So many ladies out there are just beginning their search for the perfect gown. This one pictured here comes from Alfred Angelo for Disney Bridal.
A dream wedding dress can often be one of the biggest line items on your wedding budget. Ever since you were a little girl and dreamed of your wedding day, you pictured yourself in a beautiful wedding dress. As you grew up and realized dream wedding dresses were also expensive wedding dresses – sometimes costing more than your car – the dream didn’t go away, did it?
The truth is, even though your absolute dream designer wedding gown might seem out of reach, there are creative ways to get what you want. If your heart is set on a designer wedding dress, but your budget is cramping your style, here are some tips for you:
Trunk Shows and Sample Sales
Trunk shows and sample sales do not offer bargain basement pricing, but you can find a beautiful designer dress for a much more reasonable price. Search online and keep your eyes peeled for local trunk shows and sample sales as well as those happening in nearby cities. It’s worth a road trip to save some significant money.
Renting
Many brides scoff at the idea of renting. Don’t want to wear a dress someone else has worn? What, are you afraid of cooties? Besides, it’s possible you will be the first person to wear a particular dress. Want to pass your dress along to your daughter? How many of your friends wanted to wear their mother’s gown from the 70s? Of course in an ideal world, you wouldn’t have to consider renting, but the reality is your dress is going to be worn for a few hours and then put in storage for eternity.
Go Digital
Going into a bridal shop and trying on dresses is a right of passage for any bride, but these days you just might find your dream dress online. Ebay and reputable online sellers usually offer more affordable pricing. Not all of the dresses on Ebay are used. You might be buying from a middleman or from a bride who changed her mind and bought another dress. Shopping online can be a fantastic way to find a great deal.
Browse Local Consignment Stores
Who knows how the dress got there? Maybe the wedding was called off. Maybe she realized she wanted to recoup a fraction of her investment. The good news is it’s there, for your budget friendly pleasure. You never know what treasures will await you, so it is certainly worth giving it a shot.
Sponsorship
Yes. This is controversial and some people will consider it tacky, but if you really want that dream wedding dress, having your wedding sponsored by an up and coming designer or local bridal boutique might be an option worth considering.
The bottom line is it’s your wedding, and only you (and maybe your parents) are responsible for the bottom line. Nobody will know what you spent on your dress if you get it for a steal. Would you rather get creative and use one of these methods to get a dream dress or wear a cheaply made dress that doesn’t even resemble your dream?
