Aussie bride shocked by 'wild' wedding dress request: '$180 an hour'

An Aussie bride-to-be has been left shocked after learning that in order to find her perfect wedding dress, she'd have to pay to try on dresses in certain Sydney bridal stores. Katrina Matias uploaded a video to TikTok expressing her dismay at learning that bridal stores charged brides-to-be to try on gowns, quickly racking up over 200,000 views.

"You have to pay to try on wedding dresses?" Katrina captioned her TikTok. She then added, "Am I delusional for thinking it should be free?"

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, Darcy Allen, Senior Wedding Planner at Easy Weddings called the idea of charging brides for trying on dresses "contentious".

"This one is contentious and not all boutiques will have this as a policy. However, yes, some higher-end designers do charge a fee for clients to try on gowns," Darcy says.

Why do wedding dress shops charge brides to try on dresses?

"From the designer's perspective, this is to ensure the best intentions with brides, given the ease of photographing designs and sending them to cheaper dressmakers to copy," Darcy explains.

"The fee is also seen as a fair exchange for the level of personal attention that brides expect and desire. In peak times, when demand for appointments is high, the fee helps narrow the fittings to those genuinely interested. Often, though, the appointment fee is deducted from the purchase."

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Do grooms get charged to try on suits?

While it may be more common for brides to be charged to try on different gowns for their big day, Darcy tells Yahoo Lifestyle that it is less common for men to be charged a similar fee (go figure).

"Conversely, try-on fees at specialist suit and formal wear stores are far less common, except for bespoke tailors, who may include a consultation fee in the design process," Darcy explains.

"This may indicate the level of emotional investment between the two purchases and, therefore, the level of service expected between brides and grooms in a typical union."

Brides share how much they paid to try on wedding dresses

Many people flocked to the comments on TikTok to discuss their own experiences when it came to wedding dress shopping.

"I never paid a fee to try on wedding dresses is this new? I did this 7 years ago," one person asked. "But I wasn't allowed to take pics until I put the deposit down on the dress."

"People who aren’t engaged come in and play pretend," one person (who said they were a bridal consultant) shared. "I’m trying my first ones on today and I’ve already had to pay, like, $100 for different stores. What a rippppp," someone else commented, with someone else saying, "Had to pay $250."

"Yep, I got told $180 an hour, two guests only allowed, plus I had to have the wedding date locked in," someone from Brisbane shared.

"It seems to be place by place. I’m going to four and two of them are free, one is $30 non-redeemable and the other is $30 but it goes towards the dress if you pick one there," another bride-to-be said.

Cost of living reshaping wedding habits

Given the fact weddings are getting more and more expensive, it's no surprise Aussies are looking for ways to save money when it comes to planning their nuptials.

Aidan Bartlett, CEO of Designer Wardrobe, highlights how the cost-of-living crisis is reshaping wedding spending habits in Australia.

"With weddings estimated to cost between $36,000 and $51,000, many couples are now exploring budget-conscious options. One notable trend is the rise in pre-loved wedding dresses, which combine sustainability with significant cost savings," Aidan told Yahoo Lifestyle.

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"On Designer Wardrobe, listings for pre-loved wedding dresses increased by 53% year-on-year, while sales grew by 21% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Beyond being an eco-friendly choice, pre-loved bridal wear offers couples the opportunity to save up to 60% on high-quality designer gowns, helping to make dream weddings more affordable."

Not to mention, if you are buying your wedding dress online, you can't be charged to try it on.

Darcy also told Yahoo Lifestyle it would be interesting to see if some stores and designers relax their policy around charging brides-to-be to try on dresses, given the cost of living crisis.

"We may see discounted try-on fees or the odd promotion; however, given that the fee is intended to minimise no-shows, it's unlikely," Darcy said.

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