Shopping for a wedding dress can become a nightmare if you don’t have the necessary budget. Many designer wedding gowns sell for thousands of dollars. Can’t afford designer labels? Here are some tips for finding a stunning wedding dress that will impress any groom.
Buy a wedding gown online. There are many websites that sell new gowns for one-third to one-half the price that someone would pay in the store. Hint: Try dresses on in the store before purchasing one online. Another great way to save money online is to buy a pre-owned or used wedding gown. Some fantastic websites to browse for a gently used wedding dress are www.preownedweddingdresses.com, www.woreitonce.com and www.oncewed.com. Make sure to read each description carefully and email the seller with any questions before purchasing.
Things to note if purchasing a used dress online: Was it altered? What’s the height? What’s the street size of the dress (because wedding dress sizes usually run bigger)? Are there pictures of the actual gown or are the pictures of models wearing the gown? Be hesitant if there aren’t authentic pictures, because there might be stains, holes, or rips in the dress. Always ask the buyer to send close up pictures of the front and back of the wedding dress before making the purchase.
Another option to save money on wedding dresses is to participate in the running of the brides which is held annually at Filene’s Basement. There are upcoming dates listed on the website for major cities. Most occur during the months of January and February. The designer gowns are sold at 249 dollars to 699 dollars. If you live near Miami, Columbus, Boston, New York, Atlanta, or Northern Virginia, you should make the trip. Finding a wedding dress at this price is worth the lack of sleep and filling up the gas tank.
Check out sample sales, especially if you live near New York. Kleinfeld Bridal is one of the premiere places to find a wedding dress. People fly from all over the world to find a dress at this bridal shop. They have blowout sample sales a few times a year. This is when they clear out the sample gowns, so they have room for new gowns. Most of the wedding dresses sold during the sample sale have been tried on by many brides, but the price can’t be beat. If you don’t live near New York, ask your local bridal shops if they have sample sales during the year.
Another great find in New York City is The Bridal Garden. They carry hundreds of dresses, and many are fifty to seventy-five percent off. The Bridal Garden gets its dresses from designers and brides who donate the dresses to this non-profit organization. The profits they make go to Sheltering Arms Children's Services. Purchase a discounted wedding dress by your favorite designer and give to charity at the same time!
