I found the dress but I can't afford it!

I went to my first real dress appointment this morning at Kleinfelds in NY and I tried on a bunch of dresses. They were all beautiful, but nothing really jumped out... and then the saleswoman brought out "the dress." On the hanger, I wasn't so impressed, but then I put it on and I was floored! It is a Pnina Tornai (never heard of her but she is israeli like me) dress that looks very similar to the lace Monique Loulier (sp?) with the cap sleeves and open back... but I loved this one even more (I tried on both).

 

So here is the problem: the dress costs $4800.00 (including alterations) which is WAAAAYYYY out of my price range. I can't even try to find it somewhere else as a sample because it's only sold at the NY Kleinfelds!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!

 

FI said if I love it more than life itself then I should get it, but I can't realy rationalize spending that kind of money on a dress... what do I do?!?!?!

lol, you should have KNOWN going into kleinfelds!!!!!!!

 

i wish i could help but i was in the same predicament until i happened to find a dress that i liked better than the $$$ one...maybe keep shopping??

 

sorry i'm not much help :/

what about seeing if you can get a replica made by someone local?

 

I've heard this can be a less expensive alternative.

The same thing happened to me - I fell in love with a SUPER expensive Reem Acra gown. I continued to shop, and eventually found a much cheaper gown that I loved (almost!) as much. So, IMO, keep shopping and if nothing else comes up that you love, go with the Pnina Tornai gown.

 

Let us know what you decide!!

Good idea Bre !

You can get a "replica" made, but they can't make it exactly the same, they'd have to alter it a bit... but it's still gotta be a less expensive alternative!

 

Can you find it used? What dress is it exactly, maybe there is something out there that is a lot less expensive. I agree, $4800 is a lot for a dress - even if it is "the one"!

I got mine made, it's a replica from a pronovias gown and I loved it! and saved around $1,000

I think if it's way more than you would like to spend, you continue shopping. If you get to the day you can no longer shop, go back to "the one." This way you know you searched everywhere for a dress you would love just as much, but it was simply not possible. It would make it a lot easier to justify $4800 for a dress and you wouldn't want to kick yourself after the wedding when you are still paying for it (assuming you would have to be.)

This is a good idea. However as someone who went through the very same thing I would say in the end don't buy it. I know a lot of people would disagree with me and I really did love my dress. But it was so stressful and so much money and in the end I realized that it didn't matter that much what I was wearing - it's the day and the meaning that counts. Of course you want to look beautiful but I am sure there's another dress out there that makes you look gorgeous too! It may not be THE one but it may also be 1/10 of the price!

Another idea is (if the dress is very popular like an ML) is to sell it afterwards. This is what I did with my ML but honestly it is hard to do and it sounds like your designer may not be as well known - which means it's harder to get people to pay you a lot for it...

I definitely think having it made is also a good option.

Thanks for the advice ladies - a day later, I am a lot calmer and have a bit more perspective

 

First, the reason I was all stressed out is because I met with the designer in the store (trunk show) and she claimed that I needed to order the dress this weekend for it to be ready for my wedding... talk about pressure!

 

I talked to FI, and he was sooo sweeeet! Basically, he said I should wait and shop around some more, and if I absolutely cannot live without this dress, we would just order it and pay the rush fee (I believe the direct quote was "if you are going ot spend a year's worth of college tiution on a dress then what is another 600 bucks")

 

I am going back to kleinfelds with my mother and FMIL today at 2 to see if they think this dress is as unbelieveable as I do... Kleinfeld's has a stricked no-pictures policy but I will try to make it happen

 

That's the last thing - this dress is made exclusively for Kleinfeld's in Manhattan... I can't even find a picutre of it, so I wouldn't take the chance of trying to describe it to a seamstress to replicate...

 

Lauren is right - that's what I get for going to Kleinfelds!