Why Did My Wedding Dress Cost So Much?

I've always thought it was foolish to spend a lot on a wedding just to impress people. It would be wiser to spend the money instead for a home, or having a family, and sending children to college. BBB

Why Did My Wedding Dress Cost So Much?
April 3, 2012
by Caitlin Kenney - NPR

I got married last May. Shopping for my wedding dress was a bizarre and emotional experience.

I knew I wasn't just paying for the fabric and the craftsmanship. I knew I was paying for the word "wedding" and all the feelings attached to it.

But how much did the word "wedding" cost me? If I had bought the same dress for some other occasion, would it have been cheaper? I took my dress to a fabric store and a tailor to find out.

This is the latest in a series of videos from Planet Money and Slate. See our earlier videos, Why Gold? and What Is GDP?

VIDEO:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/04/03/149929993/why-did-my-wedding-dress-cost-so-much?ps=cprs