10 Crazy-Expensive Wedding Dress Stores

Catey Hill  |  12:00 PM, Monday, July 16, 2012

From the first time our parents read us Cinderella, we’ve dreamed about our fairytale prince -- and that flowy white gown we’d wear as we walked down the aisle to marry him.  But what we didn’t realize as little girls is just how much that wedding dress might cost us.

The average wedding dress now costs $1,505, according to the Bridal Association of America.  But for the ladies who hope to shop at the most exclusive bridal salons, the dress can easily cost triple that or more. Here are 10 of the most expensive -- and exquisite -- wedding dress stores across the nation.

• But if you're looking for the best bridal boutiques on a tighter budget, find them here

1. Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier
   Location: New York City
   When posh brides on the Upper East Side of Manhattan plan their weddings, they often find their way to the Bridal Atelier by Mark Ingram -- and with a selection from the likes of Angel Sanchez, Oscar de la Renta, Alberta Ferretti and Marchesa, it’s no wonder.  In fact, the shop won The Couture Bridal Awards’ Wedding Salon of the Year in 2004.  Just don’t come in with a gaggle of your girlfriends: The staff recommend you bring just one or two close friends or family as the Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier offers an “intimate” experience.  Typical cost (i.e. the median amount the typical Bundle consumer spends): $2,068.
   
   
2. Warren Barron Bridal
   Location: Dallas
   When a VIP Texas bride gets engaged, one of her first stops is likely to be Warren Barron Bridal, as the store stocks high-end names like Marchesa, Ulla Maija and Oscar de la Renta, which the shops’ owners travel to New York to find each season.  Typical cost: $3,000.
   
   
3. Reem Arca Bridal
   Location: New York City
   “A trip to Reem Arca is about your fantasy – who you are and who you will become once you find that perfect dress,” according to the website.  Just be prepared for a fat credit card bill, as most Bundle consumers spend a median of $2,700 in this store.
   
   
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4. Marina Morrison
   Location: San Francisco
   Marina Morrison is “widely considered the industry's most established and respected bridal salon on the West Coast,” according to its website.  And with gowns from over 16 bridal designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and Marchesa, it’s easy to see why the brides from Seattle to San Diego flock here.  Typical cost: $1,940.


5. Vera Wang Bridal Shop
   Location: Chicago, Boston, New York City, Los Angeles
   With bridal stores in four cities in the U.S. as well as in London, Athens, Sydney, Seoul and Moscow, Vera Wang, the reigning queen of bridal, dresses well-heeled brides the world over. Recently, she’s been experimenting a lot with color, creating dresses in brown, black and green. But don’t worry classic brides, her signature white and cream collections still dominate the racks. Typical cost: $1,843 (Los Angeles location)
   
   
6. Selia Yang Bridal
   Location: New York City
   A Selia Yang bridal gown is the epitome of simple elegance, so it’s no wonder that brides flock to Selia Yang Bridal in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City.  Typical cost: $2,265.
   
   
7. Ultimate Bride
   Location: Chicago
   The Windy City’s lucky brides head to Ultimate Bride for dresses from Carolina Herrera, Ulla Maija, Peter Langner and Jenny Lee.  The store offers lots of trunk shows so brides-to-be can check out the selection from a designer for themselves. Typical cost: $1,998.
   
   
8. Bergdorf Goodman Bridal Salon
   Location: New York City
   It should come as no surprise to brides that Manhattan’s most luxe department store also has an exclusive bridal salon. The salon offers dresses from designers like J.Mendel, Jenny Lee, Jenny Packham and Monique Lhuillier, as well as a host of other bridal services like makeup consultations, personalized stationery and bridal accessories.  While the typical consumer at Bergdorf Goodman spends about $229, you can expect to pay a lot more at the bridal salon.
   
   
9. Neiman Marcus Bridal Boutique
   Location: Dallas
   While Southern brides don’t have Bergdorf’s, they do have the Neiman Marcus Bridal Boutique in Dallas. This luxe store offers designs by Amsale, Vera Wang and Reem Arca, as well as services like personal shopping, makeup consultations and personalize stationery.  Like many of its department store counterparts, typical prices across the store are under $200, but the bridal salon is an exception to the rule.
   
   
10. Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon
    Location: Los Angeles, New York City
    Though the typical consumer in Saks spends about $198, you’ll likely add another zero to that price-tag in the store’s bridal salon. The Saks Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon stocks dresses from designers like Amsale, J. Mendel and Marchesa and offers a variety of other bridal services like hair, makeup and mani/pedis.