This week we are discussing a topic that will be important for all brides to know about and understand as they begin shopping for their wedding dress. We're talking about how inflation is impacting wedding dresses and the price increases for wedding gowns and bridal fashion in general. If brides or anyone planning a wedding are wondering how inflation is affecting wedding dresses, this is the post for you where we will be discussing wedding pricing and increases in those prices. There is no denying that inflation is impacting every single industry as a whole as we come out of the pandemic. The bridal fashion world is no exception. Wedding dresses and bridal outfits are being impacted by supply chain delays, labor shortages, and cost increases.
We want to help brides be prepared to navigate their wedding dress shopping appointments and be fully prepared for the recent changes to the wedding dress world in these unprecedented times. We always encourage brides to be ready to buy their wedding dress any time they head to a bridal store- even if they think they are just going to browse. You never know when you will find “the one,” and with supply shortages and cost increases, even wedding dress styles being discontinued, now is not the time to take a chance and to not wait on purchasing your bridal dress.
We previously discussed our tips for stress-free wedding dress shopping during supply chain delays, so for more details and to learn our tips, be sure to read that post. Now, we are going to dive into this topic a bit more and discuss exactly how inflation is affecting wedding dresses and bridal stores.
Multiple Shortages
As a consumer, you have no doubt noticed increases in prices at the grocery store, the gas station, and even on fashion items and non-essentials. As you are planning your wedding, you are probably hoping that the wedding world and bridal fashion will be unaffected by the pandemic. Unfortunately, inflation has impacted the wedding industry and bridal gowns, just like the rest of the world.
The primary reason we are experiencing inflation when it comes to wedding dresses is because there is a shortage of laborers. It requires expert seamstresses to manufacture bridal dresses and there are just not enough workers at this point in time. There is also a shortage for fabrics, as wedding dresses require higher-end materials than everyday clothing. At one point there was actually a zipper shortage!
There are just so many moving parts and different materials involved in creating wedding dresses and unfortunately, we are seeing shortages in many of these areas.
VIDEO: How Inflation is Affecting Wedding Dresses
If you are worried about shopping for your wedding dress during an inflation period, be sure to check out our video on how inflation is affecting wedding dresses so you will be fully prepared and know what to expect in bridal stores.
It’s A Domino Effect
Besides the shortages we are seeing with the labor force and materials, the overall price of goods has gone up, including the wages for the workers. Inflation causes a domino effect, so if one thing goes up, everything else goes up in cost too. All of the different parts are connected and impact each other. Everything eventually trickles down to the consumer in the form of price increases.
There are price increases in every single industry, including fashion. Many ready-to-wear clothing designers and manufacturers have gone up in price this year as well. If you look anywhere from Target to Bloomingdale's and every store in between, there have been price increases across the board. This is all based on material costs, labor costs, and even shipping costs. Wedding dress designers are feeling this impact as well and have had to increase the cost of their bridal dresses.
When it comes to wedding dresses, these price increases continue to evolve and change. There are various things that trigger it, whether it's the material like lace or satin, or the parts and pieces like a zipper, there are so many different components that make up wedding dresses that bridal dress designers are increasing prices as they need to depend on all of these logistical parts.
In the fashion world, we do experience regular price increases even in years that don’t have inflation issues. On average, there is about a 3% price increase annually with most things we purchase in the fashion world. But wedding dresses, bridal veils, or crystal tiaras and headpieces are higher ticket items so when you think about a 5% or 10% increase, that can really add up on the cost of a wedding dress.
Be Ready to Buy
All in all, the best thing you can do to fight and beat inflation when you are wedding dress shopping is to be prepared to be proactive and make decisions. Read our post here for the best advice for what we mean when we say that brides need to be ready to buy their wedding dress.
At Lovella, we always encourage brides to be ready, mentally and financially, to purchase their wedding dress any time they go to a bridal store. This is especially true in the current pandemic recovery as things can change so quickly. The best thing you can do for yourself when you begin the dress shopping experience and you're out browsing gowns is to have a positive mindset and be ready to find your dress.
As you begin trying different wedding dresses on, don't have the attitude of “I’m just looking today, if I find something then I do, if I don’t find something then I don’t”. You want to be very proactive in every step that you make when shopping for your wedding dress and bridal accessories.
This is primarily important if you find a particular bridal accessory that you see and love, whether it's a headpiece, a wedding dress, or a veil. We encourage you to buy it when you find it and to buy everything all together, including the wedding dress and bridal accessories together at once.
From the time you see it now to a few months from now, there are going to be price increases. Don’t wait to come back to the bridal store and purchase your bridal outfit and accessories at a later date down the road. Save yourself time and money and purchase those items when you find them.
Besides being more expensive, the wedding dress or bridal veil you loved a few months ago might actually now be discontinued and no longer available due to material shortages. We don’t want any bride to miss out on their dream dress or wedding veil, so shop smart and buy when you find “the one.”
Don’t Worry About Quality
All of this may seem overwhelming and nerve-wracking when you might already be anxious about trying on wedding dresses. While you may have to deal with increased costs, we do want to assure you that the quality of your wedding dress will not be comprised. Just because prices are going up, you are not getting cheated on quality. If anything, bridal designers are maintaining phenomenal quality even with materials shortages and delays.
When you're in a bridal dress store, your bridal consultant can show you what the dollar buys you in terms of a wedding dress, or the value of a wedding dress. It is really easy to see the difference between an $1,800 wedding dress, a $2,000 dress, a $2500 dress, and a $3,000 bridal dress. You will see that at an $1,800 price for a wedding dress you are going to get far less lace than you would at the $3000 price of a wedding dress. Now, we are not saying one wedding dress is better than the other, but you will better understand what the dollar buys you, and that way you can make a knowledgeable, educated decision on how much you're willing to invest in your wedding dress and what style you want when you can see the quality differences in person in the bridal dress shop.
Don't Wait
When you're wedding dress shopping, be prepared to purchase those items you love. Don’t wait on it too long as you don't want to pay more for something than you have to, or even worse, find out that the wedding dress you loved is no longer available.
With limitations on fabrics and the availability of beading and other design elements, we are seeing more and more wedding gowns discontinued quicker than usual because designers can not get more of a certain fabric to continue offering certain styles of dresses. So don’t take a chance on coming back to a bridal store to order your wedding gown only to find that style is no longer an option.
More Helpful Wedding Dress Shopping Advice
We hope you have found this insight helpful in preparing you to shop for your wedding dress during an inflation economy and during pandemic recovery. For more helpful tips, be sure to check out these recent advice posts:
- 5 Questions to Ask When Wedding Dress Shopping
- Wedding Dress Shopping Without Stress During Pandemic Supply Chain Delay
- What Does It Mean To Be Ready To Buy Your Wedding Dress?
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
