Even frugal brides don’t want a bargain-basement dress

Brides-to-be feeling the pinch of the current economic downturn might be willing to pare down their wine list, favors, even the guest list. Their gown, however, is often another story.

Long before they even find a groom, many women have a mental picture of what they'll look like walking down the aisle — and they're not ready to downgrade their dream dress. Knowing that dozens, even hundreds of eyes will be on them isn't exactly incentive to go the bargain route, either.

"People cut back in a variety of ways depending on their priorities. For most brides, the dress is a very big priority," says Millie Martini Bratten, editor in chief of Brides magazine. "It sets the tone for the whole wedding to come."

Wedding planner Tatiana Byron notes that a bride wants to be happy with the way she looks in the photos and video, the parts of the wedding that last longest.

"It's OK if you have a few less flowers — no one will notice. But you have to have your hair done, makeup done, great shoes and a great dress," says Byron, who founded the Wedding Salon bridal expo event.

According to a 2006 study, the most recent survey conducted by Brides, more than 30 percent of brides will spend upward of $1,000 on the dress, and 10 percent spend over $2,000.

Byron wishes her clients wouldn't become so consumed with the gown that they neglect other important considerations, such as date and venue. But she understands that it's with the dress that the excitement really kicks in.

Jennifer Hicks, publisher of Elegant Bride and Modern Bride magazines, concurs: "When a woman thinks about her wedding day at age 10, 11, 12, she's not thinking of the honeymoon or the reception, she's thinking about walking down the aisle and all eyes on her. The perception of who you are and what you're about is all related to the dress."

The couture-dress customer wouldn't think about skimping and probably doesn't have to, Hicks says; a few thousand dollars on the dress would hardly affect the budget of a six-figure wedding.

The mass customer, meanwhile, considers a gown that helps her feel sexy, romantic and stylish a good investment.

"Nobody wants to be thinking when they walk down the aisle that they wore this dress because it was cheaper," Hicks says.

Of course, a bride's dress budget should be

realistic.

Sarah Burton, retail director of Pronovias USA, says brides in her shop are shown each price clearly marked in an elaborate look-book before they try on a dress. Most brides won't turn down a gown they fall in love with because of cost, but at the same time, most brides come in with a spending limit.

"We sit down with our brides and have a chat about herself, her wedding and how she wants to look and feel," says Burton.

Nancy Segal limited her browsing of the Pronovias book to dresses costing between $1,000 and $2,000. Her romantic, Spanish-style gown makes the statement she wanted, and allowed her to stay in the middle of her budget.

"It was more than I wanted to spend, but I knew I needed to spend about that," said Segal, 41, of New York City. "I was very careful to select dresses that were only in my price range, and I purposely avoided putting on the more expensive dresses."

Added Brides magazine's Bratten: "If [a dress] is $5,000 and your budget is $1,200, that's a problem. But if your budget is $1,200 and it's $1,400, you can probably find the money somewhere else."