams!
Request your coupon and make your appointment NOW!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
The Myth of the $99 to $300 Wedding Gown - Part 3
Why A Wedding Dress Costs What it Does and How to Establish a Budget for Your Dress, Part 3
Workmanship
There are literally hundreds of hours of work in the construction of every single wedding gown we sell at our store. It is easy for some brides to want to buy a wedding gown for a price of $99 or $299 without having any consideration for the amount of time and the sheer talent that goes into constructing, and hand-stitching every bead and bit of appliqué onto a dress. Especially if you have never sewn anything more than that potholder you made in first grade, you really cannot conceptualize the labor involved. Most of the dresses in our store sell between $700 and $1500. When you look closely at what goes into the construction of each gown, you would be absolutely amazed and floored by how inexpensively you can wear such a beautiful work of art on your wedding day, considering the time it takes to construct that perfect gown. As an example, it takes one highly skilled seamstress twenty-three eight-hour days to sew on more than 10,000 beads on one of the dresses in our store.
To appreciate the level of skill and workmanship this requires, time yourself sewing fifty beads (in three different colors) onto a piece of fabric in just a straight line, much less an intricate and beautiful pattern. How long would it take you to sew on these fifty beads? You can’t make a mistake and put two of the same colored beads together and the beads must be sewn on by hand, one-by-one. Once you have spent a few minutes threading a needle, sticking yourself with the needle, having the needle get unthreaded again, etc. you really begin to appreciate the talent and skill the dressmakers have who construct each and every one of the beautiful gowns you see in our store by hand.
The skilled professionals who sew each and every dress in our store have spent years mastering their craft and take tremendous pride in their work. Shopping for a dress with only a dollar number in mind, discounts the tremendous efforts that are put forward by skilled professionals who have dedicated themselves to true mastery.
Most inexpensive wedding gowns that are priced under $500 are often made by less skilled artisans who are just beginning the process of learning how to make wedding gowns.
In Part 4, we will discuss the ornamentation of wedding gowns - the details that give them their own personality and beauty.
Workmanship
There are literally hundreds of hours of work in the construction of every single wedding gown we sell at our store. It is easy for some brides to want to buy a wedding gown for a price of $99 or $299 without having any consideration for the amount of time and the sheer talent that goes into constructing, and hand-stitching every bead and bit of appliqué onto a dress. Especially if you have never sewn anything more than that potholder you made in first grade, you really cannot conceptualize the labor involved. Most of the dresses in our store sell between $700 and $1500. When you look closely at what goes into the construction of each gown, you would be absolutely amazed and floored by how inexpensively you can wear such a beautiful work of art on your wedding day, considering the time it takes to construct that perfect gown. As an example, it takes one highly skilled seamstress twenty-three eight-hour days to sew on more than 10,000 beads on one of the dresses in our store.
To appreciate the level of skill and workmanship this requires, time yourself sewing fifty beads (in three different colors) onto a piece of fabric in just a straight line, much less an intricate and beautiful pattern. How long would it take you to sew on these fifty beads? You can’t make a mistake and put two of the same colored beads together and the beads must be sewn on by hand, one-by-one. Once you have spent a few minutes threading a needle, sticking yourself with the needle, having the needle get unthreaded again, etc. you really begin to appreciate the talent and skill the dressmakers have who construct each and every one of the beautiful gowns you see in our store by hand.
The skilled professionals who sew each and every dress in our store have spent years mastering their craft and take tremendous pride in their work. Shopping for a dress with only a dollar number in mind, discounts the tremendous efforts that are put forward by skilled professionals who have dedicated themselves to true mastery.
Most inexpensive wedding gowns that are priced under $500 are often made by less skilled artisans who are just beginning the process of learning how to make wedding gowns.
In Part 4, we will discuss the ornamentation of wedding gowns - the details that give them their own personality and beauty.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The Myth of the $99 to $300 Wedding Gown - Part 2
Why A Wedding Dress Costs What it Does and How to Establish a Budget for Your Dress, Part 2
Inner Construction
As I mentioned previously, a very important part of the fabric that makes up a wedding dress is its lining. Lower priced gowns usually don’t have any lining at all. As the price of wedding dresses increases, you’ll find variations in the transparency and opulence of the fabrics that are used. In fact, some of the fabrics used for the inner lining on more expensive or couture dresses could be used as the outer fabric of many beautiful gowns. The difference in the thickness, thread count, and overall quality of the lining makes a huge difference in how well the dress flows, and most importantly, fits. Gowns that have very inexpensive lining often cause the outer part of your dress to make creases in the dress that won’t flatter your figure. Many dress manufacturers and big box retailers are able to offer dresses for seemingly low prices by cutting corners with less expensive dress linings or by using no lining at all underneath a dress.
Probably the biggest thing you’ll notice when looking at the inside of a wedding dress that indicates high quality and construction is how the inner bodice of a wedding dress is made. The most expensive and highest quality gowns often have a built in bustier with boning that will flatter the figure of anyone in the dress. Some of these gowns are quite elaborate and exquisite.
When you come in for your appointment, please ask to see the inner construction of these gowns. You’ll be amazed by the attention to detail and the way the dress will fit on you. In fact, many brides tell us that this is what draws them to buy one dress over another – how it fits and how they feel in it (which is all influenced by the inner construction of a gown).
Part 3 of this series will address the workmanship that goes into making a wedding gown. Coming soon, so keep checking in!
Inner Construction
As I mentioned previously, a very important part of the fabric that makes up a wedding dress is its lining. Lower priced gowns usually don’t have any lining at all. As the price of wedding dresses increases, you’ll find variations in the transparency and opulence of the fabrics that are used. In fact, some of the fabrics used for the inner lining on more expensive or couture dresses could be used as the outer fabric of many beautiful gowns. The difference in the thickness, thread count, and overall quality of the lining makes a huge difference in how well the dress flows, and most importantly, fits. Gowns that have very inexpensive lining often cause the outer part of your dress to make creases in the dress that won’t flatter your figure. Many dress manufacturers and big box retailers are able to offer dresses for seemingly low prices by cutting corners with less expensive dress linings or by using no lining at all underneath a dress.
Probably the biggest thing you’ll notice when looking at the inside of a wedding dress that indicates high quality and construction is how the inner bodice of a wedding dress is made. The most expensive and highest quality gowns often have a built in bustier with boning that will flatter the figure of anyone in the dress. Some of these gowns are quite elaborate and exquisite.
When you come in for your appointment, please ask to see the inner construction of these gowns. You’ll be amazed by the attention to detail and the way the dress will fit on you. In fact, many brides tell us that this is what draws them to buy one dress over another – how it fits and how they feel in it (which is all influenced by the inner construction of a gown).
Part 3 of this series will address the workmanship that goes into making a wedding gown. Coming soon, so keep checking in!
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Myth of the $99 to $300 Wedding Gown - Part 1
Why A Wedding Dress Cost What it Does and How to Establish a Budget for Your Dress
Following engagement, many brides discover that things are much more expensive than they thought they would be, particularly when it comes to a wedding dress. Many brides today come into bridal salons saying they have budgeted two or three hundred dollars on the low end for a wedding dress and maybe up to five hundred dollars on the high end. They are shocked to find the nearly impossible task of finding a well-made dress in this price range.
Most brides who have insisted on finding a dress in the $99 to $300 price range have found quickly that all dresses are not created equal. Those brides who are so set on a low-end price often end up spending more money on alterations than they did on the price of their dress because it is so inexpensively made.
In fact, most gowns that are sold at regular price for less than $600 that you see heavily advertised and promoted by the big box retailers are made from synthetic fabrics that have minimal construction details and are made this way by the store’s request to their manufacturer to cut costs. These dresses usually don’t have underlining, have minimal boning (if any at all) and are missing other structural supports to help the dress fit properly. These supports are extremely important as both boning and underlining fabrics help to hold the bodice of a dress up and securely in place. They also help provide a smooth fit over the bodice of the dress. If a dress doesn’t have boning or good lining, you will see more wrinkles and crinkling of the fabric in a wedding dress. The last thing a bride wants to see in her wedding dress is bulges in the fabric of her dress due minimal boning and lack of inner construction.
If you have been feeling stressed by the cost of your wedding and in particular a number you’ve budgeted for your wedding dress, I’ve written this just for you. I’d hate for you to make a mistake with such an important purchase that will be one of the focal points of your big day (especially since everyone will see you in it and will comment on how you look).
In this series, I’ll explore how myths like the $99 to $300 wedding dress have appeared and why wedding dresses cost what they do. I’ll also share with you several insights into how wedding gowns are constructed so you can be sure you are getting the best value for your money. The initial sticker shock of wedding dresses may have come as a surprise to you. Why does a dress you’ll wear one day of your life seem to cost so much? There are four reasons and they all encompass various aspects of how the dress is made.
Fabric
The first reason is fabric. This is what makes up the majority of the dress. Within each type of fabric, there are also many different grades or quality of fabric. Dresses can be made of silk, various types and varying grades of satin, chiffon, and organza. Many dresses today are also draped with exquisite lace. Most moderately priced wedding gowns ($600 to $2000) are constructed from much higher quality fabrics and ornamentation and use higher grade fabrics that drape more elegantly and show off their versatility in design. The ornamentation and beading that is sewn onto these dresses is also of a much higher quality. There are varying degrees of inner construction and most all dresses in this price range are fully underlined for stability and to give your finished dress a smoother appearance as it drapes across your figure. These dresses usually have some crinoline built into the skirt to provide additional support to that part of the dress.
In future installments of this series, I will cover Inner Construction, Workmanship and Ornamentation, as well as a way you can save money on your gown! Look for those installments, coming soon!
Following engagement, many brides discover that things are much more expensive than they thought they would be, particularly when it comes to a wedding dress. Many brides today come into bridal salons saying they have budgeted two or three hundred dollars on the low end for a wedding dress and maybe up to five hundred dollars on the high end. They are shocked to find the nearly impossible task of finding a well-made dress in this price range.
Most brides who have insisted on finding a dress in the $99 to $300 price range have found quickly that all dresses are not created equal. Those brides who are so set on a low-end price often end up spending more money on alterations than they did on the price of their dress because it is so inexpensively made.
In fact, most gowns that are sold at regular price for less than $600 that you see heavily advertised and promoted by the big box retailers are made from synthetic fabrics that have minimal construction details and are made this way by the store’s request to their manufacturer to cut costs. These dresses usually don’t have underlining, have minimal boning (if any at all) and are missing other structural supports to help the dress fit properly. These supports are extremely important as both boning and underlining fabrics help to hold the bodice of a dress up and securely in place. They also help provide a smooth fit over the bodice of the dress. If a dress doesn’t have boning or good lining, you will see more wrinkles and crinkling of the fabric in a wedding dress. The last thing a bride wants to see in her wedding dress is bulges in the fabric of her dress due minimal boning and lack of inner construction.
If you have been feeling stressed by the cost of your wedding and in particular a number you’ve budgeted for your wedding dress, I’ve written this just for you. I’d hate for you to make a mistake with such an important purchase that will be one of the focal points of your big day (especially since everyone will see you in it and will comment on how you look).
In this series, I’ll explore how myths like the $99 to $300 wedding dress have appeared and why wedding dresses cost what they do. I’ll also share with you several insights into how wedding gowns are constructed so you can be sure you are getting the best value for your money. The initial sticker shock of wedding dresses may have come as a surprise to you. Why does a dress you’ll wear one day of your life seem to cost so much? There are four reasons and they all encompass various aspects of how the dress is made.
Fabric
The first reason is fabric. This is what makes up the majority of the dress. Within each type of fabric, there are also many different grades or quality of fabric. Dresses can be made of silk, various types and varying grades of satin, chiffon, and organza. Many dresses today are also draped with exquisite lace. Most moderately priced wedding gowns ($600 to $2000) are constructed from much higher quality fabrics and ornamentation and use higher grade fabrics that drape more elegantly and show off their versatility in design. The ornamentation and beading that is sewn onto these dresses is also of a much higher quality. There are varying degrees of inner construction and most all dresses in this price range are fully underlined for stability and to give your finished dress a smoother appearance as it drapes across your figure. These dresses usually have some crinoline built into the skirt to provide additional support to that part of the dress.
In future installments of this series, I will cover Inner Construction, Workmanship and Ornamentation, as well as a way you can save money on your gown! Look for those installments, coming soon!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Brides Across America
FROM CAMOUFLAGE TO WEDDING GOWNS, BRIDES ACROSS AMERICA AND RAINBOW’S END WEDDINGS & MORE MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE BY HONORING MILITARY BRIDES-TO-BE!
On July 12 & 13th, Rainbow’s End Weddings & More will team up with the national charitable organization Brides Across America by donating couture wedding gowns to military brides. In celebration of Independence Day, Rainbow’s End Weddings & More will honor military brides and saying thank you to our troops by giving away designer wedding gowns. Some of the designer gowns are from Impression, Alfred Angelo, Eden, Maggie Sottero, Raylia, Mon Cheri, and other prominent designers.
The event will take place at Rainbow’s End Weddings & More, located at 3200 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, New York. Brides will be serviced on a first-come, first-serve basis. Brides are encouraged to come early and secure their place in line, as there is a limited supply. The gowns to be donated are valued between $500 and $1,500 and range from sizes 4-28.
In order to qualify, brides or their fiancé must be on active duty in the military, either currently deployed or deployed within the last five years to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Libya or Japan. Identification and deployment papers must be presented at the event to qualify.
Rainbow’s End Weddings & More joins bridal salons across the country in this nationwide event to show their support for our troops. These important events coordinated through Brides Across America make it possible for military brides, who would unlikely otherwise have the opportunity, to wear designer wedding gowns on their big day.
For military brides who are interested in more information, contact Rainbow’s End Weddings & More at 607-432-6324 or visit www.rainbowsendweddings.com.
About Brides Across America
Brides Across America, a Massachusetts based charitable organization focuses on providing free wedding gowns to those military brides that have not been able to have their dream wedding. Brides Across America is connecting with bridal salons across the nation to help spread the military spirit. Since 2007, Brides Across America and its partners have given away more than 6000 wedding gowns nationwide.
Without organizations like Brides Across America, many military brides would not have the chance to have a wedding. Due to deployment, timing and economic circumstances many military brides get cheated out of having their dream wedding. Heidi Janson, founder of Brides Across America makes that dream into a reality and all for free! Heidi states, “It’s time we give back, but most of all say thank you!” For more information, visit www.bridesacrossamerica.com
On July 12 & 13th, Rainbow’s End Weddings & More will team up with the national charitable organization Brides Across America by donating couture wedding gowns to military brides. In celebration of Independence Day, Rainbow’s End Weddings & More will honor military brides and saying thank you to our troops by giving away designer wedding gowns. Some of the designer gowns are from Impression, Alfred Angelo, Eden, Maggie Sottero, Raylia, Mon Cheri, and other prominent designers.
The event will take place at Rainbow’s End Weddings & More, located at 3200 Chestnut Street, Oneonta, New York. Brides will be serviced on a first-come, first-serve basis. Brides are encouraged to come early and secure their place in line, as there is a limited supply. The gowns to be donated are valued between $500 and $1,500 and range from sizes 4-28.
In order to qualify, brides or their fiancé must be on active duty in the military, either currently deployed or deployed within the last five years to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Libya or Japan. Identification and deployment papers must be presented at the event to qualify.
Rainbow’s End Weddings & More joins bridal salons across the country in this nationwide event to show their support for our troops. These important events coordinated through Brides Across America make it possible for military brides, who would unlikely otherwise have the opportunity, to wear designer wedding gowns on their big day.
For military brides who are interested in more information, contact Rainbow’s End Weddings & More at 607-432-6324 or visit www.rainbowsendweddings.com.
About Brides Across America
Brides Across America, a Massachusetts based charitable organization focuses on providing free wedding gowns to those military brides that have not been able to have their dream wedding. Brides Across America is connecting with bridal salons across the nation to help spread the military spirit. Since 2007, Brides Across America and its partners have given away more than 6000 wedding gowns nationwide.
Without organizations like Brides Across America, many military brides would not have the chance to have a wedding. Due to deployment, timing and economic circumstances many military brides get cheated out of having their dream wedding. Heidi Janson, founder of Brides Across America makes that dream into a reality and all for free! Heidi states, “It’s time we give back, but most of all say thank you!” For more information, visit www.bridesacrossamerica.com
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Blogging Begins
So, I’m the owner of Rainbow’s End Weddings & More in Oneonta, New York. If you have purchased your gown from us in the last 14 years, odds are you’ve seen me. I’m always there. It’s a tough, but rewarding job to have and it requires knowing a little bit about everything there is to know about weddings - not just wedding gowns. But we do know a lot about wedding gowns! We know which styles cinch that waistline, add curves in just the right places, and make you look like a million bucks (without paying a million bucks). We put brides into gowns that flatter their figure AND have the dreamy qualities they always wanted in their wedding gown. That is the rewarding part. There are SO many questions that come up that will affect your choice of gown and your entire wedding party’s attire. From the little stuff, like sitting and dancing in your gown, to the big stuff, like weather, location and budget. Myself, and everyone at Rainbow’s End Weddings & More is here to partner with you and guide you through these uncharted waters. Our goal is for you to be a happy, stress-free bride, but an informed bride as well. Things go along much more smoothly if there are few surprises along the way. So, communicate with us – ask questions – express your thoughts and feelings openly and listen to the information we provide. And remember, the only way we can meet your needs is if you let us know what they are. Every customer is different, so in order to help you to the best of our ability, we need to know what will make this a great experience for you. Some brides like us to provide guidance every step of the way, while others prefer a less “hands on” approach.
We are your advocate – we are here to use our combined years of experience and knowledge (over 50 years) in the wedding business to your advantage. Remember, this may be the first time you are doing this – but we have done it hundreds and hundreds of times! Oh, and one other point that I cannot stress enough - the internet. These days, we rely heavily on the internet. As a matter of fact, you are on there right now if you are reading this. As a general tool, the internet is a great source of information (and occasionally some misinformation), but we sometimes forget to take advantage of the living, breathing information network called humankind. The internet cannot calm your anxieties, it only fuels them. It cannot hold your hand, dry your tears or solve any problems. We can. Like I said before, we are your partner in this process. Lean on us for advice, strength and a laugh or two when you need it.
This blog will be littered with informative wedding day tips, bridal gown trends, new product arrivals to our store and all sorts of other wedding stuff to help make your special day totally awesome! And of course – Rainbow’s End Weddings & More will announce all their specials and sales on here so you can be one of the first brides to take advantage of the savings.
I look forward to meeting each and every one of you, and assisting you with the more important day of your life. ~ Norah ~
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