Bridesmaid Dress Making Cost?

I'm lucky, and so were my maids at my first wedding.  I can sew.

I made them ball gown skirts of burgandy iridescent taffeta bought on the clearance table (I believe it was $1 a yard, actually), and bought them $7 cashmere sweaters in a mauve rose at Nordstrom's Rack.  I worked at Priscilla's of Boston at the time, and so had access to the tulle "innards" that we often cut out of dresses for Priscilla's brides who didn't want the skirt so foofy (we usually just threw them out), so I could put those into the skirts for free; they didn't even have to buy crinolines.  I can't remember what they did about shoes -- I told them to figure it out on their own, and it was the only thing they paid for.  (I also gave them their jewelry - pearls.)

So I got the look I wanted, and they got to buy some shoes.

Sounds like me.  I let mine help pick out the fabric and pattern and I made the dressers.  They got to pick their own shoes (or wear ones they already owned) and I gave them their jewellery as gifts.   I think we spent $25 on the two of them for the pattern and fabric.  I also gave them the option of getting their hair done or not and let them pick how it should be done - since they hadn't paid much for the other stuff and getting your hair done is fun they both did it. 

Weddings are expensive for bridesmaids - the dresses, shoes, jewellery, hair, shower gift, hen night (if you do one), wedding gift, travel expenses, etc.  It can really add up.  I was acutely aware of it the whole time I was a bride. 

My sister's wedding was a bit out of control, but even her bride's maid dresses were only about $179. I didn't pay for mine because I'm her sister and a poor student, so she supplied my dress, but the others purchased their dresses and shoes. I always thought it was the bride's duty to buy the maids' dresses. Doesn't seem right to impose a financial burden on someone you are supposedly bestowing an honor by asking them. I think if I had a friend ask me right now, I'd have to say no if I had to pay for the dress! Well.. unless it was less than $100 for dress and shoes.

Do you have to travel to be in the wedding? 

My bridesmaids all have to travel from Baltimore to London, in the middle of July, which seems to be the highest point of the season.  Their tickets cost around $1100 a peice (2-3 months rent for each of the girls) so there was no way I could ask them to pay for their gowns.  I paid for the gowns and am having custom jewelry made with the money I got selling my American car--I left the shoes up to them, other than requesting a camera phone shot text messaged to me for a thumbs up.

What surprises me is that if it is a simple A-line boned dress, why they are being custom made?  I don't know if there is a gentle way to ask that.  I know most of my friends well enough to shake them and ask what the hell they were thinking.  Have the other girls already paid for their dresses?  It may not be too late for an alternative...

I assume you mean that you let the maids choose the dress?  And you're paying for it?

Why on earth is there boning in an A line dress?    Just curious!

If no one's paid for their dresses, and they aren't ordered, then no, it's not too late to change your mind about the dresses.  If they're ordered, then yes, it's too late.

If you are talking to me--no I chose the dresses, I am in the US until tomorrow and made sure I spent my time here finding a dress   I bought 3 and sent them to their respective owner.

Boning in an A-line in the corset part for structure, me thinks..

I want to know how having drinks with the bride went for the thread starter

hey there...

it's a two piece.  it's an a-line long skirt, lined.  boned, lined strapless corset.  £120 to make.  £90 for fabric, lining, notions.

i got my OTHER bridesmaid dress yesterday.  yikes!  it's more than hot pink.  it's like pepto-bismal with beading.  that one was cheap- $90.  but £45 to get the darn thing altered!  i found a great tailor in wellingborough if anyone needs one...

Holy Moly...I didn't realise that was an American tradition for bridesmaids to pay for their own dresses and accessories!

I know it's a cultural difference, but wow!!! How do you say no if it's your friend? You want to be there for them, it's their special day, but you don't want it to cost as much as I've been reading.

The tradition here in the UK is to buy everything for your bridesmaids plus a gift to say thankyou. I get married next March and would never expect for friends to pay for their own things, I asked them so surely I should pay. I agree with you Meggles, I think your friend should have done some research first and then asked what you'd be willing to pay!!!

Good Luck to all of you that are having to wear and pay for dresses you'd rather not!   

VJ, I think it's a relatively new tradition. When my best friend asked me to be a bride's maid, I didn't know that accepting meant I would have to pay $130 for a dress. Hair and make up was paid for, but I also had to pay for shoes (luckily she said whatever we wanted as long as it was closed toe and black, so I went to Payless!). It was the first time I had ever heard of such a requirement, but then again it was also the first wedding I had been in since I was a little girl. When my sister got married, I didn't make very much money so she did buy my dress and shoes for me. I kept the dress, but she kept the shoes. I hated them! The dress is lovely though!

Part of the reason that I only had two attendants is that I hated the idea of asking my girlfriends to buy dresses they'd never wear again!  I gave my girls the color (clover) and manufacturer (Alfred Angelo) that matched my dress and told them to pick any style they wanted - the green was flattering on both of them, and they wound up picking the same style!  They weren't uber-expensive, and I know my sister at least plans on wearing hers again - I hope my friend does as well, because she looked super cute!

As far as accessories go, I just told the girls to wear whatever shoes they wanted (Elsa wore silver sandals; Sarah wore gold pumps), and we all did our own hair and makeup and wore our own jewelry.  It was a pretty low-key outlaying of cash, as wedding attire goes.