Bridal boutique in Cheshire impacted by tariffs, owner offers brides solutions

The cost of weddings are increasingly rising and wedding gowns is no exception.

The wedding industry is another one of the many being hit hard by the tariff battle between the U.S and China.

At Bliss Bridal in Cheshire, owner Marissa Goktekin said she has seen an increase of 15% to 20% in gown prices from the designers she works with.

"A lot of the designers kind of differed, some were a little lower at 13% and some were up to 20%,” Goktekin said.

She said prior to the tariffs being placed earlier this year, the median price of a wedding gown at her shop was around $1,500 to $1,600 but as of recently, it's closer to $2,000 or higher.

In order to help her brides stay within their budget, she said she is only increasing her prices by 5%, as a way to make her clients more comfortable to shop.

"We don't want brides to break the bank, we want them to feel comfortable with the amount that they're spending," Goktekin said.

On Thursday, Nadege Lubin was shopping for her wedding gown as she prepares to get married in May of 2026.

“I don’t want to go over $2,500…style, a little bit of sparkle, a little bit of fabric, mermaid dress, that’s what I’m looking for," Lubin said.

She added she has seen wedding dresses online with prices ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

In addition to keeping her prices as consistent as possible, Goktekin said brides who are on a tighter budget may consider dresses from the discontinued or discounted racks.

“You can get a near perfect gown that is over $2,000 at 75% discount and that’s really helpful,” Goktekin said.