7 Ways to Save on your Wedding Dress

March 13, 2012

courtesy of weddingwindow.com

Huffington Post’s Kara Reinhardt reported 7 tips on how brides can budget on their wedding gown shopping, and they were soooo good I knew I had to share!  She makes her money as editor of Cheapism.com; so, you can imagine, she’s quite the expert :)

Check out below and see how some brides choose to save and still stay sassy on their wedding day:

1. Consider a bridesmaid dress in white. A sales consultant at a salon may not volunteer this option, but many elegant designs come in an array of colors — including white or ivory. If you prefer a clean, simple silhouette to a full skirt and sequins, a bridesmaid dress could play a starring role for the cost of a supporting player.

I actually had a friend who did this – wad up, Leah!  Not only did she looked absolutely b.e.a.uuuutiful on her wedding day, but she OBVS saved moolah on the gown; therefore broadening up her budget on other areas!

courtesy of Leah Matis

2. Plan a less formal event. If you imagine yourself at the altar in a cathedral-length veil, skip ahead to the next tip. But couples open to an outdoor wedding or any other casual setting can save a lot on attire. A lightweight dress for a beach ceremony is likely to cost far less than yards of embellished silk satin.

3. Seek out sample sales. Bridal salons offer big discounts a couple of times a year to clear out sample dresses, selling them as is. You may cringe if you’ve seen scenes of brides-to-be lunging at piles of marked-down gowns. But things may be more civilized at a local salon — some even take appointments during these sales. Ask about upcoming events and sign up for email lists.

4. Don’t overlook department stores. Off-the-rack retailers such as J. Crew and Ann Taylor have become go-to sources for brides on a budget, offering attractive styles and prices. But department stores have also embraced the bridal business. Cheapism found that Nordstrom is one of the best places to buy a cheap wedding dress. You can order online or make an appointment with a wedding stylist at select locations. Bloomingdale’s and Lord & Taylor also feature “wedding shops” on their websites. The dresses don’t take months to come in and can be returned.

5. Don’t assume mass-market means cheap. While these retailers set prices as low as a few hundred dollars, sticker shock is still possible. Most styles by BHLDN — the Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie wedding brand — carry four-figure price tags, and the most expensive is $6,000. Bebe is introducing a bridal collection expected to start near $1,000. Many salons carry lines that start well below that level.

6. Give secondhand sources a chance. You may balk at consignment shops and classified websites, despite the alluring prospect of a designer gown at a discount price. But sites such as Recycled Bride and Encore Bridal often feature new and sample dresses as well. New dresses don’t necessarily carry the bad karma of a called-off engagement, either. One bride is selling a $1,430 Mikaella for $600 on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com because she switched to an outdoor venue and a simpler dress. My own bargain was hiding in the basement of a bridal consignment shop and could be ordered in my size. The experience came complete with a pedestal in front of a mirror, an attentive sales consultant, and a tearful sister-in-law exclaiming, “This is just like ‘Say Yes to the Dress’!”

7. Choose a color other than white. At New York’s bridal fashion week this fall, none other than wedding dress doyenne Vera Wang showed not one white or ivory gown. Many of her designs were black (can you believe it?), but even blush could help you sidestep the markup on anything labeled bridal. White isn’t always the easiest color to wear, and a different shade might better complement your skin tone. If you’re the type of woman who likes to turn heads, refraining from white is a surefire way to make a statement with your wedding gown.

(Kara Reinhardt, huffingtonpost.com)

Filed under: Wedding Planning 101

Tags: bridal guide, cheap wedding dresses, unique wedding ideas, ways to save, ways to save on your wedding, wedding, wedding advice, wedding blog, wedding blogs, wedding colors, wedding dress, wedding dresses, wedding dresses on a budget, wedding gown, wedding gowns, wedding planning, wedding tips, weddings