Almost nobody in bridal publishes a price. You browse for an hour, fall for a dress, and the only number on the page is "inquire".
So here are ours, and the market's, with the arithmetic shown.
The short answer
A made-to-measure gown from an independent studio runs roughly $900 to $1,500 in 2026. Ours start at $829, and the median gown in our collection is $949. A fully bespoke design drawn from scratch starts higher: $1,200 with us, $4,000 and up at a big-city atelier. Boutique designer gowns generally sit between $1,800 and $4,000, and that figure is before alterations.
Three things get called "custom", and they are not the same
Standard sizing, then alterations
What most boutiques sell. You buy the closest size and pay a seamstress to close the gap. US shops commonly quote $300 to $800 for that work, and more when a lace bodice has to be taken in or a layered skirt shortened. The gown you tried on is not the gown you take home. It is the starting point.
Made to measure
An existing design, cut and sewn from your own bust, waist, hip, height and hollow-to-hem. The fit starts much closer to your body, so there is usually far less local work afterwards. A hem or a strap may still want adjusting, though, and any studio promising otherwise is overselling.
This is how we work. Our gowns run $829 to $1,399, with a median of $949, and made to measure adds about $100 to most of them. Fifty-four of our fifty-nine designs are under $1,000 in standard sizing.
Fully bespoke
A design that does not exist until you and the designer draw it — fabric, lace, silhouette, every detail. A bespoke gown with Shany starts at $1,200 and moves with complexity. City ateliers usually start at $4,000 and climb to $8,000.
2026, side by side
| Option | Typical 2026 price | Alterations | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boutique designer gown | $1,800 to $4,000+ | +$300 to $800 | Closest standard size, then altered |
| Made to measure (ours) | $829 to $1,399 | Usually minimal | Cut from your measurements |
| Fully bespoke | $1,200 to $8,000 | Included | Designed for you from scratch |
| Fast-fashion online | $200 to $600 | Often needed | Unpredictable |
What actually moves the price
Fabric, mostly. Woven French lace costs several times what stretch lace or polyester embroidery costs, and the difference shows up in photographs more than brides expect. We went into that in French Lace vs Stretch Lace.
Then labour. A hand-finished bodice, layered skirt panels, a lace train, sleeves cut to the arm — each is hours of skilled work by a person, and there is no version of that which gets cheaper.
What you are not paying for at a studio: showroom rent, brand licensing, retail margin. That is the whole reason a French lace gown cut to your measurements can undercut a mass-produced gown off a rack.
The costs that show up later
- Alterations. $300 to $800 at boutiques. Made to measure reduces this sharply, but does not always remove it
- Customs and import duty. Ordering from abroad can add 10 to 25% on delivery unless the seller ships DDP. Check the terms shown at checkout
- Shipping. Some sellers include express delivery; others add $100 to $200 at the end
- Rush fees. Asking for a gown faster than the standard window usually costs 10 to 20% more
A worked example
Say you have $1,500 for the dress.
At a boutique that means shopping gowns around $900 to $1,100, because you need to hold back roughly $400 for fittings, pressing and a garment bag.
With us, $1,500 buys a $949 gown sewn to your measurements, express shipping with duties prepaid where they are shown at checkout, and a veil — ours run $55 to $189 — with a few hundred dollars still in hand.
Questions
Is custom more expensive than buying off the rack?
Usually not, once the alterations are counted. A $949 gown cut to your measurements often lands below a $1,200 boutique gown plus $500 of fitting work, even allowing for a small adjustment at the end.
How do I get measured without visiting a studio?
A soft tape, five numbers, and someone to help. It is far easier with a second pair of hands. We send an illustrated measurement guide within 24 hours of your order and go through your numbers with you before anything is cut.
How far in advance should I order?
Five to six weeks to sew, then three to seven business days to ship. Veils are quicker, one to two weeks. The full timeline is in How Far in Advance Should You Order a Wedding Dress?
Browse the collection, or ask us anything.
