Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Bridesmaid Gripe: The bridesmaid dress is too expensive!

It's every bridesmaid's nightmare-the bride sends you a photo of the bridesmaid dress to be  in all its glory.  Yeah, the strapless layered chiffon gown with gathered bust in cantaloupe is gorgeous but then you see the price. $480!? Is the bride crazy?

What to do:
  • If the dress has already been bought, unfortunately it's now best to just keep quiet. With most bridesmaid dresses, they can't be returned or exchanged. It's now best to forever hold your peace. Exception: If the dresses can be returned, then speak up.
  • Don't just flat out reject the dress-that will put the bride on the defensive. Instead respond back that while the dress is beautiful/perfect for a beach wedding/just what you were thinking of, the price is more than you had budgeted for a bridesmaid dress. 
  • Offer to come up with alternatives. Send her photos of similar dresses stating that while you love the first dress, these dresses are just as nice and are half the cost.
  • Be prepared for the bride to be mad about your rejection of the dress. The bride is probably going to bring up your trip to Cabo or new big-screen TV. Be calm.
  • Give the bride a specific price point that you had budgeted for. Tell her that you budgeted $200 for the dress and that a dress of $350 is just too much. This allows the bride to search for a dress in the budgeted amount, as well as offer suggestions on how to bring the dress down to the budgeted price. i.e. The bride offers to pay the difference, to pay for alterations, etc.

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