9 Places To Find An Inexpensive Wedding Gown
When it comes to buying a wedding dress, the first thing that comes to mind is the
staggering price! Wedding dresses can run from hundreds to thousands of dollars. When you begin looking for your perfect wedding dress that no one will ever forget, remember these 9 tips for finding the gorgeous, yet affordable, wedding dress of your dreams.
1) Thrift Stores
While some people consider a thrift store to be second rate, I think this is a fantastic option to finding an affordable wedding dress in good condition. Many women realize that they will only wear their wedding dress once in their lives. So, it is sold to a consignment shop who then resells it at a lower price. It could be used, but it will most likely be in pristine condition. There are many success stories of brides who took the time to look at these shops and have found a perfect dress that looks, and feels, brand new.
2) Department Store Wedding Gowns
Most department stores have a bridal section that offers gowns, veils, gloves, shoes, and many other things essential to your wedding. Because it is a department store and very accessible, they tend to be much less expensive. Department stores can carry some of the top bridal gown brands at a lower and much more reasonable price point.Search these stores and youll find beautiful wedding gowns that are affordable and timeless. Some examples of stores that have bridal sections are JCPenney, Dillards, and Macys.
3) Craigslist
It may sound a bit out of the norm, but search craigslist for wedding dresses! I have done this in the past for clients and you would be surprised at the quality you may find. The seller is also near the area you live in, so it is much easier to stop by and check out the dress in person before making the purchase.
4) Ebay
Along the lines of craigslist, sellers post their bridal gowns, some used and some new, for anyone to buy. Because eBay has such a large community of sellers all across the globe, chances are youll find more dresses than you came to search for in the first place! Because of this, you can specify exactly what type of wedding dress you are looking for and bid on it at a price most likely lower than retail.
5) Sample Sales
Wedding designers and bridal shops often have sample sales a few times a year of their wedding dresses. At these sample sales, the choices and sizes may be a bit limited, but most brides have to have their wedding dress altered regardless. It is smart to attend a designer wedding dress sample sale to find a designer gown at a much lower cost but with the highest quality.
6) Retail Shops
Most people dont realize that many retail stores you see every day in the mall sell wedding dresses and gowns. Visit stores like J. Crew and Ann Taylor, both of which offer classic and timeless wedding dresses. These retail stores are ones shopped by many brides. So when getting married, why not choose a store you already know and trust?
7) Make Your Own Dress
If you are creative enough to design a wedding dress yourself, try actually creating it! This way, you can either design exactly want you want or follow a pattern, make the changes you need, and alter the dress to fit your body exactly. Buying your own materials directly from fabric shops and adding in your own self-bought accessories will shove your cost way down!
8) Off-Season Shopping
If you look for a wedding dress during the regular bridal season, designers, shops, and retailers know to mark their prices up because the most brides are out shopping for their dress. Because they know the most brides are out looking for a dress, the prices can skyrocket! The off-peak season for weddings is during the late fall and winter months. Try looking for a dress during this period of time. This way, the dresses will be priced lower and a previous seasons gowns may be marked down as well.
9) Well-Known Bridal Stores
Dont pass up the widely-known and familiar bridal stores! Most people are familiar with Davids Bridal the most well-known bridal chain store. Find a bridal boutique and take your time looking through the store. Look for dresses that emulate that crazy expensive designer dress you are in love with. Chances are someone else is looking for it too. If the shop is out of your size, ask the shop for a similar style, or even if another store is a better option. Another store may actually have the dress you are looking for!
The number one thing I hear from brides is that they want to save, save, save. It is a smart thing to keep in mind a bridal budget when planning for your wedding. Rather than splurge on the most expensive designer dress you can find, search for some alternatives or look at some avenues that may be off the map of normal places to look for a wedding dress. In the long run, you may find the affordable wedding dress of your dreams at the cost you were dreaming of as well!
by: Raychle Searfoss
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