With the average wedding in the United States costing a cool $33k, many people are opting to trim the fat and have more low-key celebrations. One couple was planning to do just that, and the bride's sister-in-law had even agreed to make her wedding dress for free.
When the wedding had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, the bride was livid. She demanded "compensation" in the form of a bigger, more extravagant do once the dust had settled. The problem is that she's expecting a champagne extravaganza on a beer budget.
Her once-modest dress has morphed into something a princess might wear, and the SIL says she's simply not willing to attempt to sew it. Nor can she afford it. Now, the couple is threatening to "uninvite" her.
She's not a professional, but since her SIL's wedding dress was pretty simple, she agreed to make it for free
Image credits: senivpetro (not the actual photo)
Now, the bride has decided she wants a ballgown fit for a princess instead, and this woman is refusing to help
Image credits: DC Studio (not the actual photo)
Image credits: herissonberserk
The woman admitted that she may have set the bride's expectations a bit too high, but people supported her anyway
Image credits: azerbaijan_stockers (not the actual photo)
She later provided an update on the dress drama and included some photographic receipts to back up her story
Image credits: herissonberserk
Image credits: herissonberserk
Image credits: herissonberserk
Image credits: herissonberserk
She gave quite a bit more information about her "princess" of a SIL while responding to netizens' comments
The average wedding dress costs a cool $2,100 and takes months to complete
Weddings don’t come cheap nowadays and neither do dresses. According to The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding dress is about $2,100.
“Key cost drivers for wedding dresses are the fabric composition and sourcing, design elements and labor, alterations and additions, construction, the retailer location and the wedding dress brand's reputation,” explains the wedding planning site’s experts.
The American president also isn’t making things any easier for brides.
"One of the biggest drivers for the average price of a wedding dress is the increase in wedding tariffs and rising shipping costs across nearly every material used to make a wedding dress," says Alyssa Hoersten, the designer and founder of Chicago-based bridal shop Alyssa Kristin. "Depending on the fabric, trims and components, brands are paying anywhere from 15–50% more on inputs alone, and that increases compound quickly."
In a bid to save money, most brides are going for off-the-rack wedding dresses, or made-to-order styles. The Knot’s survey revealed that only 19% of female participants wore custom-made attire. A total of 10,474 U.S. couples who got married in 2025 took part in the poll.
“To-be-weds in the lowest budget tier paid about $1,200, those in the middle budget tier paid around $2,000 and those in the high-end budget tier paid roughly $3,200,” notes The Knot.
Of course, the more complicated and fancy the wedding dress is, the more likely it’ll come with a high price tag.
"Complex designs with built-in corsets, boning or multilayered skirts demand meticulous craftsmanship, making them more labor intensive and expensive," explains Yuliia Lobachova, the creative director and founder of Ricca Sposa, a Ukrainian brand that specializes in bridal and evening wear.
Then there’s the issue of time. A traditional wedding dress can take around 4 to 9 months to make, from the initial consultation to final delivery, while completely custom or extravagant designs could see you waiting up to 9 to 12 months.
To expect someone to create a princess-style ballgown for free in their spare time is more than a little rude.
Image credits: Jill Wellington (not the actual photo)
People applauded the woman and her parents, with many commenting on the yellow dress
