The Four Main Things that Determine the Price of a Wedding Dress

Wedding dresses are a very expensive investment. Many people complain that wedding dresses are overpriced especially in today's economy. However, there are reasons why the average cost of a wedding gown is around $1,100. There are four main aspects of a wedding dress that cause the price to rise: Fabric, Inner lining and construction, Ornamentation, and The skill of the seamstress constructing your gown.

Fabric

 The type of fabric that you choose will affect the cost as well as the appearance of your gown. Certain fabrics are seasonal, whereas others are better worn for specific locations. Here is a list of the main fabrics used to create wedding gowns, their cost in comparison to others, and any seasonal suggestions.

Charmeuse: machine-woven from silk or synthetic fibers. It is frequently found in lingerie, because it is both lighter and softer than satin. It drapes well on the body, following the body's contour. Generally, charmeuse is shiny on one side and matte on the reverse. It has a soft drape and is best for unstructured, flowing styles, empire, mermaid gowns. It's very delicate and has an especially luxurious feel and rich look. It's less expensive than silk satin, but more expensive than synthetic fabrics. Silk charmeuse, also sometimes referred to as "crepe backed satin" is a form of silk satin, but is very thin and floaty. This fabric is best worn in warmer months, but because of its unusually rich appearance, can also be worn in the winter.

Chiffon:  is machine-woven from silk or synthetic fibers like nylon. It is soft, sheer, and transparent so, because of its ethereal quality, it is often used as the overlay on the gown's skirt and is popular for sleeves, overskirts, and wraps and is often layered. Chiffon can be made from silk (more expensive) or rayon (more affordable). It has a soft, fluid drape and is best for overskirts, layered wedding, sheer sleeves, ballgown, and empire gowns. It is much less expensive than silk. Chiffon, is lightweight, and is available in just about any color. It does, however, wrinkle easily (not as much as silk) and is quite delicate.

 Georgette: is a sheer, lightweight fabric, georgette is made of polyester or silk with a crepe surface. It's light and floaty, perfect for a top layer and forms a soft silhouette. It's best for layered wedding gowns, ballgowns, empire and

mermaid styles.

Lace: can be woven from silk or cotton. Usually comes in several different kinds of weaves including, for example, Chantilly embroidered. 

 

 Organza: is also woven from silk or synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon. Its weave is what gives it its unique quality. The process is called plain-weave, a technique in which the fibers are crisscrossed. The resulting fabric is sheer and "crunchy" and comes in either a shiny, or sparkly finish. Organza is basically a stiffer chiffon, just as sheer, but not a "floaty." Its luxurious and lightweight which makes it perfect as a sheer fabric for top layer or inserts. The drape is crisp and it's best for layered gowns, veils, trains, fully-l layered skirts, ballgowns, or column-style gowns. It does, however, wrinkles easily. It's also very delicate, and tends to be on the expensive side. It's best suited for warmer months, but can be worn at anytime of the year. 

Satin: there are many different types of satin.is obtained from natural (silk) or synthetic fibers (nylon). What distinguishes it is that satin has a high thread count that comes from using many layers of fiber. Silk satin is the most traditional of wedding gown fabrics. DUCHESS SATIN, PEAU DE SOIE, BRIDAL SATIN is much like satin and is obtained from woven silk. It can be woven from synthetic fibers. Its very high thread count makes it a heavier fabric that works well in the winter, albeit it is used in other seasons as well. It has a dull lustrous, rich, buttery soft finish, fine ribs, a grainy appearance and a dull back. It's of medium weight and a semi stiff drape, making it best for tailored silhouette, simple formal wedding gowns, a base for embellishments, A-Line, ballgown, and mermaid gowns. Although it's considered by most to be the most luxurious of all fabrics, it is also one of the most expensive, as much for example as three times as much as silk taffeta. It's also not as durable as poly satin and somewhat heavier than some other fabrics. Because silk can't be bleached without ruining the integrity of the fabric, it cannot be made in pure white, which is the case for all silk fabrics. Its qualities make it best to be worn in cooler months, but it's really perfect at anytime of the year. 

Silk is a soft material that gives off a muted shine. Silk comes from fiber that is obtained from the cocoon of the silkworm. The fiber is spun into thread and woven into cloth. What's amazing is that the same thread can be woven into several fabrics that include satin, taffeta, organza, chiffon, lace, and tulle. Silk is still the most popular gown material.

Taffeta is obtained from woven, silk, nylon, acetate, and/or other synthetic fibers like polyester. The stiffer the taffeta, the higher its quality. The way to judge its quality is to crinkle it up in your hands. If it stays crunched it's of higher quality than if it "reverts" to being flat, then it's of a lesser quality. It's interesting to note that, unlike other sythetics, some synthetic taffetas are actually of a better quality than silk taffeta. The fabric looks ribbed with a dull, or a light sheen. It's best suited for the lining, or the outer fabric of a gown with wide skirts, and/or structured silhouette such as A-lies and ballgowns. It has many pros. It's lightweight, looks good even if it gets a bit wrinkled, and can be produced in alomost every color. The synthetic varieties can sometimes, but not always, prove to be as pricey as silk. It's not as lustrous as satin and the "swishing" is irritating to some brides. Its qualities make it best to be worn anytime, because it's rich enough for the winter and lightweight enough for the summer.

Inner Boning and Construction

The more boning and inner construction in a gown, the higher the price of the gown. The Princess Cut frequently comes with this type of boned bodice. Also many sheath gowns come with boning to help the dress be stiffer. Positively, the price of alterations tends to go down since the dresses fit better. Some people also find the boning uncomfortable and prefer simple seams. The choice is yours as boning is not required. Your preferences govern how the inner construction will affect the cost of your gown.

Ornamentation 

Ornamentation is a definite cost booster. Especially in many of the more ornamented gowns. Some of the wedding gowns that we have in our store have over 10,000 individually sewn beads that have required days of skilled sewing. Other types of ornamentation include lace, beadwork, appliques, and stunning patterns that will cause your guests to gasp in awe at your gorgeous gown! The more specialized the ornamentation the higher the price of the gown. The more skilled the seamastress who sewed the beads, the higher the price of the gown.

The skill of the Seamstress constructing your gown

Many gowns are hand sketched and designed with the most luxurious and exquisite fabrics available and are hand sewn by the most talented artisans on the planet. Here at A Bridal World, our gowns are one-of-a kind. No one else will have the exact gown that you have. It may be similar, but it cannot be the exact same. Our gowns are constructed by private designers. The gowns here at the store are selected by the owner and staff so that we have the perfect selection to reach any kind of bride who walks through our doors. You won't see our gowns at any other bridal salon in town!