How to Find a Discount Wedding Dress

When it comes to planning your wedding, getting ready for the big day can be an expensive proposition. However, you don't have to spend all of your hard-earned savings on a dress when there are so many discount wedding dress options available.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time
• Patience
• Newspaper classified ads
• Directions to secondhand and consignment stores

1. Decide what you want in a wedding dress. Think about whether you want long sleeves or a strapless gown, a straight skirt or a flowing train, satin or lace, etc. Searching for a discount wedding dress will be easier if you have a goal in mind.

2. Shop end-of-season clearances. At the end of the season, bridal shops will sell their in-stock display dresses at a fraction of the original cost. This offers a great opportunity to purchase the name-brands and styles you want while keeping your finances secure.

3. Read the classified ads. You can often find dresses for sale. Some will be worn once, and others will be new dresses from weddings that never happened. Classified ads can also alert you to yard sales with wedding attire for sale.

4. Visit secondhand and consignment shops. Scour the racks for potential weddings dresses. You may need to visit often for the best selection.

5. Head to the mall. Check out the formalwear selections in department stores. Some prom and holiday dresses would be suitable for wedding wear.

6. Be flexible. When shopping for discount wedding dresses, you'll find a smaller selection than if you had an unlimited budget. You may need to rethink some of your original ideas on what you're looking for in a dress, or you may need to get creative with some alterations. Don't compromise on anything that will make you unhappy, but don't hold on to an impossible fantasy.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have friends or family members who have gotten married recently, consider borrowing a dress for the ultimate discount wedding dress - a free one!
• Check used wedding dresses carefully for rips, stains, and other imperfections. You want everyone to be looking at you on your wedding day, not the perspiration stains the previous owner of the dress left.
• Weigh the potential cost of any repairs or alterations against your savings.

Resources

• 1001 Ways To Save Money . . . and Still Have a Dazzling Wedding
• How to Have an Elegant Wedding for $5000 (or Less) : Achieving Beautiful Simplicity Without Mortgaging Your Future

[AuntieAndrea]

on 1/18/2009 Great ideas, I never thought to look off season. When I get married one of these years I think I'll have my wedding off season, I would probably save a lot on everything including the wedding dress.

[Wasatch]

on 1/17/2009 Good tips. Keep writing.

[klnygaard]

on 1/17/2009 great resource

[georgelarson]

on 1/17/2009 Good information for wedding dresses. Thanks.

[Bfastattiffanys]

on 1/16/2009 Great tips. Wedding dresses can be so expensive. *****