How to find a low-cost wedding dress

Weddings can be expensive things in the best of times. Here's one way to reduce over-all costs, or to start on your way toward a budget wedding.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time and Patience. Both are needed to find a lower cost dress that suits your occasion.
• An Internet Connection.
• Your Dress Measurements.

1. Obtain your dress measurements and determine which style of dress would best suit your body shape. This is essential for finding a dress in any of the ways open to the modern shopper.
   
   One good way to do this is to be fitted properly at a shop specializing in formal wear. The expert staff can find your correct measurements. It is also an opportunity to consult with someone regarding what style would most flatter your body shape and try on potential dresses. Don't be afraid of price tags when trying dresses on, you're under no obligation to buy simply because you've consulted with the staff. That being said, you may also find a bargain basement deal on a style they only have a few sizes left for, or one that is being discontinued.
   
   A "real" dress shop is always worth a first look for these reasons, and to get a feel for your tastes, available styles and relative pricing.

2. Department stores, bargain basements and thrift stores are all worth a look. The odds of finding something suitably modern at a thrift store is low, but the savings makes it worth looking in a few to see if anything strikes your fancy. Department stores and bargain basements contain a slightly higher possibility of finding a suitable dress in the formal wear or prom sections.

3. Check the internet. This is a good second step because it is easy to compare prices of many shops (and types of shops) fairly quickly, and without the sometimes overbearing presence of sales staff.
   
   Wholesale and bargain sites are a good place to look. You may find a dress that is for a formal occasion (but not necessarily a wedding) that will suit the type of event you are planning on having, or find a discount wedding dress.
   
   Ebay is another resource. Some people are seeking to get rid of a dress they've only worn once, or a dress they didn't have a chance to wear at all. Some middlemen and wholesellers sell directly from auction sites at a fraction of the cost of a brick-and-mortar store.
   
   Specialty, novelty or custom sites are also a good resource. A custom-made period replica can be the thing you're looking for to make the day unique and special, and is often a fraction of the cost of regular sites.

Tips & Warnings

• It's often easier to choose a dress first, then to choose the style of other things (decorations, other outfits for the big day). Base these choices on the tone set by the dress.
• Always purchase your dress to fit the biggest aspect of your figure first. If the rest of portions are too large because you bought the dress to fit fuller hips, it can be taken in. If the dress fits perfectly in the breasts and midsection, but is too tight in the hips, the dress will be difficult, if not impossible to take out.
• If you find a dress you like in a store for a price you're not willing to pay, feel free to ask for a discount, or try to find out if there will be an upcoming sale. It never hurts to try.
• Internet purchases, especially from places such as Ebay are notoriously buyer-beware. Pay close attention to sizing and the conditions of purchase.
• Sizing on formal clothing is almost always at least two sizes different (smaller) than sizing on every-day clothing in retail stores. Go by inch sizes and not by clothing sizes.
• When in doubt, buy bigger. It's much easier to have something taken in than to try to diet off several inches with the added stress of a pending wedding.
• Have fun! Be open minded enough to not keep searching for the 'perfect' dress for the 'perfect' wedding. A perfect anything costs a lot of money. As with most bargain hunts, the thrill is in the chase!