Buying A Wedding Gown For Less
Wedding dresses come in all shapes and sizes. But they also come in all price ranges, sometimes edging upward of $10,000. With the average cost of a wedding in the United States running into the five figures, brides are looking for ways to save. And believe it or not, finding the dress of the bride's dreams while working on a budget is easier than it may seem.

Buying The Floor Sample

Most bridal stores and bridal boutiques offer discounts if the bride is willing to purchase the floor sample. Since the sample is the dress that other potential buyers have tried on, it may show some wear and tear. However, if the bride has someone who can sew in her family, or is crafty with a sewing machine herself, fixing any minor issues of wear may be relatively easy to save hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.
Also, the bride may be able to find a tailor who can alter the dress and correct any flaws for a fraction of what it might otherwise cost. If there is no floor sample price on the tag of the dress, the bride should inquire as to what the cost of the sample would be. Some boutiques do not put a sample price on the dress, as they prefer to encourage brides to purchase a new dress.

Buy a Bridesmaid Dress In White Or Ivory

A lot of companies are manufacturing what are typically seen as bridemaid dresses in white or ivory, making them suitable for many brides as well. Bridesmaid dresses can start as low as $50, and typically run no higher than $500, which make them an ideal choice for a bride on a budget. Additionally, bridesmaid dresses in white or ivory typically cost less to have altered, creating additional savings.

Bridesmaid dresses as wedding dresses are also suitable for brides who prefer a more informal look, or as an inexpensive option for the bride to change into for the wedding reception. Brides considering a beach wedding or destination wedding may also find this to be a money-saving, lightweight alternative to the traditional wedding gown.

Other Ways To Save On A Wedding Dress

• Ask a local bridal boutique if they rent wedding dresses. This is becoming more and more popular, with some places offering nationwide service.
• Shop consignment shops and thrift stores. The stock rotates often, so it may pay to check back frequently, or ask the shop owner to call when something new arrives.
• Online services such as NetBride.com provide authentic dresses for a fraction of the cost of a brick and mortar store. Other online options like wedding planning forums host a "for sale" section for their online users.
• Several charities, such as Brides for Breast Cancer, take once-worn wedding dresses and resell them at a lower cost. Not only does it raise money for charity, it saves a new bride considerable amounts of money.
• Ask for a cash discount. Often when paying cash, or even the entire amount up front, the bridal salon will offer you a discount for paying for the wedding gown in full.

Purchasing a wedding dress within a tight budget requires patience, resourcefulness, and a thorough search, but it can be done. Many brides have saved hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands, over the retail cost of the wedding without anyone at the wedding knowing how they did it. Make sure to check out these ideas for what to do with the wedding dress when the wedding is over. Annalise Kaylor