The dress, the alterations, the veil, and the box it lives in afterward
| Tier | Low | Typical | High | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online / made-to-order | $250 | $600 | $900 | 3-6 months production |
| Off-the-rack / chain salon | $600 | $1,100 | $1,500 | Buy today, alter 6-10 wks |
| Bridal boutique | $1,500 | $2,000 | $3,000 | Order 4-6 months out |
| Premium designer | $3,000 | $4,500 | $8,000 | Order 6-9 months out |
| Custom / couture | $5,000 | $8,000 | $15,000 | Pattern + fittings 6-12 mo |
Anchors: The Knot's 2025 Attire and Fashion Study puts the average dress at $2,000 (Real Weddings ~$2,100), most brides spend $1,500-$3,000, online dresses typically run under $900, and destination brides average about $2,900. Bridal salons generally start near $1,500 with service built into the price; online trades that service for the discount.
| Line | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations — light touch (~10% of gown) | $300 | $500 | $800 |
| Alterations — standard (~15%) | $300 | $500 | $800 |
| Alterations — major (~20%) | $300 | $500 | $800 |
| Veil | $50 | $150 | $400 |
| Accessories (shoes, jewelry, undergarments) | $100 | $250 | $500 |
| Preservation (clean + acid-free box) | $200 | $275 | $400 |
The flat look of those alteration rows is the honest part: labor minimums dominate. On a $2,000 gown the percentage quote (10-20%) gives $200-$400, but real standard work runs $500-$1,000 nationally (Zola's band: $300-$800) — so the calculator charges the greater of the percentage or the labor band. A $600 online dress pays nearly the same fitting bill as a boutique gown, which is why the discount never fully survives contact with the tailor.
The dress line is four purchases wearing one name: the gown, the fitting, the finishing touches, and the aftercare. Salons quote only the first. This calculator prices all four so the number you put in the budget survives the tailor's invoice.
All-in = gown + alterations + veil + accessories + preservation. Alterations = the greater of your chosen percentage (10/15/20%) and the labor band ($300/$500/$800 low/typical/high) applied to the gown's price — shops quote the percentage, seamstresses charge the floor. Each other line carries its published band; low and high estimates combine the band ends.
Pick the shopping tier — it loads the typical price and the published range — then edit the price to your actual quote; your number becomes the typical, and the tier's band keeps the range honest. Choose alterations by honesty, not optimism: almost no gown fits without at least a hem and a bustle, so "standard" is the truthful default. Uncheck preservation if reselling isn't in the plan, though the box also protects a keep-forever gown from yellowing.
The average bride, fully loaded: $2,000 boutique gown, standard alterations ($500 — the labor floor beats the $300 percentage), a $150 veil, $250 of accessories, $275 preservation. All-in: $3,175, range $2,150-$5,100. The tag was 63% of the line.
The online path: $600 made-to-order dress, same standard alterations ($500 — the labor floor doesn't care what the gown cost), veil, accessories, preservation. All-in: $1,775, range $900-$3,000. The tag gap was $1,400 and the all-in gap is $1,400 too: the floors eat the difference on this pair. On pricier gowns the percentage takes over and alterations climb to $675-$1,200, so the boutique-versus-online gap widens again at the top.
The designer gown, reworked: $4,500 premium designer, major reconstruction (20% = $900 — percentage beats the floor), cathedral veil, full accessories, preservation. All-in: $6,075, range $3,950-$10,900. At this tier the alterations are a tailored garment in their own right, and the percentage finally prices them.
The average US bride pays about $2,000 — The Knot's 2025 Attire and Fashion Study, with the Real Weddings Study just above at ~$2,100 — and most spend $1,500-$3,000. Online and made-to-order dresses typically run under $900, while premium designer gowns start near $3,000 and custom work reaches $10,000+. Destination brides average about $2,900, roughly $800 more than hometown brides.
Plan on $500-$1,000 for a standard gown (hem, take-in, bustle) — Zola's band is $300-$800, with simple fixes from $50 and heavy beading or restructuring past $1,000. Shops often quote alterations as 10-20% of the gown's price, but labor minimums mean a budget gown usually pays a bigger share: a $600 dress still needs $500 of fitting work. Budget 6-10 weeks and two to three fittings.
Preservation is professional cleaning plus archival storage in an acid-free box, and it runs $200-$400 (entry packages $200-$275, complex beaded gowns up to $700-$1,000, turnaround 8-10 weeks). It's worth it if you plan to keep, resell, or hand down the gown — invisible stains like wine and sweat oxidize and yellow within months. Skip the box-only kits ($40-$100) unless the dress is already clean.
Veils run about $50-$400 — mainstream retailers from $50, designers past $300 — with cathedral lengths and hand-applied lace at the top. Shoes, jewelry, and undergarments add roughly $100-$500. Set the whole accessories line near $250-$500 unless something specific (a heirloom veil, designer shoes) is pulling it up.
Eight to ten months before the wedding for a standard order: gowns typically take 4-6 months to produce and ship, and alterations need another 6-10 weeks with fittings spaced out. Rush production (8-12 weeks) exists but usually adds a fee of $100-$300. Off-the-rack purchases can compress the timeline to 3-4 months including fittings.
It's the biggest single lever: online dresses typically run under $900 versus the $2,000 salon average. The catch is fit — sizing follows each brand's chart, not a salon's eye, so alterations are near-certain. Budget $500 for them and the all-in online line runs about $1,775 versus $3,175 for the boutique path: still a $1,400 saving, not the $1,400 the price tags suggest.